Abstract

This article presents the macro and micro perspectives of students’ self-placement in first-year writing (FYW) classes at a California State University. The article first analyzes the findings from the surveys sent to the students after they had self-placed through directed self-placement (DSP) and were taking the FYW classes. The article then zooms into the lives of the focal students who were placed through DSP and graduated. Through the interplay of student perspectives, the article explores their experience of placement into FYW classes through DSP. This longitudinal study analyzes students’ perspective on placement, because not much is known about student uptake and perspective on DSP vis-à-vis remediation policy, like early start. Findings indicate that students’ placement decisions are influenced by their past sociocultural history, personal writing identity, past performances, presumptions around FYW courses, or any other institutional procedures and policy that informs them of their remediation status, making them develop a low self-efficacy around writing. Implications of this study recommends that institutions implementing DSP must clearly inform their students of the meaning and value of all their course choices without deficit biases perpetuated at the institutional and curriculum levels.