KLAMATH Community College | Writing Placement

At KCC, writing placement is designed to help you begin in the course where you are most likely to succeed. We use a step-by-step directed self-placement process that considers multiple pieces of information, allowing you to move through the steps at your own pace until you feel confident in your decision.

International students should work closely with the International Programs Office as part of this process to ensure a streamlined placement based on English proficiency scores and prior coursework.

Disability-related accommodations for placement tests are available on a case-by-case basis by contacting the Disability Coordinator. Visit Accessibility Services and Resources to learn more.

STEP 1: Course Options

The options below are organized into initial writing courses and support courses. Initial writing courses include both college-level (WRI 121Z, WRI 117, and WRI 115) and preparatory options (WRI 090), while support courses (WRI 121Q and WRI 100) provide additional structure, time, and feedback alongside writing-intensive coursework. Reviewing these options and meeting with your advisor can help you identify a pathway that best fits your goals and current level of preparation.

Initial Writing Courses:

Course	What This Course Offers
WRI 121Z – Composition I	Introduces college-level academic writing, reading, and revision. Fulfills writing requirements for most degree and transfer programs and serves as the entry point for many students' writing sequence.
WRI 117 – Introduction to Technical Communication	Builds career-specific writing skills. Designed for some career and technical (CTE) programs; not intended for transfer. Note: This course may not be offered every term.
WRI 115 – Introduction to College Writing	Builds academic writing skills that prepare students for WRI 121Z and supports many career and technical programs. Provides additional time and guidance to develop experience with college-level expectations. Note: This course may not be offered every term.
WRI 090 – Writing Fundamentals	Strengthens foundational reading and writing skills in preparation for college-level coursework. Supports students who want to build confidence and develop their skills.

Support Courses:

Course	What This Course Offers
WRI 121Q – Corequisite for WRI 121Z	Provides a 1-credit support course taken concurrently with WRI 121Z. Offers extra time, structure, and feedback while working with the same instructor.
WRI 100 – Co-Requisite Writing	Provides a 1-credit support course taken alongside writing-intensive courses such as WRI 090, WRI 115, WRI 117, or WRI 227Z. Offers additional structure, practice, and feedback for students seeking added support.

If, at any point during the writing placement process, you would like more clarity about your options, including whether a course with additional structure and support such as WRI 121Q or WRI 100 would be a good fit, you may choose to complete the Reading and Writing Experience Questionnaire. This brief tool can be used at any step of placement and is designed to help you reflect on your experiences, compare course options, and support a productive conversation with your advisor about the path that best fits how you learn.

To see how different writing course options align with the placement steps, refer to the Writing Placement Pathways at a Glance table. This table provides a simplified overview you can use at any point as you move through the placement process.

STEP 2: Prior College-Level Writing Experience

STEP 3: High School GPA

High School GPA	Placement
3.0 or higher	WRI 121Z
2.6–2.99	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q recommended)
2.0–2.59	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
Below 2.0 or GPA unavailable	Go to Step 4

STEP 4: ACT / SAT

ACT / SAT Score	Placement
ACT 23 or higher / SAT 521 or higher	WRI 121Z
ACT 16–22 / SAT 491–520	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
ACT below 16 / SAT below 491	WRI 090
Score Unavailable	Go to Step 5

STEP 5: IELTS

Overall Score	Subscores	Placement
6.5 or higher	No score below 6.0	WRI 121Z
6.0–6.4	No score below 5.5	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
Below 6.0	Below required minimums	Go to Step 6

STEP 6: TOEFL iBT

Overall Score	Subscores	Placement
79 or higher	Reading: 13+ Listening: 13+ Speaking: 18+ Writing: 21+	WRI 121Z
61–78	Reading: 13+ Listening: 13+ Speaking: 18+ Writing: 21+	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
Below 61	Below required minimums	Go to Step 7

STEP 7: Duolingo English Test

Overall Score	Subscores	Placement
110 or higher	No score below 105	WRI 121Z
105–109	No score below 100	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
100–104	No score below 95	WRI 090
Below 100	Below required minimums	Go to Step 8

STEP 8: GED

GED RLA Score	Placement
165–200	WRI 121Z
155–164	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
145–154	WRI 090 (WRI 100 recommended)
Score Unavailable	Go to Step 9

STEP 9: ACCUPLACER WritePlacer

WritePlacer Score	What It Means	Placement
6–8	Demonstrates strong college-level writing skills, including clear focus, development, and organization	WRI 121Z
5	Demonstrates college-ready writing skills; additional support can strengthen development and revision	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q recommended)
3–4	Demonstrates developing or emerging college-level writing skills, with support recommended for organization, development, and control	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
0–2	Demonstrates foundational writing skills and readiness to continue skill development	Go to Step 10

STEP 10: ACCUPLACER Reading

Reading Score	What It Means	Placement
251–300	Demonstrates college-level reading skills, including understanding complex texts and multi-paragraph arguments	WRI 121Z
241–250	Demonstrates some college-ready reading skills, including identifying main purpose, point of view, and key ideas in entry-level college texts	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q recommended)
231–240	Demonstrates developing academic reading skills, including understanding main ideas and relationships within paragraphs	WRI 121Z (WRI 121Q strongly recommended), WRI 117, or WRI 115
221–230	Demonstrates emerging reading skills, including locating information and making inferences	WRI 090
200–220	Demonstrates some reading skills and knowledge needed for college readiness	WRI 090 (WRI 100 recommended)

Contact for Writing Placement Questions and Feedback

Dr. Rochelle Daniel

Writing & Communication Faculty Lead

daniel@klamathcc.edu