1. 2008 WAFT Overview

Freshman writing and online assessment

Because writing is a critical ability, all Caltech students are required to take two freshman humanities courses (literature, philosophy, or history) that include a substantial writing component. Before school begins, all first-year and transfer students must submit an essay for evaluation to determine whether they should be required to take a preliminary writing course, either Introduction to College Writing (En2) or English Composition for ESL Writers (En1a), before enrolling in a freshman humanities course.

If you are entering Caltech in fall, 2008, you should plan to take the Writing Assessment for Freshmen & Transfers (WAFT) via the web in early June. With the online WAFT, you will have several days to compose and submit a persuasive essay on an assigned topic. The writing assignment is based on reading material that is posted on the Web several days before you get the writing assignment. Most students prefer this online approach rather than a timed impromptu essay because the WAFT allows you to compose in a familiar, less-pressured environment; it also gives you more time to read and think about the topic in advance and to draft and revise your essay flexibly, over several days, using the word-processing software of your choice. This online approach to writing assessment was pioneered by a consortium of universities, including Caltech.

The process, in brief

All participants must register for the WAFT before Monday, June 2, at 9 a.m. PDT. Later that day, the reading will be posted for downloading and printing. The writing assignment will be posted on Thursday, June 5, and the essay will be due on Monday, June 9.

WAFT essays will be evaluated by writing and humanities instructors (not by machines). We will use the results to place students into appropriate writing or humanities courses for the fall term. The WAFT does not affect your admission status or financial aid, and it is not part of your permanent academic record. Still, you should take it seriously, since the results will affect your choices for first-year courses.

Special circumstances

All new students are strongly encouraged to take this online version of our writing assessment. For students who find it impossible to participate in June, an alternative assessment will be held on campus, before classes begin. (There is no penalty for taking the makeup.) If you register for the June assessment and circumstances arise that make it impossible for you to submit an essay, then you will automatically be listed for the makeup assessment, with no penalty.

Non-native English speakers

All new students must take the writing assessment, even if your primary language is not English. When you register for the WAFT, you will be asked if English is your first language, and if not, whether you speak and write English as fluently as you speak and write your first language. All WAFT essays that show signs of second-language difficulties will be reviewed by ESL instructors, who may direct students to an introductory college writing class (En2) or to a writing class for bilingual students (En1a).

Transfers and undecided students

If you are a transfer student who has not yet decided whether to enroll at Caltech (e.g., you may be waiting for financial aid information), you should still plan to take the WAFT online.

NOTE: To participate in the June writing assessment, you must register before Monday, June 2, 9 a.m., PDT. Please register at your earliest convenience. DO NOT WAIT until the deadline.

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