After months of prep, I got my ACT writing score back and I'm pretty confused. Can someone kindly explain what's considered a 'good' ACT writing score, and how it influences college admissions? Thanks, y'all!
Sure, let's decode that! An ACT writing score falls in the range of 2-12. This score is the average of four domain scores from two graders, each of them rating your essay on a scale of 1-6 in four different domains: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Conventions.
Next, we must decipher 'good'. In the context of ACT writing scores, anything 8 or above is generally considered good. However, what's 'good' for you significantly depends on the colleges you wish to apply to. Researching the average ACT scores, including the writing section, of students accepted into your colleges of interest, will provide more context.
Now, how does this score influence college admissions? Well, not all colleges require or even consider the ACT writing score during admissions, so it's important to check the specific requirements of each institution you're interested in. The writing score never impacts your composite ACT score that's out of 36, but it can offer a glimpse into your communication skills, especially if the college does take it into account.
However, don't stress too much over this. Admissions officers tend to weigh your grades, rigor of course load, standardized test scores (ACT composite/SAT), personal essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular involvement more heavily than your ACT writing score. It’s also important to remember to submit a polished personal essay as that's where admissions officers get to see your best written work.
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