Fitchburg State University uses a student's adjusted High School GPA, previous college course credits, and a College Board/Accuplacer placement test to place students into the appropriate English course.
Incoming freshmen who have an adjusted High School GPA of 2.7 or higher (within the last 10 years) will be placed into ENG 1100 (Writing I) without having to take a placement test. Freshmen with adjusted high school GPAs that are less than 2.7 or more than 10 years old will be required to take the WritePlacer placement test.
Incoming Transfer students will be placed into an appropriate English course based on their major and accepted transfer credits. Transfer students without accepted transfer credits in English are required to take the WritePlacer placement test.
The WritePlacer Test is a test of spontaneous writing ability. Students are expected to write, using the computer, a multiple-paragraph, three hundred to six hundred word essay. There is a one hour time limit. The essay is scored immediately upon completion. A score of four (4) or above allows a student to enroll in ENG 1100 (Writing I). A score of eight (8) satisfies the ENG 1100 (Writing I) requirement and allows a student to enroll in ENG 1200 (Writing II). Students that score a three (3) or below must enroll in the prerequisite course, Basic College Writing.
Any student with disabilities and in need of accommodations should contact the Disability Services Office and make arrangements to take the placement test with this office. Please contact Disability Services by email or at 978.665.4020. Accommodations are only given for tests taken through the Disability Services office.