I took the ACT in September, and I got a full 36. Yet, my essay score is only 8/12, and my ELA score is a 32. I’m not a very strong writer under pressure, and an 8 is less than stellar. Thus, I was wondering just how important is the essay score to colleges.
The essay scoring is an ABSOLUTE mess for both the ACT and the SAT this year. They changed the ACT essay twice in one year -that is how much of a mess the scoring has been. Colleges know this - so I predict scores will matter very little. That said an 8 is a great score. Also, many colleges dropped the requirement for the essay portion this year, now that the SAT made the essay optional. Again, more reason the essay score is meaningless.
Congrats on the 36. That matters 100x more than the essay score.