Should ENG4U Be Required to Get Into University?

-


Image Source: Really Great Reading
I don't believe that Grade 12 University English should be a requirement for every university program since some programs just don't need it.

Here's why. If you think about computer science or engineering, you'll realize those programs are mostly made up of math, science, coding and problem-solving. The students in those programs spend their time working with calculus, physics, coding and other skills. They don't spend most of their time writing essays or reading novels. Therefore, why should they need a good English mark to get into their program? English doesn't really fit with what they will actually be doing.

Image Source: Brock University
It is also unfair to some students. Not everyone is good at English, and that doesn't mean they aren't smart. It just means they have different strengths, like math, science, or hands-on skills. Making everyone complete the same English course to qualify for university can make others feel punished for not being strong at one subject, even if that subject is not relevant to their program. At the same time, I am not saying that English skills are useless. Writing and communicating are important in any career. Even an engineer or computer scientist needs to be able to communicate with other people. However, I think that those skills can be built through their university courses without making ENG4U a requirement for every program.

In my opinion, each university program should decide what it needs from their applicants. Not every program needs the same requirements. ENG4U definitely benefits some programs, while other programs may have courses that are more important to help prepare students. For example, for a program like English or communications, ENG4U makes a lot of sense because writing and analyzing info are a large part of those areas. If the programs are different, why should the requirements always be the same?

Comments

  1. Idris.hSeptember 24, 2026 at 8:20 PM

    I disagree. At the very least, English teaches you how to understand what you're reading and take away important info, and then use that info to answer questions or just be capable of speaking about the topics you read. The idea that someone might be better at something and be bad at English is odd. If you are not good at English, it should be all the more reason this requirement is in place. Say you do get into your program, all those people who can explain will have an edge over you that you may never overcome simply because you always told yourself you were not good at English. You mentioned that explaining information is important, I agree, but I don't think you can learn the proper degree of communication just by living life. It's highly unlikely people get the opportunities to speak/read/write as much as would be needed to get a Grade 12 English level of understanding.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ryan's RantSeptember 25, 2026 at 10:16 AM

    I agree with you, different programs require different skills.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cora's Search for Freedom: An Archetypal Analysis

-
Image
What does it really mean to be free? Is it just about leaving a place where you are treated badly, or is it being able to make your own choices without always being scared? While I was reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, I started thinking about these questions through Cora's experiences. She wants to escape slavery and have control over her own life, but her journey is way harder than just leaving the plantation. Using archetypal theory, I can connect Cora's experiences to a hero's journey, where a character leaves their well-known world, faces challenges, and changes along the way. However, Cora's journey is not like a normal hero's story because she isn’t sure that things will get better after each challenge she faces. Archetypes are common patterns in characters, themes, symbols, or situations that appear in stories from different cultures and time periods (“Archetype”). Image Source: Smithsonian Magazine One of the main archetypes I recognize...
Read more