<p>I got a terrible writing score, a great CR + M score. (800 CR, 780 M, 650 W)... and my stupid writing score has been haunting me ever since. </p>
<p>Mainly because I was told I'm actually an excellent writer... apparently ETS doesn't think so. Stupid 25 minute time limit, I forgot to include an example or quotation. I barely had enough time to finish my conclusion. </p>
<p>I really don't want to retake SAT I again, will a 5 in both English Language + Composition and Literature make up for a terrible writing score? I'd rather just pound the books for those, since my critical reading skills are obviously "up-to-par".</p>
<p>Personally I think most good universities do not care about the writing portion of the test. As long as you don't completely fail at it, then you should be fine. As for AP test scores, I think universities care for those even less than they do for the writing section.</p>
<p>An AP score won't make up for a bad SAT score. But your scores isn't really THAT bad so you shouldn't worry. Its not a score that would hurt, you but it wouldn't help you either.</p>
<p>A 650 isn't a terrible score. I'm not an admissions officer, but I think that admissions officers recognize that not everyone excels at writing an essay in 25 minutes. I do think a five on the Lit AP ought to show that you are a decent writer. However if you are determined you can improve that essay score. It's just a matter of practicing writing really fast.</p>
<p>Nobody really cares about the writing score, which makes sense, because the section is in no way a measure of how good a writer one is. The AP exams, however, are better. Your essay is probably the most important example of writing skill.</p>