Exit Exam Topics

These topics have been used in past Exit Exams. There is no guarantee they will be used in any future sitting.

Personal Experience Prompts

Many topics ask for personal reactions. Opinions and personal experiences count, so it is all right to use the first person.
Avoid using "you."

* The best place to look for bargains
* One thing that everyone should be given for free
* A book or movie that is very entertaining
* The best reason to own or not to own a pet
* A personal habit that can be difficult to change
* A time and place in history that would be worth visiting
* Something you would like to get rid of, if you only could
* The best reason to live or not to live to be 100 years old

Relationship Prompts

Some topics deal with personal relationships. When you write, remember that your examples will be individual experiences (yours, friends, family, celebrities, etc.). Give names whenever possible.

* One of the best or worst things about dating
* An action that can ruin a good relationship
* The best age for a person to get married
* A friend or relative who is your opposite
* An advantage or disadvantage of having relatives live nearby

General Experience Prompts

Other topics ask for a response about experiences people have. Choose a topic that you know something about. If you can’t expand with details, you won’t have enough to say.

* A good way to look for a new job
* An activity that everyone should find the time to do
* A sport that is particularly entertaining to watch
* A good use of taxpayer money
* The best way to help students be more successful in college
* One of the most difficult problems college students face

General Experience - Special Negative Twist Prompts

Negative prompts ask about things you don't like. If you choose honesty, you may not have enough information and details to meet the word count. For example, if you were to choose “Bagpipe music” for the first prompt below, could you write 500 words on why you dislike it? Probably not. For negative prompts, choose a topic you are familiar with and twist it into the negative. If you enjoy rap or techno music, for example, you could write about why some people dislike it, but explain why those people are mistaken. This allows you to use plenty of examples.

* A type of music many people dislike
* One sport or activity that is a total waste of time
* A product today that people would be better off without
* An invention that has caused more harm that good
* A current fad or fashion that many people do not understand