Essays really are bullshit. After school, I never wrote an essay in my life. I also never wrote a large block of text about something I didn’t want to write about unless I was getting paid.

I recently had an English test as part of my immigration process. It was in a testing center where they ensured you can’t cheat. Although I think having a metal detector and turning out pockets is overkill for students!

The test came in four sections: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Read and answer multiple choice. Write 200 words on a topic in a format like a letter, or email. Listen to a conversation and answer multiple choice. Speak about a topic for a period of time.

That pretty much covers a person’s ability to prove they comprehend a subject. It also takes less time than writing a 5 page essay.