Rutgers Continuing Studies

& HEROES

Writing Talent Search

Middle and high students learn to write five paragraph essays and DBQs in their language arts and other college preparatory classes. These skills help them prepare for standardized tests such as the GEPA, HSPA, SAT and AP exams: but do they really prepare them to write for college?

Michael Goeller, Associate Director of the Rutgers Writing Program reports that one-third of all incoming freshmen must take remedial writing programs before they can take Expository Writing (aka Comp 101) and that half of all students who take Expository Writing do not earn a passing grade on their first essay.

At the January 2010 HEROES Conference, Goeller explained that the reason that students are not prepared to write for college is that high school writing assignments differ significantly from college writing assignments. He outlined the major differences as follows:

The Writing Talent Search is designed to introduce middle and high school students to the type of writing they will encounter in college. Registered students will receive a reading passage and related writing assignment on March 27. They will have two weeks to submit their essay. Each submitted essay will be graded by an instructor from the Rutgers Writing Program using the same grading rubric used for 355:101 Expository Writing and will include individualized comments for each writer.

Interested students should do the following to prepare for the Writing Talent Search:

1. Review the 355:101 Expository Writing Grading Rubric

    

2. Explore the Course Page for 355:101 Expository Writing

    

3. Study the Sample Essays with Grades and Explanations

    

4. Watch Expos 101 with Kurt Spellmeyer

    

5. Review your recently submitted essays in light of the grading standards of Expository Writing.

    

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