<p>Okay, so I ended up with a decent ACT score, but totally bombed the writing portion. I got a 34 composite, but a 4 (GAH!?!?!?!) on the writing portion. I really want to use my multiple choice score, but my writing is totally unacceptable. It's weird because I'm in AP English, and my essays aren't THAT bad... I normally get 7s or higher, and I got a 10 on the SAT writing. I'm hoping to apply to some more competative colleges...any advice?</p>
<p>Are you my daughter? She could have written this, word for word. </p>
<p>It’s not you, and it’s not your imagination. It’s the ACT. There’s something odd about how they score writing in ACTs. It’s as if they expect a specific style more so than they expect perfection or creativity.</p>
<p>You can write and request the details of how it was graded. The directions on how to do this are in the folder sent with your score. I vaguely remember they even put a bit of useful information in the score itself. </p>
<p>If you learn something, you can take it again. I think it’s worth the extra effort to find an answer to this question. Sad fact is, every little detail counts in college applications these days.</p>
<p>This is one of those situations in which “size matters.” Length, specifically. On the ACT and the SAT, students are rewarded for longer essays—even substantively mediocre essays—and they are penalized for shorter essays, irrespective of substance. See, for instance:</p>
<p>[MIT</a> Professor Finds Fault with SAT Essay : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4634566]MIT”>MIT Professor Finds Fault with SAT Essay : NPR)</p>
<p>yeah I felt that the ACT’s grading for the writing section was more harsh than the SAT’s. I took the ACT w/ writing once, and received a 6, but always received 8’s on the SAT essay portion.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how admissions committees look at it though, despite it not being factored into the composite score. I suspect that they glance at it, and a very low score might raise some red flags. I would just take it again, and try to improve your writing through exercises</p>