For seniors who are struggling to finish their English130 requirement before graduation, there is an option seniors taking the class should know about.

The Challenge Process for Seniors

• Put together a portfolio of essays from various writing intensive classes already taken
• Pass in by the end of the add/drop period to Laura Sparks, English Honors Thesis Coordinator
• Portfolio evaluated by a committee in the English department
• Candidates get a reflection essay assigned to them
• Reflection essays brought back to Sparks to be reviewed
• Depending on the committee’s decision, the candidate will either stay and complete ENGL 130I or the student could get credited three units

The candidate would not have to attend class but they would be enrolled in it the entire semester.

The challenge process is lengthy and not recommended by Sparks.

“Some people come into college with a really solid set of reading and writing skills, so they’re already prepared to do really well in classes that emphasize writing. Some students aren’t, and that’s okay,” she said.

The writing composition class in Chico State is geared towards enhancing inquiry, research and analytical skills that could be used in other classes and endeavors outside of school.

Some students prefer to take a 100 level class later with their major classes to balance their workload.

Kubir Sandhu, a Chico State senior, is one of them. He suggests students to “get it over with and take it as a first year.” He intends on staying in the class to strengthen his writing competence.

JD Giovanni, a senior, is taking the class with mostly first year students. He said the age gap between him and his fellow classmates is the hardest thing about taking the class as a senior. The students in his class are only beginning their experience at Chico State while he’s at an end run.

Giovanni said he is taking the class later than his peers because he wanted to make sure his major was right for him and began taking his upper-division classes before general education courses.

He will be going through the challenging process. “I have better things to be doing than writing essays for this class,” Giovanni said. Alongside English 130, Giovanni is taking major classes.

The last day to pass in challenge portfolios each semester is the end of the add/drop period.

Marrion Charissa Cruz can be reached at [email protected] or @marrion_orion on Twitter.