By Xhaxany Cuellar, Assistant Editor
The United States currently has the easiest citizenship test compared to other Western countries. In the U.S. test, applicants must answer six out of the 10 questions correctly to pass. With that being said, can the average UMHB student pass a citizenship test?
We surveyed 35 students to see if they could pass a 10-question written paper test that catered to their knowledge of history and government. Out of 35 students, only nine passed, with four students scoring 90%, one scoring 80%, two scoring 70% and two scoring 60%. Twenty-three students scored below 40% with three students unable to answer any of the questions provided.
The most commonly missed question was,” How many U.S. senators are there?’ and “The House of Representatives has how many voting members?”
So what does this tell us? Has the U.S. educational system failed to provide its citizens with the knowledge of our own country? Or have students simply forgotten all the history they were taught in the last five years?
Another question raised is should the U.S. naturalization test be easier for immigrants to take if the average college student can not pass it?
In 2023, an article by ABC News wrote an issue that stated the concerns about the new changes to the 2023 U.S. citizenship test for people with low English skills. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration proposed the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show the applicant a series of photos of people performing ordinary activities and ask the applicant to describe them. Another proposed change would make the civics section on U.S. history and government multiple choice instead of the current oral short answer format.
These questions underscore the need for a critical examination of civic education in the United States and a reevaluation of the citizenship test. It is essential to ensure that all individuals, both citizens and those aspiring to become citizens, possess a fundamental understanding of the nation's history and government. The results of our survey should serve as a catalyst for discussions on improving civic education and creating a more inclusive and effective naturalization process for immigrants.
