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Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam

The Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam (LAQE) is a placement test required of all first-year students who do not meet one of the following criteria:

• A score of 560 or higher on the verbal section of the SAT
• A score of 23 or higher on the English portion of the ACT
• A score of 6 or higher on the SAT essay exam

The purpose of the LAQE is to place students in the appropriate writing course.  The LAQE is an essay exam in which student are asked to write a 250 word essay on an assigned topic.  Students have (50) minutes to write the essay and do not need to prepare for the exam.  Based on the evaluation of the essay, students will be placed in either Basic Writing (0502-200) or Writing Seminar (0502-227).  Incoming students who enter RIT at the beginning of the fall quarter and who need to take the LAQE must do so at Fall Orientation.  Orientation personnel will notify those students who need to take the LAQE.

Students can find the results (English Comp Level) of the LAQE on SIS under Liberal Arts Courses or by calling the Department of English at 475-6928.

English Comp Level Key:

Level 0: student has not yet taken the LAQE and must do so before registering for any writing course.
Level 1: student has placed in Basic Writing and must take Basic Writing before taking     Writing Seminar
Level 2: student has placed in Writing Seminar
Level 3: student is exempt from taking the LAQE and has placed in Writing Seminar     

Students who took a college-level English composition course before matriculating at RIT and earned a grade of “C” or better or took an equivalent Language Composition Advanced Placement exam and earned “3” or better may receive credit for Writing Seminar; these students do not need to take the LAQE.

Students should make every effort to take the LAQE during fall orientation; however, student who need to take the LAQE but missed the fall orientation administration may call the Department of English at 475-6928, to schedule an appointment.