A faculty member in a predominately black institution in the University System of Georgia critiqued the basic skills examination used as a placement and exit examination for the remedial program. He found that the local committee that developed the test had not defined what "basic skills" are, set priorities, nor specified degrees of "basic." In addition, he discovered that at least seven of the items on the test had muddled directions, and that the spelling test was composed of the jargon words of English teachers rather than of common problem words. He sent a critique of the test to selected linguists around the country and received several replies supporting his view that the test was poorly written. In spite of this, the University System of Georgia did not withdraw the test. However, his efforts were not altogether unsuccessful--officials now require a writing sample as part of the test and have revised it extensively. (TJ)