Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs to complete the Reflection on College Writing?

All entering freshmen complete the Reflection on College Writing. Even if you’re bringing transfer credit or test scores that fulfill the GE Area 1A: English Composition requirement, you’re still required to complete the Reflection on College Writing. If you’re and incoming freshman and you’re wondering, “Is it possible that I’m exempt from the RCW,” wonder no more. You’re not exempt because no one is!

How do I begin the Reflection on College Writing?

The Reflection on College Writing modules will be available in Canvas starting at the beginning of June (usually June 1). As soon as you have been assigned an SJSU ID, we will use that ID to enroll you into Canvas.

You will receive a course invitation from Canvas in your email. If you do not receive a course invitation by June 1 or the next business day, check your spam folder. If you cannot locate your invitation, email us at directedselfplacement@sjsu.edu.

What happens if I don’t finish the Reflection on College Writing?

The Reflection on College Writing is a prerequisite to our entry-level courses: English 1A and English 1AF/S Stretch. To enroll in either of these classes, you have to score 10 points on the RCW modules. Unless and until you complete the exercises, you’ll have a registration hold on your account that will prevent you from taking a First-Year Writing class, which is a prerequisite to several other classes.

Who do I contact with questions about the Reflection on College Writing?

If you have questions before, during, or after completing the RCW, please call us at 408-942-2570 or email directedselfplacement@sjsu.edu.

Can I test out of First-Year Writing?

There are alternate ways to meet the GE writing requirements at SJSU, including dual enrollment, transfer credits, or IB/AP/SAT/CLEP exams. If you think one of those options may apply to you, you should reach out to Undergraduate Advising and Success for help getting the credit you’ve earned.

What is a GELO?

A General Education Learning Outcome. In all your courses, including and especially GE classes, your professors and campus administrators have come to an agreement about what we think you should learn by taking a class. These are the “learning outcomes.” The ones specifically for General Education are GE Learning Outcomes, or GELOs. You can see them for all GE courses by visiting the General Education page.


I took Stretch English in fall (ENGL 1AF). Do I need to take the spring semester (ENGL 1AS) with the same teacher?

Yes. Stretch is designed as a cohort—same teacher, same students, same time both semesters. In rare cases, students who have had a significant, documentable conflict have been granted exceptions to take 1AS at a different time with the same instructor they had for 1AF. If you have questions, please reach out to the Stretch coordinator listed on the main FYW page.

Where can I get writing support beyond my classes?

We have a strong relationship to the Writing Center, and we can’t recommend them enough. They have one-on-one tutoring, workshops, handouts, and other resources that are free to every SJSU student. You do not have to have a completed paper—or even a started paper—to visit the Writing Center. They can help you plan, too. One thing to keep in mind is that they serve the whole campus, so try to make an appointment early if you want to meet with a tutor because they can fill up, especially during busy times of the semester.

You can also find help and support from Peer Connections. They have writing support, as well as tutoring in other subjects, mentor programs, and peer educators.

Finally, depending on the kind of writing you’re working on, you might want to visit SJSU’s Career Center. They can help, especially, with resumes and cover letters.

Where can I take writing classes after I’ve completed the First-Year Writing requirements?

Great question! In addition to FYW requirements, every student also has an upper-division writing requirement in their major, called the “Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)” or “Writing in the Disciplines” or “100W courses.” SJSU likes to give things lots of names. Different majors meet the GWAR requirement in different ways, so talk to your major advisor to figure out what’s right for you. Before you enroll in a GWAR course, you’re highly encouraged to complete the “Upper-Division Writing Directed Self Placement (UDW-DSP),” which is sort of like the Reflection on College Writing, but much shorter.

In addition to required courses, the English Department also has

What makes SJSU’s First-Year Writing Program special?

We like to think that we do and that you do. The writing instruction that we offer is based on best practices in the teaching of writing, so it’s pretty conventional in a lot of ways. But SJSU’s instructors and students have wide-ranging interests, varied cultural and language histories, and countless future goals. Our multiplicity makes for really interesting, and sometimes complicated, conditions for learning and teaching. Add the benefits (and challenges) of the Silicon Valley, and SJSU’s First-Year Writing Program is a unique place for instructors and students to work together as writers-in-progress.

Given SJSU’s unique conditions, we think it’s important to maintain our focus on strong, even conventional, writing instruction because many of the fundamental habits and practices of writers will continue to be useful even as reading and writing evolve. But we’ve also tried to complement conventional writing practices with deep engagement in twenty-first century literacies—digital literacy, in particular, which includes things like composing in multiple media, analyzing and producing digital texts, and composing in the AI-era.

For more on the ways we’re trying to support students’ complex writing lives, visit our First-Year Writing Initiatives page.

Who do I contact if I have other questions?

You can reach out to the program directors at any time. Their contact information is on the main First-Year Writing page.