With all the talk on the low ACT writing scores, I decided to send in a rescore request because I was satisfied with my other and composite scores. My original writing score was a 23 and I felt like I would need to take the ACT again to at least get a 29 on the writing (last thing I wanted to do). Anyways, they increased my writing score to a 33! How could they be so off that they were 10 points incorrect in the first place? Very frustrating…I suggest anyone who is confused with their low writing score do the rescore if you have the ability to. It seems to be worth it.
Congrats! How long did it take to get your new score?
@Ldoponce I’m not sure, I sent in the rescore request a couple days after I got the original score from the February ACT, so mid-late February. It has to be sent by mail to the Midwest from CA which probably took a bit. My mom was about to reschedule my test 2 days ago and saw that the writing score had been increased. I have not gotten any formal notice about the rescore, though.
Wow, you’re a mess, ACT!!! Congrats on your dreamlike outcome, @rubyyy !
I’m extremely frustrated with ACT right now because I have always been a fairly skilled writer. I have been in honors english classes since 6th grade, and I am currently in AP language and composition. My composite score on the ACT was a 32, but I got a 19 on writing. I wasn’t aware that tests could be rescored until recently, and unfortunately, it is past the 3 month deadline. Right now I am really worried that I am actually not a very good writer, so I am freaking out about the AP english test and the next ACT.
Wait what date did you send in the letter? I sent mine in mid/late March for rescoring the February test date. I really hope my score goes up, since I got a 25 on writing but have gotten a 30 on it in the past, and got a 36 composite which basically means I can’t take it again.
Edit: never mind, I saw you sent it in late February. Good job on your score!
That’s awesome that you improved so much! I got a 21 on the Feb. test essay and I’m submitting a request for re-scoring tomorrow. I got a 34E and 32R so it really makes no sense that my essay would be so low.
@Penguins42 That is very frustrating. I would suggest retaking the ACT (I know, that’s a bummer) and if the writing is still curiously low, sending in the rescore request. Many schools super score the ACT, so you wouldn’t have to worry too much about your other sections if you were happy with how they turned out. I am sure you are not a bad writer. The ACT just calls for a very specific format. I am an editor for my newspaper and have always been in honors level classes, but I still had to change my writing to fit what “they wanted”. I suggest studying the new format that they want, if they have that available online or having a couple sessions with a tutor might be beneficial. Good luck!
@coffeeaddicted congrats on your composite! I would check every so often on the website, I didn’t receive the official notice until about 2 weeks ago. They also sent in a letter to my school counselor (that’s when you know you really screwed up lmao) around the same time. Good luck!
@cat136 Awesome job on the reading and English! I hope your rescore works out for you.
Can anyone tell me whether the request must be done by mail or if there is someway to make the request through the website (I did look, but couldn’t find anything)?
@higheredrocks I found this:
REQUESTING HAND-SCORING
You can ask ACT to hand-score your multiple-choice responses and/or rescore your writing test essay. Within 3 months of receiving your scores, submit your request in writing to:
ACT Student Services
PO Box 414
Iowa City, IA 52243-0414
Include your name, address, and date of birth, plus ACT ID, test date, and test location from your score report. Enclose a check payable to ACT Student Services for the applicable fee: $50.00 for either multiple-choice or writing, or $100.00 for both.
ACT will inform you by letter of the results of the hand-scoring about 3–5 weeks after receiving
your request. If a scoring error is discovered, your scores will be changed and corrected reports will be released to you and all previous score recipients at no charge. Your hand-scoring fee will also be refunded.
(If you choose, you may request to be present for a hand-scoring of your multiple-choice responses— without access to the test questions—at an ACT- designated location. Additional fees will apply.)
Thanks @mamma1st. I was hoping someone had found an on-line/credit card option, but it looks like they don’t want to make it that easy.
My D took the ACT with writing and scored a 33 C on the MC, writing scores were 11,11,11,11. I didn’t even realize at the time that writing would be given its own composite score. She retook the MC portion of the test and increased her MC composite to 34 . It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that she “saw” her composite writing score and flipped out! ( Composite was a 30) I know the writing composite isn’t figured in to the other composite, and I know scoring 11 out of 12 in each domain is good. I thought she was being overly critical. I had to agree with her though that I felt like a 30 was low if she had all 11’s, but the “mystery” behind scoring is well, a mystery sooo…what can ya do? Right? She immediately wanted to retest with writing (she is a very good writer…attended Harvard over the summer and was admitted into an advanced writing class after having prerequisites waived upon the professor reading excerpts from her two currently in-progress novels) It wasn’t until after this conversation with her that I saw this thread. Needless to say, we have mailed off a request for a hand rescore. The only reason is because others here have cited that they scored all 11’s and have higher composites. Just want her to get the composite she is due and I really think it is a shame to have to take the whole test over just to increase the writing portion.
^ Just so you know, a 30 writing score is 98%ile. http://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/NormsChartSTEMELAWriting-Web2015-16.pdf
I know!! I tried to tell her that, but she just sees a 30 and thinks “too low”. I explained the difference between the ranking percentages used for the writing versus the ones used for the MC. I think it will sink in , she really just wants her best possible scores before applying to colleges.
A 30 is an EXCELLENT score and the writing does not matter anymore. Really. Move on.
Sorry to bump this thread, but I’m considering submitting a re-score request for my June ACT essay. Does anyone know if they can lower your essay score when you submit a request? Thanks
No they will never lower a score.
To answer the OP’s question, what ACT is doing is blaming this on the students, calling the students “confused” on their site, and re-scaling their essay scoring for future tests so that in the future it will be less obvious to unsuspecting students that their essay grading is completely messed up.