A study of fall 1984 College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) examinees was undertaken at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to examine the interrelationships among CLAST scores, the number of English courses taken, grades received, and basic skills in reading and writing prior to completion of the required English sequence. The study revealed that: (1) grades in the English sequence were related to CLAST performance, with higher grades being associated with higher passing rates; (2) students with the same grade in the same course had different passing rates depending on the campus location of the course; (3) generally only students with grades of "A" or "B" in English courses had higher passing rates than students who had not taken the course; and (4) increasing the number of English courses required of students was associated with higher passing rates only for those students who entered MDCC with basic skills that fell below the cut in both reading and writing. Based on study findings, it was concluded that the policy of requiring an additional English course was a blessing to students who entered with weak communication skills, and a burden to those with adequate reading and writing skills. (EJV)