<p>My son is a entering freshman at Viterbi School of Engineering. I have a question regarding course WRIT 120 and WRIT 140. According to the course catalogue:</p>
<p>Preparatory Course Work</p>
<p>Some students are better served by taking a preparatory course before they enroll in WRIT 140. Entering freshmen who score below a specified level on the verbal portion of the SAT take the University Writing Examination. Based on the results of this examination, certain students enroll in WRIT 120 Introduction to College Writing or WRIT 121 Introduction to College Writing in a Second Language during their first semester at USC.</p>
<p>My questions are:</p>
<li><p>What’s the minimum SAT verbal or ACT English score to waive University Writing Examination and WRIT 120. He is a domestic student.</p></li>
<li><p>Whether Engineering students are required for the same the writing requirement?</p></li>
<li><p>When will the University Writing Examination be taken, and what’s the ratio of students passing it?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I am a mom, but it sounds to me like Viterbi is letting the kids who need Writing as a Second Language in a different writing class. The test is to determine which Writing class international students need. I don’t think you should worry a second about this exam. Unless this changed, all Viterbi students have to take the Freshman writing class plus another writing class later for Engineers. Congrats that your child got accepted to Viterbi.</p>
<p>newuscmom, I also cannot find any info on the minimum SAT verbal that would require taking that writing exam. My D does not know of anyone who needed to take 120 before 140. The majority of students who take the regular GEs appear to need to take only the 140 sometime in freshman year, and all the 340 in Junior year. The 140 is coupled with one of the GE courses and the 340 is related to the major. In engineering, as mdcissp says, it would be specific to that field…possibly in writing reports, research etc.</p>
<p>I agree with mdcissp that your son probably need not worry and will need not take 120 with an average SAT/ACT verbal score.</p>
<p>The SAT cutoff is 1100 (verbal+writing combined) and the ACT cutoff is 24. If you have these scores or higher, you automatically place into WRIT 140.</p>
<p>The purpose of WRIT 120/121 is to provide some extra prep for people who would probably struggle if you threw them directly into 140. It’s not specifically tied to second language students, though it is split into 120/121 on whether the person is a native english speaker or not. </p>
<p>It is not viterbi-only either, it is university-wide.</p>
<p>It appears that if your combined SAT Critical Reading and Writing score is 1100 or above, or ACT writing is 24 or above, you do not have to take a writing placement exam. The “specified level” phrase seems to refer to the scores on the placement exam they would take if their SAT/ACT scores were below 1100/24.</p>
<p>mdcissp, Sequoia, jbusc, and alamemom thank you very much for your replies.</p>
<p>My son is studying the course catalogue to see if he can waive as many courses as possible. I guess I just worry too much about this writing thing. My feel great to be part of the Trojan community!!</p>
<p>newuscmom, I don’t know if you are aware but if your son has a 4 or 5 in a Science AP, and a 4 or 5 in AP Euro or Art History, he can waive out of two of the GEs. He may also be able to waive out of an introductory course with a 4 or 5 in the related field.</p>