Let’s pretend you are applying to become a U.S. citizen. Here, you are taking the first and last step of the application process.
The first step is to inform the USCIS of your intention to become an American citizen by completing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The last step (except for the oath ceremony) is to have an oral interview with an immigration officer during which time (s)he assesses your civics knowledge and English proficiency (there are exceptions for applicants of certain age and years of residency). A citizenship applicant must correctly answer six out of ten questions from this list during an interview with a USCIS officer. You may see the full test guide here, https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/interactive-practice-tests/ConstitutionGardens.pdf
- On Form N-400
1) How long did it take for you to complete the form?
2) Were you able to find answers to all the questions in a day?
3) What was the most puzzling question of all and why?
4) What do you think is an applicant’s biggest concern as s(he) (or his/her representative) fills out the form?
5) Identify at least three purposes of the questions in “Part 12. Additional Information about You.”
6) What is your overall experience of completing this form? (Answer in 50-150 words).
1) Did you pass your practice test? What was your score? If you had correctly answered six questions, you passed the test.
2) What question(s) did you answer incorrectly? What was the correct answer to the question(s)?
3) Do you think these questions (and studying of the 100 questions) provide a meaningful opportunity for an applicant to demonstrate his/her knowledge about “fundamentals” of U.S. history and civics as required by the current statute?
