<p>Im looking a lot into the ACT.
I was suprised when I just looked at some of my top colleges profiles to find that some of them did not require the writing section, nor even recommend it. Davidson and Notre Dame do not ask for it, and Princeton just recommends it. </p>
<p>Here's the deal - If I don't have to take the writing, I'd rather not. It was my weak spot on the SAT (690, 690, 600 writing, thought I did good on the MC, got a 9 on the essay.) </p>
<p>Do a lot of the better schools not care about ACT writing, or do you think hey prefer it? I guess what I'm asking is that even though some say they don't require it, do you think it is a little metaphorical minus mark on your application if you don't take it?</p>
<p>Trying to decide whether it would likely hurt me or help me more to take it with writing...</p>
<p>well most top notch universities require it..like pretty much every one ive looked at...and its to your advantage to take it, definitely..it shows you took the initiative to take it..</p>
<p>I'll probably end up taking it, but I know my score on it will be lower than the other section scores. Also, it's only 30 minutes long... and I'm a terribly slow writer. AGH!</p>
<p>the ACT essay does not contribute to your composite score so it really doesn't affect your score. most colleges just want the ACT with writing for research purposes. if you do horrible on the essay it most likely will not hurt your chances at all. since a lot of colleges do require the ACT with writing i would take it just to be on the safe side.</p>
<p>I think you may be a bit confused, the writing on the ACT is not like the writing section on the SAT. The writing on the ACT is an actual essay, the 3rd section on the SAT is the writing that is all of the grammar and correcting sentences.
And the equivalent of the SAT "writing" is the REQUIRED ACT English section, so maybe a practice test would help you the most.</p>
<p>No no no no no. I do bad on the actual writing, not the MC questions, I said. "I'm a terribly slow writer" wouldn't matter with multiple choice.
and the essay on the SAT is part of the writing section score.
The MC's im sure are what brought my writing score up to what it was. I only got a 9 on the essay.</p>