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Analytical Writing Program Analytical Writing Program
  1. AWP
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  3. Course Enrollment

AWP Course Enrollment Instructions

Incoming First-Year Students

Writing Course Options

The Writing Placement Process will place you in one of the three course options: College Writing, AWP 3, or AWP 4A-4B. 

If you are placed in College Writing, you will have fulfilled the ELWR and can proceed with your College Writing sequence. Please contact your college academic advisors through the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for enrollment questions, including preauthorization requests. 

If you are placed in an AWP course, you must enroll in the course you are placed into during the first quarter it is offered at UC San Diego. 

  • If you are placed in AWP 3: You must enroll in the course in your first fall quarter. 
  • If you are placed in AWP 4A-4B: We typically do not offer AWP 4A in the fall quarter. You must plan to enroll in AWP 4A in your first winter quarter and AWP 4B in the spring quarter. Students who enroll in AWP 4A are required to enroll in AWP 4B in the subsequent quarter with the same instructor and cohort.

General Enrollment Advice

  • If you received your placement result before your enrollment period starts, you can enroll in the AWP course you are placed into in your second pass. 
  • We strongly advise students not to enroll in more than 16 units in total when they are taking an AWP course. 
  • Do not waitlist unless all sections are full. Find a section with an available seat. 
  • Do not delay enrollment. You have limited number of quarters to pass AWP 3 or AWP 4A-4B to fulfill the ELWR, so you need to take this requirement seriously. If you do not enroll in the AWP course you are placed into during the first quarter it is offered, you will lose one of your ELWR quarters of eligibility. If you do not fulfill the ELWR within the allotted number of quarters, you will be disqualified and cannot continue at UC San Diego. 
  • If you are placed in an AWP course by the WPP but later realize that you actually have an ELWR-fulfilling test score or composition course received prior to your enrollment at UC San Diego, you can submit the official score/college transcript to meet the ELWR so you do not have to take the AWP course. Visit Submitting Official Scores/Transcripts for detailed instructions. 

Freshmen Enrollment Period

If you take the WPP in May or July, you will receive your placement results before your enrollment period starts. If you take the WPP in late August or in September, you most likely will not be able to enroll in any writing courses during the enrollment period, but you can enroll in other courses at the time. After you complete the WPP and receive your placement result, you can enroll in the writing course you are placed into and adjust your class schedule if needed. 

Continuing Students

AWP 3 and AWP 4A Enrollment

If you are required to take AWP 3 or AWP 4A in Winter 2026, you must enroll in the course. Do not delay enrollment as you have limited quarters of eligibility to fulfill the ELWR. Please refer to the General Enrollment Advice above.

AWP 4B Enrollment

AWP 4A and 4B are linked courses that offer writing instruction to students who need extra support. If you are currently enrolled in AWP 4A, you must enroll in AWP 4B in the next quarter with the same instructor and cohort. This will allow for consistency of instruction, and you will benefit significantly from working with the same community of learners for two quarters.

Your instructor will let you know the designated AWP 4B section number you must enroll in in the next quarter. You will be preauthorized to enroll in your designated AWP 4B section, and you will not be allowed to enroll in other sections or switch sections with the same instructor. 

We recommend that you enroll in AWP 4B in your second pass, so you can use your first pass to enroll in two other courses that DO NOT conflict with the time of your designated AWP 4B section. You must schedule other courses around your designated AWP 4B section. 

If you have a legitimate class conflict that you cannot resolve, you must contact awp@ucsd.edu right away, providing the course name and course number that conflicts with your designated AWP 4B section. We will make every effort to find a solution that best serves your interests. 

If you do not enroll in AWP 4B in the quarter after you complete AWP 4A, you must enroll in AWP 3 in the quarter after next. This means that you will lose one quarter of ELWR eligibility, study a new topic, and take a much more rigorous course. Note that AWP 4B classes have a higher pass rate than AWP 3, so completing and passing AWP 4B is your best opportunity to fulfill the ELWR.

Updated 12/03/2025