Skip to Content

Placement

Standardized test scores determine placement in the writing courses. Transfer students who have completed writing courses elsewhere should consult the Office of Admissions and Registrar for information about equivalency. In some cases, transfer courses are evaluated by the Director of Composition.

Students for whom English is the native language are placed into their first term of writing based on SAT or ACT scores:

New SAT Reading (ER)

New SAT Writing (EW)

Old SAT Critical Reading ACT English Writing Placement
SAT ER 10-25

SAT EW 10-25

200-470 13-18 Take designated section of WR 121 (optional)

Take WR 195 concurrently with WR 121 (optional)

SAT ER 26-36

SAT EW 26-36

480-700 19-31 WR 121
SAT ER 37

SAT EW 37

710 32 Exempt from WR 121

Students for whom English is not a native language can consult The American English Institute (AEI) for more detailed information about placement in writing courses. AEI places students in oral skills, reading, and writing courses according to Accuplacer placement tests administered by the UO Testing Center during registration.  AEI offers courses in oral skills (AEIS 101 and 102), reading (AEIS 107) and writing (AEIS 110, 111 and 112) to prepare students for academic writing at the university level. We strongly recommend that students complete the AEIS courses before taking WR 121 because they introduce students to important conventions about American academic writing. Developing these skills in AEIS courses will prepare students to be more successful in Composition Program courses.