The Boston University Writing Assessment (BUWA)

Standardized tests do not adequately measure the skills and abilities that foster success in college-level writing, so we do not depend upon those tests to make crucial decisions about placement in Writing Program courses. Boston University administers its own writing assessment in order to provide a more accurate indication of students' actual achievement level in reading and writing as they enter college.

The Boston University Writing Assessment (BUWA) is required of all entering Boston University students, including transfer students, students who enter the University at mid-year, and students for whom English is not their first language. It is a fifty minute essay examination that asks students to read, summarize, and evaluate a short excerpt similar in kind and similar in difficulty to readings typically assigned in college courses. Essays are read by two experienced graders and marked on a five point scale (1 = low and 5 = high). If the first two readers disagree by more than one point, essays are read by a third person. The final score is an average of the two or three readings. The BUWA is repeated at the end of every course in the WR 097- WR 150 sequence as a means of gauging progress.

The BUWA is the only test used to determine student placement. Students with AP, IB, TESOL, or SAT Essay scores will receive placement solely on the basis of the BUWA.

The BUWA is administered during Summer Orientation and during the registration period for each semester during the academic year. Summer times and locations are posted each year on the Orientation Services website.

Placement will be based upon the following scale:

BUWA scores of 1.0 to 2.0 = WR 097 (lower-level ESL),
WR 098 (upper-level ESL),
or WR 099 (Introduction to Composition).

BUWA scores of 2.1 to 4.49 = WR 100 (Writing Seminar)

BUWA scores of 4.5 to 5.0 = Satisfies the WR 100 requirement
Placement in WR 150 (Writing and Research Seminar)
for students with two semester requirement.