123notes

My daughter has ELC but according to her SAT and ACT she has not yet met the UC english language writing requirement. She's going to try the ACT again in December to try to get a 30 on the writing/english portion so she doesn't have to take the uc writing test later. She got a 28 the first time. What do you think? Is it worth a try?

alamemom

Just to clarify, the Writing requirement is a general education requirement, not an entrance requirement, so it will not keep her from being admitted.

The ways it can be satisfied:
Analytical Writing Placement Examination

If she has not met the requirement by April 1st, she wil be directed to take the placement exam. If she does not pass the exam, she can take a writing class at community college that summer or enroll in an entry level writing class her first semester at the UC she chooses to attend. Analytical Writing Placement Examination

If she feels she is likely to score high enough on the ACT and has plenty of time to prepare, taking it in December is a way to satisfy the requirement. But again, it is not used in admissions decisions.

bluebayou

^^concur. But if your D is applying to the more selective campuses (Cal, UCLA, and/or SD), a higher test score would really help. Indeed, higher is almost always better -- the lone exception being ELC. But if not applying to the big three (or selective private college), taking the ACT again is probably not worth it, IMO, since she could take the writing test instead (which is a LOT shorter). Alternatively an AP score will will cover it, should she be taking AP Eng this year.

123notes

She's in AP English, but from what I understand she would still have the take the UC writing test since the AP test results don't come out until summer. Her ACT composite and total SAT scores aren't bad, but that's because she's a math wiz. Not the best writer.
We've had alot of drama around here because she is not very willing to accept help from a tutor... I think she feels I'm telling her she's not smart. She is. Straight A student. Maybe the school system let her down. There's still time to work on it, right? That's what I keep telling her.

any1can

D retook the ACT a second time and really concentrated study time on English. First time she got a 28, second time a 34 so combined with writing she go the much coveted 30. She is a math and science whiz, she is ok in English.

bluebayou

123notes:

If she feels good about AP Eng, no need to take the UC writing test in May, but it's a risk. The AP scores come out first of July so there is plenty of time prior to UC registration. But, it also assumes she scores a 3+. If she does not, she'll have to take the writing test at a UC campus in the fall, delaying registration for courses.