UCSC Online Directed Self-Placement (DSP)

Students entering 2020 and after

The new UCSC Online Directed Self-Placement (DSP) replaces the UCSC Fall AWPE.  

UC Santa Cruz students entering in Fall 2020 will take the new UCSC Online Directed Self-Placement as a part of the UC Santa Cruz Online Slug Orientation: Course 2 - July. Both the orientation and the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) process are free.

Students will subsequently be placed into a sequence of writing courses through the Directed Self-Placement process. 

As a part of Course 2 of the online summer Slug Orientation (July 6-16), students will access the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) tool via Canvas. 

The DSP process is made up of 3 main parts: Introduction, survey, and recommendation. 

• Introduction: Students will learn what DSP is, why we are using it, the steps of the process, and basic Writing Program course information. 
• Survey: Students will be asked to review authentic Writing Program course materials and answer questions about their readiness for and needs around that material. 

• Recommendation: Within a few weeks of completing the survey, each student will receive a course recommendation along with detailed information about the day-to-day expectations and support structures of each course. Students will weigh this information and respond with their course selection.

ELWR satisfaction will be determined by the course students self-select based on their placement recommendation.

NOTE: UCSC will accept ELWR satisfaction scores (AWPE scores 8+) from the June 20, 2020 systemwide AWPE for students, if they opt to take it.