<p>When I first took the ACT I figured I need not take the writing as I would be required to take the SAT for NMS purposes. However, I ended up getting a perfect score! </p>
<p>The question is whether schools like Harvard that explicitly say writing is required give any weight to a score without writing. If not, should I retake it?</p>
<p>Getting a 36 in writing is a mixed blessing. On one hand, admissions directors WILL notice, which is a great thing. On the other hand, because you scored a 36 in writing, colleges will be eagerly awaiting to read your essays to see if your writing lives up to the perfect score.</p>
<p>Harvard requires ACT with Writing or SAT, so you will have to retake the ACT w/ Writing, or take the SAT. Since you did so well the first time, I would suggest you tackle the ACT with Writing.</p>
<p>“Getting a 36 in writing is a mixed blessing.”</p>
<p>You can’t actually get a 36 in Writing. It is scored on a 12 point basis. Unfortunately, fauve is correct. You will have to retake your perfect ACT test - this time with Writing. You did it once, you can do it again.</p>
<p>“because you scored a 36 in writing, colleges will be eagerly awaiting to read your essays to see if your writing lives up to the perfect score.”</p>
<p>Well maybe, but actually, it is the other way around. The writing test was added so that colleges could substantiate that the essays being submitted could have actually been written by the applicant. Getting a perfect score in writing under controlled conditions means that any type of essay is possible (from bad to great). However, getting a “perfect” essay from a person with a mediocre to low writing score is highly suspicious.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure he meant 36 w/o writing ^</p>
<p>Ok, got; sorry I misunderstood. </p>
<p>Your ACT score of 36 WITHOUT writing is NOT USABLE for HYPSM and pretty much any selective college as they all require the test WITH writing. You will have to take the test again. For each schools requirements see: <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx</a></p>
<p>Not sure if you are from Illinois, but here’s one article you should read:[ACT</a> Exam’s Writing Section Absent From Public School Testing This Spring, Prompting College Admission Changes](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>ACT Exam's Writing Section Absent From Public School Testing This Spring, Prompting College Admission Changes | HuffPost Chicago)</p>
<p>“Illinois educators are warning high school juniors that the decision earlier this year to cut the writing portion from the ACT exams administered in public schools could require many of them to sit through the three-hour exam twice to meet some college’s admission requirements.”</p>
<p>“Although the Chicago Tribune reports that fewer than a quarter of four-year colleges in the U.S. require a writing assessment as part of their application process, that pool includes many of the country’s top-ranked universities–meaning students interested in applying to those schools will have to sit for the exam twice, an ordeal that lasts more than three hours and carries a $50 registration fee.”</p>
<p>Hopefully, you will do as well on the test the 2nd time around!</p>
<p>I think I didn’t make clear that I am comfortable sending in SAT as well, I was in the top percentile with my score. I am merely wondering if my 36 will be seen by admissions officers and weighed in deciding that I have good enough test scores.</p>
<p>All selective colleges, including Harvard, will disregard your ACT score as you didn’t take the test with writing. You can send the score in, but it will not be recorded on your reader sheet, and may even be tossed in the trash as it doesn’t meet the school’s criteria, as it cannot be used to calculate your Academic Index. (To calculate your Academic Index, colleges convert your ACT score to an SAT score via the concordance table: <a href=“http://www.act.org/solutions/college-career-readiness/compare-act-sat/[/url]”>http://www.act.org/solutions/college-career-readiness/compare-act-sat/</a>. Because you are missing the Writing component, your ACT score cannot be converted.)</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. That’s upsetting. After retaking it would my first test be usable in super-scoring?</p>
<p>Post #4:
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<p>Not really, since you could have the ability to craft a perfect essay when you have enough time to think about a topic and polish the prose, yet not be very good at “speed writing” a 25-minute essay on a topic you have never seen before. This is the big complaint about the SAT and ACT essays. </p>
<p>Would Shakespeare have done well on a 25 minute SAT essay on a topic he had never thought about? If he hadn’t, would all of his works be highly suspicious?</p>
<p>“Thanks for the info. That’s upsetting. After retaking it would my first test be usable in super-scoring?”</p>
<p>That’s a great question and Harvard does not address the issue of supe-scoring in their website. This from their FAQ page:</p>
<p>QUESTION: If a student takes the required tests more than once, which results does Harvard consider?</p>
<h2>ANSWER: We consider a student’s best test scores, but it is generally our experience that taking tests more than twice offers diminishing returns.</h2>
<p>What you need to remember is that while tests scores are important, they are really secondary to teacher recommendations, guidance counselor’s Secondary School Report (SSR), essays, extracurricular activities and “wow” factors. Some students with 36 ACT’s get rejected (my son was one of them), while students with lesser scores get accepted (my daughter was accepted with a 2280 SAT). </p>
<p>What is your SAT score?</p>
<p>^^ SoCalDad2 Valid point about the limitations of the timed writing test - no argument here whatsoever. Evidence also shows that there are positive correlations between the length of the essay and/or good handwriting and higher writing scores. Serious flaws if true.</p>
<p>However, to answer your question, I don’t know if “Shakespeare would have done well” do you? One could only assume that since he is regarded as one of the greatest literary geniuses of all time, he would have been able to craft a decent essay relative to his young peers in the same amount of allotted time. Regardless, the writing section WAS implemented to gives schools a better sense of students’ writing abilities and also as a reality check with respect to their essays. Too many kids had gotten savvy about hiring professional “editors” and there had to be some way to make a judgment call about essays where the applicants true voice appears to be have been lost. However imperfect the system now in place, it’s better than nothing.</p>
<p>And yes, if he or anybody had a low score on the writing section, a perfectly crafted essay would have to be supported by some other evidence of a latent writing ability (schoolwork, writing competitions, publications, teacher recs etc.) otherwise the authenticity of the work can and should be called into question. Essays are the only part of the application that can be 100% professionally written. Sadly, it does happen and without some system to raise questions about the authenticity of the work, students who have the largest wallets and least amount of scruples would almost always fare better. Is this better than having a timed writing sample?</p>
<p>Lastly, to follow your line of reasoning, how would HS student Einstein have fared in the timed math sections of the SAT? I assume he would have done extremely well, but let’s use your worse case scenario where he did mediocre to poorly (due to the time pressure or whatnot) and instead of a perfect essay he also submitted a research paper of a rigorous mathematical proof along with his application. Would the adcoms ignore his low math scores and go right into getting the paper evaluated or would they treat the paper with some suspicion until they could substantiate his mathematical abilities? The reading, writing and math scores are used as a reality check.</p>
<p>My SAT score is 2290, but I’m certain I will get above 2300. The fact that I didn’t get an 800 in math really upsets me; I had taken all of the prerequisite math before entering high school.</p>
<p>Your score of 2290 is absolutely fine. If you apply to Harvard and are rejected it WILL NOT be because of your SAT score!</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your help, gibby. I think I’ve decided to retake the ACT with writing on time for early action, and to take one more SAT subject test.</p>
<p>I don’t think you need to re-take either test, but good luck to you!</p>