<p>During our visit to Rutgers we were told that they are not looking at the writing score… at all. They use SAT scores for admission and for awarding scholarships, so it is still a very important test, just not the writing portion. I would guess there are other schools in the same boat. When a student takes the SAT, is the writing test given at one time or are there sections interspersed with math and critical reading? What options does a student have to not take the writing test without invalidating his entire score? Leave early? (doubtful). Put head down and rest during the writing section? What happens if no essay is submitted? Would the collegeboard cancel the entire test score? Somehow I think CB would not be happy with this and would strongly discourage it, but if the test counts for nothing from the student’s point of view I see no reason they should be compelled to perform. These kids are being used as guinea pigs and are having to test prep and sit through extra testing time for what? So that CB can collect some data?</p>
<p>Maybe I don’t understand, but if a student is already there, pencil in hand, why wouldn’t they want to at least give it a go? I would think some score is better than a 0 on that section. I don’t know about the college board, but the school would probably think it a bit strange it the student sat out that portion when they were at the test site.
I believe the writing portion is the first part of the exam, and yes, all three parts are in one sitting. No breaks.
I would doubt the cb would cancel the entire score, though. They’d just give the student a very low score ( I think you get a few points for writing your name !)
If Rutgers is your only school of interest, maybe they would accept the ACT. You can take that without the writing section, I believe.</p>
<p>Several versions of the SAT are given at the same time. My D took the January test, and when I looked at the college board site, they said something like: If your test went like this: black cover, essay, this section, that section… pink cover, essay, that section, this section… In each case, the essay was first, the other sections mixed up. However, I agree with ASAP – They don’t allow people to come in late. So sitting there doing nothing and getting a sure zero doesn’t make sense to me. Everyone will know you were there and just didn’t try. Seems to me that says something more negative than a low score would.</p>
<p>The math, critical reading and writing sections are all interspered, but that’s to my memory way back in May. Maybe things are different. (Though it’s always easier to tell when the math section is. :p) There are, I believe two or so breaks, but very short ones. For bathroom or snack or a one-minute stretch break.
I don’t know if CB would cancel your entire score but I heard if you erase all your answers, your test is cancelled. Unsure what happens if you erase a section of answers.
I think it’s best if your child plods along and does the essay and the grammar questions for the writing section. And is s/he is applying to other schools who do look at Writing scores, especially if they used to require SAT II Writing tests?</p>
<p>I don’t think it would be wise to omit one entire section. If the school doesn’t look at the score, it doesn’t really matter.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the writing section is always the first part of the SAT and the last part of the ACT. My kids both preferred getting the writing done first.</p>
<p>The SAT always starts with the essay part of the Writing section. After that the 3 sections are mixed up randomly. So you could have 20 minutes of Math, 25 minutes of Verbal, 20 minutes of Writing, 15 minutes of verbal again, etc.etc.</p>
<p>Collegeboard does not care if you leave entire sections blank. They would grade the entire test. But think about how bad this would look: Math:650, Verbal:700, Writing:0.</p>
<p>There are plenty of schools that are looking at your writing score. What if your child changes their mind about going to Rutgers in a few months. Just take the entire test.</p>
<p>The first and LAST sections are always the same. </p>
<p>It makes no sense to skip the writing sections. Trying to put your head down will only make you lethargic.</p>
<p>My kid will take the entire test and do his best. He will be applying to several schools that haven’t admitted that they don’t consider the writing portion. I was just wondering if there were options for a kid who questions what he is being asked to do rather than mindlessly following orders. </p>
<p>If the test is scored in typical CB fashion, the lowest score reported would be 200. How would 650/700/200 look? (or 650/700/NR) How would it look to whom? To a college that doesn’t look at the writing score? To your parents’ friends bragging about their kids’ SAT scores? I expect it will come up at some point - a kid will just not bother with the writing portion of the test because he has heard colleges aren’t looking at it - and we will see what happens.</p>
<p>I don’t know, NJres. I haven’t heard of anyone thinking of not taking that part of the test. I think most kids have spent a lot of time in school writing essays and learning grammar through writing, and those who would take the SAT in the first place probably feel they can do OK on it, even if they’re not talented writers.
How can applicants ever really know what schools will or will not look at from year to year, or month to month?
When this new test came out, most colleges were saying they won’t look at the writing score. As the year progresses and more information comes out from the CB as to what it means, it seems that more and more colleges are “considering” it. I think because of the way that it’s structured, you won’t find kids omitting it altogether.
There would be no point - no upside.</p>
<p>since college is writing- and they are going to be sitting for it anyway- I don’t see the point of not taking it.
Even if the school doesn’t take the score into consideration- and many aren’t- I htink that it could be useful.
but I understand your concern
both my kids have problems with testing-
one is a great writer- but has ADD- and so had extended time on SAT.
She was able to take the old SAT and two SAT IIs ( writing and biology I htink- is there a biology?)
she got 790 on the writing- but we realize the essay is subjective
when she had the ADD testing to verify that she needed an extended time test- they judged her essay to be at the 10th grade level.
I worry about my younger daughter taking such a long stressful test
we will be looking at colleges who don’t require tests, as well as thinking about taking the ACT.
She is working hard on writing, but she is dyslexic and it is very difficult for her. But even their PE classes require papers- I htink that is good- but seems so stressful</p>
<p>The SAT curve sometimes requires a negative raw score for a 200. So, if a student left the writing section and essay blank, his writing score might be 240 or even 270.</p>
<p>Here are some reasons to complete the entire test:
- Some colleges which are not using the writing section or admissions this year, may do so next year.<br>
- Some colleges which are not using the writing section for admission this year require that the student take the writing section because they are building a database for future admissions. It’s possible they would figure out what was up if an otherwise stellar student had scores of 650, 750, and 200 and consider the application incomplete.
- The writing score is considered for some scholarships, such as NMS.</p>
<p>My other concern would be that it’s one thing for them to say they aren’t considering it (so, for instance, a kid with a 1600 M/V could get a, say 600 on W, and it’d be okay.) But I think a really, really low number, like a 3/400 or lower, would raise some questions. Because they’re going to see it.</p>
<p>NJRes
When I said how bad a 650/700/0 score would look, I certainly did not mean how it would look to your friends. Who cares about that? My concerns would be:</p>
<p>(1) if the student applies to schools other than Rutgers, he could have greatly reduced his chances of being accepted. Schools also very often say one thing and mean another, or change their minds.</p>
<p>(2) even if he only applies to Rutgers, there could be some adcom that may think…‘this kid is just blowing a section off’ … All that Rutgers meant was that a low score in Writing would not affect admissions.</p>
<p>NJRes, I was wondering how accurate the info. that you received at Rutgers really is. On their website, they pretty much require the essays, and therefore, the Writing component of the new SAT</p>
<p><a href=“http://admissions.rutgers.edu/0214.asp[/url]”>http://admissions.rutgers.edu/0214.asp</a></p>
<p>“Collegeboard does not care if you leave entire sections blank. They would grade the entire test. But think about how bad this would look: Math:650, Verbal:700, Writing:0.”</p>
<p>Based on the standardization process, the lowest score that can be received on one section is a 200, whether you leave all answers blank or answer every question wrong.</p>
<p>
I strongly resent taht you call people who took the whole test as “mindlessly following orders.” I took the whole test and i don’t believe that i was mindlessly following orders. The writing section was created for a reason and i paid for the whole test so why would i not do the whole test. It’s not like i want to ever take it again just in case my writing score’s a 200. No i wanted to get rid of it so i did all of it and a lot of schools look at the writing section although it’s less weighted than others.</p>
<p>The SAT “writing” is not optional. If you are there, you are supposed to take it. The ACT writing is optional and you can choose not to take it (although Rutgers requires it). There are a lot colleges ignoring the writing section for admission and they will do as they say, ignore it. Rutgers apears to be one those colleges in an in between period. They are not currently relying on the writing section for admission, but they are requiring that you submit scores for the entire test. They are developing a history to look at for the writing section so they can create a database of typical ranges of scores for those admitted so it can eventually decide whether and how to rely on the writing test for admission. Georgetown is another one doing the same.</p>
<p>If you regard writing the SAT essay as “mindlessly following orders,” then I suppose you ought to regard talking the test at all as the same thing. That’s a bit strong, isn’t it? I really think you’re over-thinking this, anyway. It’s a very short essay, and it’s not that difficult. Even the scoring rubric makes more of it than it really ought to. Most kids will do just fine and probably worry way more than they need to over it. Why not relax and just write the silly thing? It’s probably much easier for your child than the rest of the test will be.</p>
<p>NJRes:</p>
<p>according to Rutger’s website, they REQUIRE the “new SAT” for the matriculating class of '06 and beyond. If they really didn’t care about the writing, they could have easily followed many schools and accepted new or old versions of the test, but they did not. (While admittedly knowing little about the school), it seems to me that Rutgers wanted all students to be reviewed on an equal basis, i.e., same test and same testing conditions – which means not napping during the first 30 minutes. Fortunately, I am not an adcom, but I would immediately reject any kid who turned in a zero score (“200”) since I would consider it just plain disrepectful, and not a team player etc.</p>
<p>btw: at one top ten school preso we attended the question came up regarding the SAT and whether the school would mix and match scores. The answer was yes, but the rep added a tale: We had one student who scored a high 700 on the math, but only high 600 on the V (old test). Student retook, and turned in a high 700 on the V, but a 200 on the math. That student’s app, with great essays and recs, never got to the admissions committee, since it was auto-rejected by the regional rep. They made sure that that rejection letter went out the day before all other decisions.</p>
<p>I was actually wondering the same thing as the OP. D took a practice SAT the other day and left the essay completely blank. She “couldn’t think of anything to write.” Frustrating. Her score was 560 on the Writing and 77 for something called Grammar. Would those two be added? If so, she got a 637 without an essay. Does anyone know?</p>