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Do colleges even look at the ACT writing test?

vkallattilvkallattil 15 replies11 threads New Member
in College Admissions
Hey all,

I just walked out of my ACT testing room about 5 hours ago, and while I was walking out I was talking about how amazing my essay was but they told me that colleges don't really care about the essay. Is this entirely true? I'm assuming it depends on the college- my first choice when I start applying in June is Duke, and I feel like Duke might factor in the essay because they're so competitive.
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Replies to: Do colleges even look at the ACT writing test?

  • vkallattilvkallattil 15 replies11 threads New Member
    Bump!
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  • my2caligirlsmy2caligirls 926 replies10 threads Member
    For colleges that say they require ACT with Writing I am sure they look at it. If they don't require Writing it is probably not a factor.
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  • happy1happy1 23069 replies2279 threads Senior Member
    I certainly won't hurt your application to have a strong writing score.
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  • BostonMomof3BostonMomof3 27 replies4 threads Junior Member
    Just got my son's writing score and it was a 12. Obviously happy and surprised, zero prep but that's how he rolls. I have to hope that it helps him somewhat in the application process. Maybe?
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  • RoundGeniusRoundGenius 351 replies63 threads Member
    I got into Yale with an 8/12 on the writing section. From what I understand, admission officers don't care too much about writing scores, seeing as how they're able to get a better grasp of your writing abilities from the essays on your application. I consider myself a fairly talented and don't view the writing scores as very indicative of an individual's writing skills.
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  • yankeeinGAyankeeinGA 225 replies3 threads Junior Member
    My kid had a single-sitting ACT composite of 34 and did quite poorly on the writing. So poorly, in fact, that we paid for a rescore, thinking it was a mistake. (They did not change the score.) He has dysgraphia and there's a possibility that they simply couldn't read his writing, but whatever it was: super low score, comparatively.

    He was accepted early to his top choice (a school with a 22% admission rate).

    As was said already, a great writing score certainly can't hurt. But the scoring for the ACT writing is so goofy, I don't think a poor score amidst a competitive application really hurts you, either.
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