Ugh! I just found this thread… I had no idea about how common and serious scoring errors are. I took the ACT with writing on Tuesday… Now I know to be wary of any writing score I receive. This issue is despicable and unprofessional. That the ACT has not formally apologized and is not taking systematic steps to fix this is disappointing and wrong.
I am so disgusted with the ACT. I had the same exact problem with the Dec. 2015 essays. At first I thought it was just me, but then two other classmates also told me that their writing scores were pretty low compared to their composite scores. So clearly this is no coincidence when you see that this many people are having problems. The company needs to take more responsibility in their actions.
@CCMom16 I sent in our rescore request (for February 2016 exam essay) at the end of February, and my check was cashed 3/7. I called ACT and was told that my daughter’s essay hasn’t been rescored yet. So, I would say no change in score online doesn’t necessarily mean that the rescore process has taken place yet. I hope this helps!
Did you ever get any clarification on this? I just got my March scores back, which had my first writing score, and it was 9 points below my composite (34). I feel that it could be an error, since I’m generally a good writer, and I scored high in English and reading, but being my first writing test, I may have just not formatted it the way they prefer, or done something else thats considered taboo for the act. If errors are common, and there is a way to follow up without causing too much of a fuss, I’d like to, but I also don’t know if the lower point value is normal (though I’ve heard it generally falls within 3-5 points of your composite). Do you know how much the writing matters to colleges that ask for it, or whether the December errors were resolved?
@khrunf There is no fuss with the rescore, and the only risk you have with it, is the risk of losing $50. The rescore will not lower your writing score, even if they rescore lower. So you need to decide if its worth the risk of losing $50. I sent mine in (end of Feb) and still don’t see any change in the writing score, and still didn’t get a letter from ACT confirming or denying the rescore - so am still hopeful.
FYI. Still waiting for son’s rescore too. I called ACT on March 23rd after reading @bookcheer post. I was told I should be hearing “any day now” but that my son’s essay had still not been rescored.
DD writing was rescored the beginning of February. (Dec. exam) It was increased 6 pts. We never got a refund from ACT. i’ve called the ACT twice and they keep saying it will be processed. It has been 8 weeks since the rescore. It took 2 1/2 weeks for the rescore after they cashed my check.
@CCMom16 We are still waiting, too! Hoping this is resolved before the April 9 ACT test date!
I just received my $50.00. It took almost 3 months. There was a letter prior to the check indicating the check is on its way and promising to send the new scores to all the colleges which already received the wrong scores, which ACT did not do yet…
Daughter had a 36 in English, 35 in Reading (35 composite), and she got a 24 on the writing section. I requested a rescore and was unsuccessful. She is sticking with that and not taking the ACT again. I have to say, she was shocked with her score. Writing comes easy for her, and she liked the prompt (October 2015) test. However, can I also say that she gave basically ZERO attention to the writing section. She had prepped for 3 months prior to the test, and literally that morning, I read the writing instructions to her at breakfast. I bet she would have done better with a little more attention to it.
On the October ACT, I scored a 34 composite with a 35 in the Writing MC test. And a 26 on the essay. When I got it, I was pissed off and I thought I had just written a bad essay. This was extremely strange because it was listed as being in the 93rd percentile. Additionally, my ACT score from before the writing section revamp was a 32. When I contacted ACT back in November, they did nothing to help me. I wasn’t aware of hand scoring then and didn’t find out until after the 3 month deadline passed. I contacted them multiple times to see if they would make an exception since it was their error, but I had no luck. So I sent my terrible writing score to colleges, hoping they would be aware of the issue. Who knows if it impacted any decisions I have received so far.
Just received snail mail letter from ACT that indicated essay hand score did not change from original score. At least we tried.
Online, my daughter’s essay score increased 4 points (from 19 to 23). It is still at odds with the 36’s she scored on both Reading and English (34 composite). She also thought she had written a great essay! We are unsure if she should take the test again so she can increase the essay score.
Just got the snail mail letter today. Rescore resulted in no change in writing score (so stayed 25). Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
@humanperson I hope you don’t mind my asking but have you had favorable results from colleges you have applied to?
@tedandfranks For the most part, yes. I have a had a very untraditional high school experience (I attended 5 different high schools, some online schools, and extension schools) as I had to travel 6 or 7 for personal reasons during the school year for the last 5 years. Because of that, I didn’t expect to get in to most schools and was ready to enroll at UCSB, since they offered me Regents. However, these were my results:
Accepted to Berkeley, USC, Emory, UCSB, UCSD, UCD, UCI, and Case Western.
Waitlisted at Brown, UChicago, Vanderbilt, WUSTL, and Rice.
Rejected at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and UCLA.
I’m accepting Berkeley’s offer and staying on Brown and Chicago’s waitlists, but I’m not sure I would enroll at either if offered admission.
@humanperson congratulations on your acceptances. I guess no one will ever know how much weight these colleges put on the essay portion of the ACT, especially the elite schools. Thanks for sharing your info. My son is a junior so we have another year before the process is done for him.
My son took the Feb 2016 exam and got a composite 34, with a 35 and 36 on writing and reading. He got a 15 on the essay. He sent in for a rescore and just got the results today (6 weeks later). It went up to 27. So ridiculous.
Wow! I guess it’s definitely worth taking a $50 chance to get the score revised!
After reading others’ experiences with the ACT essay scores, my son wanted to request a rescore and he even offered to pay the $50! His composite was a 36 and his writing essay a 25. It took 6 weeks, no response and then my son saw a change online, but no letter or refund. They changed his essay score to a 32 which is more consistent with his writing scores on SAT in AP courses. I would encourage others to send in the $50 because it might make a difference.