To assure that students graduating from the institutions of higher education in Georgia possess basic academic literacy, an essay test was devised to provide system-wide information on the status of student competence in the areas of reading and writing and to identify those students who do not attain the expected levels of competence. The statewide emphasis on writing has produced both positive and negative results. The examination has caused a positive concentration on the teaching of writing in all academic areas, a stress on the composition training and background of newly hired teachers, the allotment of more money to the English departments of various institutions, and built-in motivation for student writing improvement. In addition, the test provides the teacher with helpful instructional materials such as topics for classroom writing, an objective scoring sheet that helps students evaluate their writing, and sample essays for class discussion. Some of the disadvantages of the test are its emphasis on mechanical rather than creative writing, an increased use of departmental exams that are graded by more than one faculty member, and possible evaluations of students and teachers based on statistical results rather than on an understanding of the situation. (MAI)