Do more than just write a paper: express your ideas, argue your perspective, share your knowledge.

Writing assessment is an important part of writing across the curriculum at Southeast Missouri State University. Through assessment, the University is able to place the student in the composition course best suited to their needs, monitor the effectiveness of the writing experience at Southeast, and ensure all students who graduate from Southeast have basic writing competencies.

Do you need WP001?

Information for English Placement

Students will place into EN100 based on one or more of the following:
  • Student has a 2.75 high school GPA or higher from a high school where English was the primary mode of instruction
  • Student has an ACT English subscore of 18 or higher, or equivalent SAT (430+ ERW) score
  • The coordinator for the Center for Writing Excellence or the director of First-Year Composition has reviewed the student’s writing portfolio and recommended placement in EN100
Students who do not meet any of these conditions will take the Writing Placement Exam. If the student scores a 3.5 or above, they will place into EN100. If the student scores a 3.0 or below, they will place into a developmental composition course.

WP001: Placement Exam

WP001 is a 50-minute impromptu essay examination offered online prior to FirstSTEP Orientation. Students with documented learning disabilities may contact Testing Services to arrange for accommodations.

Students placed into a developmental writing course without an ACT, SAT, or writing placement score who fail to take the WP001 before the completion of week one of the semester will forfeit the option of taking the exam.

WP001 Scored Holistically

The Center for Writing Excellence scores all exams and portfolios holistically.

English CLEP Exam

The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP) offers the opportunity to earn qualifying credit hours. A list of CLEP Exams accepted at Southeast Missouri State University is listed in your Undergraduate Bulletin.