Hi people! I got my ACT results back, and my scores are fine except the Writing. I don't really understand the ACT Writing Score scale. Can someone walk me through how it works? How much does it weigh into the overall ACT score? This is making me more anxious than needed.
I can totally understand your concern and I'm here to help! The ACT Writing Test, or the essay, is scored on a scale of 2-12. Your final Writing score is a combination of four individual domain scores in the areas of Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Convention. Each domain is scored by two graders on a scale of 1-6 and those scores are combined.
That said, here's a crucial detail you need to know - your ACT Writing score doesn’t affect your composite ACT score. The composite ACT score is simply an average of your scores from each of the four multiple-choice sections. Your Writing score stands alone and appears as a separate part of your overall ACT score report.
In applying to colleges, the relative importance of your ACT essay score generally varies by institution. Some schools deem it as important, while others give it less weight; it largely depends on the specific school's preferences.
One tip that I'd like to give you, is always aim to score at least in the 6-7 range (out of 12) on your ACT essay. This usually places your within the 50th percentile, meaning your essay score would neither harm nor significantly boost your application. If you're applying to highly competitive colleges, you might want to aim for an ACT essay score in the 8-9 range.
Remember - always check each individual college's policy about the ACT essay to find the right approach.
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