WAFT - Caltech Writing

Overview
Freshman Writing and Caltech's Online Writing Assessment for Freshmen & Transfers (WAFT)

Freshman Writing at Caltech

Writing is a critical ability. Your Caltech education in writing begins with two required freshman humanities courses (literature, philosophy, or history) that include a substantial amount of composition. To determine whether a student might need a preliminary writing class (En1a, En1b, EN2, or another suitable composition class) before enrolling in a freshman humanities course we ask students to compose an argumentative essay for evaluation.

How does the writing assessment (WAFT) work?

If you are new to Caltech in fall 2002, we would like you to participate in a writing assessment on line, in June 2002. You will write an argumentative essay over a three-day period on an assigned topic. The writing assignment will be posted on Friday June 7, and the essay will be due on Monday June 10. On Tuesday, June 4, you can download a reading on which the writing assignment is based.

The online process is designed to help you produce a suitable sample of your writing, with the writing process and composing tools that you normally use. You will have several days to read and think about a topic, followed by several days for planning, drafting, and revising an essay. After submission, the essays are evaluated by writing and humanities instructors (not by machines). WAFT is not a test. It does not, in any way, affect your admission status or financial aid, and it is not part of your permanent academic record.

We recognize that circumstances or scheduling conflicts may prevent a small number of students from doing so. Any students unable to participate in the June WAFT must take an impromptu makeup writing assessment during orientation week (no advance registration is required for the makeup assessment).