Placement in Writing Classes at Highline

Students are placed into Writing Classes through the writing score of the COMPASS exam or through completing a prescribed prerequisite course with a 2.0 or higher.  

COMPASS ESL scores	COMPASS writing scores	Course Placement
150-209		Writing 71
210-259	Native speakers will be placed by advisors	Writing 81
260	40-64	Writing 91
	65-100* *Plus a COMPASS reading score of at least 71 or a 2.0 in Reading 060	Writing 101

The only exception to the compass score requirement is if you have received a 2.0 or better in a writing class at another community college or four year college that is equivalent to our prerequisite courses.  In these cases, you need to go to the educational planning center in Building 6 and an advisor will translate the course into Highline’s system and then you can register for the next appropriate writing course.

 

The writing instructors or advisors will not let you into courses based on

 

	grades in high school English classes
	your opinion about your own writing
	being close to the appropriate COMPASS score but not quite there

 

You need to have the appropriate COMPASS score or have a 2.0 or better in an equivalent college course (again, the advisors in Building 6 need to transfer the credit in these cases if the course was taken at another college).

 

You can find more information regarding course placement in our F.A.Q. page.