FWR Placement

Students who submitted standardized test scores along with their application materials will use the following benchmarks to determine the FWR course, or course sequence, that will best serve their writing:

• ENWR 1505 & ENWR 1506: Take this two-semester course sequence if you scored 560 or below on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT or a 21 or below on the ACT English test. Students in this path should register for fall ENWR 1505, to be followed by spring ENWR 1506.
• ENWR 1510/ENWR 1520/ENWR 1530: Take this single semester option if you scored between 570 and 740 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the SAT or between 22 and 35 on the English portion of the ACT. Students in this path should register for ENWR 1510, ENWR 1520, or ENWR 1530 in the fall semester if the first letter of their last name is A through K. Students should also register for fall ENWR 1510/1520/1530 if they play on a varsity team that travels primarily in the spring OR if they are transfer students OR if they are repeating the course. Otherwise, students with last names beginning with L-Z should register for spring ENWR 1510/1520/1530. Note: We offer two sections per semester of ENWR 1510 Writing as Multilingual Writers for students who are still developing their skills in writing in English as a second language.
• FWR+ Option: The FWR+ option is available only to students scoring a 750 or above on the SAT's Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test or a 36 on the ACT English test. Students in this path can satisfy the FWR using ENWR 2510, a 2000-level ENGL, a 2000-level ENCW or, if there are seats available during open enrollment in August, ENWR 1510/1520/1530. Students in the FWR+ path can fulfill the first writing requirement in either the fall or spring of their first year. 

Students who did not submit standardized test scores along with their application materials will need to complete an online placement module as part of the First Writing Requirement placement process, available here. The deadline for completion is May 31, 2023.

This placement process is designed to help you make an informed decision about the First Writing Requirement course that is right for you. In this online module, you will be asked to complete several steps, including a reading and writing activity and two short questionnaires. Then you will review information about the first-year writing courses available to incoming UVA students and choose a path to fulfilling the FWR. Your decision and materials will then be reviewed by a committee of FWR faculty to ensure that your FWR course(s) will best serve the continued development of your writing at UVA.

Most students complete UVA’s First Writing Requirement by taking ENWR 1510: Writing and Inquiry.  Since you have not submitted information suggesting that you should do otherwise, count on enrolling in that course for this fall if your last name begins with letters A-K, unless the descriptions below suggest that you should take ENWR 1505 or pursue the FWR+ option instead.

 

ENWR 1510: Writing and Critical Inquiry 

This course approaches writing as a way of generating, representing, and reflecting on critical inquiry.  These classes are appropriate for most students, including those who:

- have had experience writing essays

- are able to identify and respond to key ideas in assigned reading

- can develop as college writers through practice and study

 

Note: You may at this level also choose to enroll in either of two sections of ENWR 1510 designed for multilingual students, the ENWR 1530 lecture, or in ENWR 1520, which achieves the same goals as 1510 but with an emphasis on community engagement. 

 

ENWR 1505 & ENWR 1506: Writing and Critical Inquiry I & II (Stretch Sequence)

This is a two-semester approach to the First Writing Requirement. This sequence allows students to take more time, in smaller sections, practicing and reinforcing the activities that are central to the first-year writing course. Like ENWR 1510, ENWR 1505 & ENWR 1506 approach writing as a way of generating, representing, and reflecting on critical inquiry. These classes are appropriate for students who:

- are intellectually gifted but struggle with one or more of the following: reading comprehension; writing- or reading-related anxiety; organizing their essays; writing clearly.

- did not get extensive practice and guidance on their writing in high school: for example, wrote fewer than four pages per week on average.

- lack confidence in themselves as writers or feel that they need additional help with fundamentals such as organization, development, and integration of source material. 

Note: Take this two-semester course sequence if the above description applies to you and/or you scored 560 or below on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT or a 21 or below on the ACT English test. Students in this path should register for fall ENWR 1505, to be followed by spring ENWR 1506.

 

FWR+

Students on the FWR+ path may complete the First Writing Requirement with ENWR 1510 (above); a similar but advanced course, ENWR 2510; or a 2000-level literature or 2000-level creative writing course. In each of these options, student get substantial practice in writing and critical inquiry. This option is appropriate for students who:

 - are confident writers, who may make an occasional error but are generally in control of the fundamentals (thesis, paragraph construction, grammar, usage).

-  are confident readers, capable of analyzing and writing English-language texts independently.

- have had considerable writing practice and guidance in high school (an average of 4 or more pages per week) and are looking for a more advanced writing course.

Note: The FWR+ option is available only to students scoring a 750 or above on the SAT's Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test or a 36 on the ACT English test.