Welcome to the Aquinas Writing Advantage
Middle School Writing Assessment
Why Take the Assessment?
This personal assessment is designed to help you gain a clear understanding of the level of your student’s writing skills. With a passing score, you can skip some or all of the writing prerequisites for Aquinas Writing courses. This assessment is recommended for students in grades 7 and 8.
How Does it Work?
Step 1: Sign up here, which includes payment.
Step 2: The Assessment Coordinator will contact you via email with specific instructions. You can ask any questions at this time through email.
Step 3: Students will submit two (2) original pieces of writing that follow specific guidelines.
Within two (2) weeks of submitting your content for evaluation, you will receive feedback assessing punctuation and grammar, structure and form, diction and syntax, and more, with suggestions as to the best course of action for writing courses at Homeschool Connections’ Aquinas Writing Advantage.
AWA Middle School Writing Assessment
with feedback and course placement recommendations:
$32
Middle School Assessment Coordinator
Bonnie Donlon
Contact Mrs. Donlon at [email protected] for more information.
The Middle School Assessment Coordinator will provide specific feedback on…
- How your student’s skills align with middle school grade levels and
- How the skills displayed align with the courses offered at Aquinas Writing Advantage.
What are people saying about the Assessment?
Here are a few words from parents like you…
“Thank you for the very thorough assessment result for [my student]. We are enrolled in Recorded Courses and will do as much as we can with the suggested course of study. I wish we had known of Homeschool Connections sooner!” ~ Nancy M., parent
“Thank you so much for your detailed input. This is so very helpful to us as we continue on our journey. The assessment you provided is thorough and professional, done with excellence.” ~ Jennifer G., parent
“I just wanted to say thank you for such a detailed report, and for taking the time to discuss a plan for my son.” ~ Paula S., parent
“I appreciate your feedback on the assessment. It affirmed the direction I planned for this year’s English credit.” ~ Amy P., parent
“Thank you for the thorough writing evaluation report!” ~ Vicki C., parent
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the question below to view the answer.
How long will the tests take?
The time that the test takes depends on your student. Regarding the Middle School Writing Assessments, it is highly suggested to upload all documents into Caravel within TWO WEEKS of signing up for the service.
Who grades the test?
The Punctuation & Grammar Test is automatically graded within the Caravel system; the Middle School and High School Assessments are graded by the Assessment Coordinators—professional writing teachers.
Who grades the essay portion of the test?
The Assessment Coordinators for the Aquinas Writing Advantage program will assess your student’s work and prepare a detailed Final Report for you regarding your student’s current writing skills and a plan to prepare for future courses and gain exceptional skills in writing.
How is the information on the questionnaire used?
The Assessment Coordinators will use the information, in combination with the other parts of the test, to help suggest your student’s future course of learning for writing. Recommendations will be sent to you in a final report within two weeks of obtaining your information.
If I use the assessment to test out of Homeschool Connections’ high school writing classes, what determines a “passing score”?
To test out of Punctuation and Grammar and Simplified Writing prerequisite courses, the student must obtain a score of 90% on the quiz. To test out of the Rhetoric and Writing course, the student must obtain a “clean essay” comparable to a score of 4 on the AP English Language and Composition courses.
Is there anything else to do after the test is completed?
YES! When all assessment sections are completed, including the test, essay, and questionnaire, you will email the Assessment Coordinator to receive your final report.
After finishing the assessment, I’ll get a report. What will the report look like?
You will receive a Final Report in paragraph form, noting scores in the quiz and comments on the essay. Strengths and weaknesses will be noted, and suggestions for improvement will also be added.
Beyond using it for HSC class placement, what can I do with this assessment?
This assessment can be used as a supporting document for enrollment in outside courses in writing, as requested by potential schools. A suggested scope and sequence of courses will also be provided to the student. (A scope and sequence is a plan of what and when to take courses.) Families are not required to take the courses with Homeschool Connections (you can take courses elsewhere), but if you choose to follow the Aquinas Writing Advantage program and sign up for courses, we will continue to provide support for your student through LIVE and recorded classes (Instructor Access).
I’m ready to sign up—what do I do?
Click on the buttons above to sign up today! Follow the instructions on the webpage to get started.
Do you have more questions?
If you have any other questions, please get in touch with AWA’s Senior Director, Aubrey Heki, at [email protected]. Please put AWA Writing Assessment in the subject line.
We are happy to help!