About Self Placement
Welcome to Directed Self-Placement
Choosing your first Writing (WRTG) course is an important decision. To give yourself the best chance for success, you’ll need to choose a course that matches your abilities. UAS offers different options to help you make this critical choice. One of these options is a process called Directed Self-Placement, where you will answer a series of questions to help you determine which writing course is the best fit for you.
Is Directed Self-Placement Right for You?
Before you begin, remember that you may already have the information you need to choose an appropriate writing course. For example, you may already have college transcripts or test scores from other sources, such as a campus testing center or affiliated organizations, like Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC) in Juneau. Please review the following alternatives to decide whether Directed Self-Placement is the right placement option for you.
Alternative #1: Previous Courses
Have you completed a college writing or English class before now?
- If so, contact your advisor before you proceed.
- If not, please review Alternative #2, below.
Alternative #2: Test Scores
Have you taken any of the following standardized tests?
- SAT
- ACT
- GED
- Accuplacer
- AP English Language & Composition
- IB HL English
If so, check the following chart to see how your scores align to UAS writing courses. If you would like to use your scores for placement, contact your advisor. If you do not have test scores or you feel they do not reflect your abilities, please continue with Directed Self-Placement.
| Standardized test | WRTG 090 | WRTG 110 | WRTG 111 | WRTG 211/212 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT — English and Reading | 26–29 | 30–35 | 36–59 | 60–72 |
| SAT — Reading and WRTG | 390–420 | 430–470 | 480–700 | 710–800 |
| Accuplacer Combined | ≤ 499 | 500–529 | ≥ 530 | N/A |
| AP English Language & Composition* | N/A | N/A | N/A | ≥ 3 |
| IB HL English** | N/A | N/A | N/A | ≥ 4 |
| GED | N/A | 145–164 | ≥ 165 | N/A |
- * AP scores must be sent directly to UAS. Please see the College Board site for more information.
- ** IB HL scores must be sent directly to UAS. Please see the IB site for more information.
Additional information about placement scores may be found on the Juneau Learning Center website.
Directed Self-Placement — How Does It Work?
The Directed Self-Placement process consists of two parts and should take about 15–20 minutes to complete.
- In Part 1, you’ll reflect on your familiarity and comfort level with the work students do in writing courses.
- In Part 2, you’ll read a short essay that represents a typical reading in a WRTG 111 course. After reading the sample essay, you’ll answer a set of questions about how confident you would feel completing assignments about an essay like this in class.
Remember, the Directed Self-Placement process is not a test. Rather, the questions will help you assess how your abilities fit with each writing course, and after completing the Directed Self-Placement, you'll be presented with a recommendation on which course to take.
Completing this self-placement thoughtfully should place you into the most appropriate writing course for your ability. To ensure proper placement, your professor may move you into a higher or lower course based on your first assignment in class.
If you have any questions, please contact your advisor.