First-Year Composition Success Survey

Welcome to Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ! If you have been instructed to read this information and complete the First-Year Composition Success Survey (formerly DSP), please do so before you attend SOAR, where you will enroll in a first-year writing course.

First-year composition satisfies one of the general education writing requirements at Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ. Taking into consideration your confidence in your own writing and experience in other writing courses, you can choose between two first-year composition experiences:

 

Stretch Composition

(100A in the fall and 100B in the spring)

Standard 100B 

(Taken in a single semester)

  • 4 major writing assignments, spread out over a year-long experience
  • 3-4 major writing assignments completed in one semester
  • Major writing assignments broken down into smaller parts and mainly developed in class with instructor and in-class tutor support
  • Multiple supplemental assignments that occur while major writing assignments are in progress
  • Assignments acclimate you into university life in the first semester while you obtain college-level reading and writing and rhetorical strategies in the second semester
  • Assignments emphasize academic discourse, focusing on analytical reading, thesis-driven writing, and rhetorical strategies in one semester
  • One-on-one conferencing with the instructor multiple times throughout the year
  • More out-of-class obligations and expectations to work independently

  • First semester graded Credit/No Credit (does not impact GPA), while second semester is graded A-F

     

  • Graded A-F; must pass with a C or better 
  • Slower paced; smaller class size
  • Faster paced; larger class size
  • Students may have the same classmates and instructor for both semesters, helping to build connections on campus
 

 

 

Many students choose this option if they: 

 

Many students choose this option if they: 

  • Enjoy learning at a slower pace with more hands-on, one-on-one instruction in a writing class.Struggle with meeting deadlines

  • Are confident in their ability to keep up with a faster-paced writing class

  • Struggle with meeting deadlines

  • Have the ability to balance multiple assignments and due dates at the same time

  • Have a rigorous and/or high-unit schedule

  • Have the ability to work and meet deadlines independently

  • Want more of a community experience with a year-long cohort of students to help build connections

     

  • Are able to manage high-unit course loads 

  • Have multiple obligations outside of school 

 

 

If you’re still unsure which option is best for you, complete the First-Year Composition Success Survey. This survey is intended to provide more context and direction; you still have the option to choose either experience.

Begin the survey: 

If you choose the year-long, stretch composition experience, ENROLL IN 100A/104A (Composition I):
 

Choose from:

  • AFRS 100A
  • AIS 100A
  • ASAM 100A
  • ENGL 100A 
  • CHLS 104A

If you choose the faster-paced, single-semester composition experience, ENROLL IN 100B/104B (Composition II):

Choose from:

  • AFRS 100B
  • AIS 100B
  • ASAM 100B
  • ENGL 100B
  • CHLS 104B

 

 

Regardless of your choice, make sure you follow on IG! You will gain access to a community of writers at Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ, along with information about the college writing experience and the various support services we have on campus!