Learning how to do research-based writing and how to construct academic, argumentative essays that use primary and secondary sources as evidence is a General Education requirement called 'Composition I.' It can be fulfilled by taking the appropriate Rhetoric, Communication, or English as a Second Language class(es).

For the 2023-2024 academic year, credit for 'Composition I' will be automatically awarded for the following test scores:

• an official ACT English score of 34, 35, or 36 if you chose to have your ACT scores used in the evaluation of your application to Illinois
• an official SAT EBRW score of 720 - 800 if you chose to have your SAT scores used in the evaluation of your application to Illinois
• an AP English Language exam score of 4 or 5
• an AP English Literature exam score of 4 or 5
• an IB Higher Level English A: Literature score of 6 or 7
• an IB Standard Level English A: Literature score of 6 or 7
• an IB Higher Level English A: Language and Literature score of 6 or 7
• an IB Standard Level English A: Language and Literature score of 6 or 7
• an IB English A: Literature and Performance (only offered at Standard Level) score of 6 or 7

Earning test-based credit means that 4 hours of credit for RHET 105 will be posted to your official academic record. This credit fulfills the General Education 'Composition I' requirement. Self-reported scores cannot be used for academic credit. RHET 105 credit WILL NOT be posted to your academic record until your official test scores are received directly from the testing agency.

International students who are told to take the English Placement Test (the EPT) are required to take the EPT unless they have RHET 105 credit in their official academic record. The EPT does not award RHET 105 credit. It serves to place you into a 'Composition I' course.

NOTE: If you are an international student who received an email stating that you are required to take the EPT and yet you know that your ACT or SAT score is high enough to earn credit for RHET 105, make sure that you had your ACT or SAT scores sent to Illinois. If satisfaction of the 'Composition I' requirement does not appear on your official academic record, then you must take the EPT as stated in the email.

Please note that duplicate credit will not be awarded. This means, for example, that if you already earned 4 hours of RHET 105 credit based on your SAT EBRW score, you cannot earn another 4 hours of RHET 105 credit with a high score on the AP English Language exam. You can earn credit for a particular course only once.