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Decoding the ACT writing test scoring

Hello people, I opted for the ACT with writing, but I'm having some difficulty understanding the scoring for the writing portion. Could someone give me a breakdown of how they score the writing part? Thanks in advance for any help!

3 months ago

Sure, I'd be happy to break that down for you! The ACT writing test score is a bit unique. It's not included in your composite ACT score, which only combines your scores from the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections.

The Writing section is scored by two different graders. Each grader rates your essay on 4 different categories: "Ideas and Analysis," "Development and Support," "Organization," and "Language Use and Conventions." Each of these four categories is scored on a scale of 1-6, with 6 being the highest.

Since there are two graders, you can therefore get a maximum of 12 points for each category, bringing the highest achievable ACT Writing score to 48.

These scores are then averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number to give you a final Writing test score out of 12. For example, if you scored a 40 out of 48, your final Writing score would be 8 out of 12.

Do note that although the ACT with writing is optional, some colleges do require or recommend it, so it's advisable to aim for a high score!

Remember, the key to scoring high on the ACT Writing test is to take a position on the issue provided, provide evidence to support your position, logically organize your ideas, and use standard written English effectively. Good luck on your ACT!

3 months ago

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