<p>I OFFICIALLY HATE THE ACT and will never take it again. Even if you can take it as much as you want and send the best one in, I hate it. Let us examine the June 2006 ACT scores:</p>
<p>Essay: 9
ACT Composite: 32</p>
<p>Let's compare with SAT, which I took before the ACT and with less studying.</p>
<p>Essay: 12
SAT Composite: 2220</p>
<p>I personally blame (yes blame because that's what I do) my crappy essay score on the ACT on an even crappier topic. The topic was about fast food?! Come on! The SAT topic was "discuss the need for one to become more immersed in a community for that community to prosper." Which one is better? Hmmmmm...I can bet money that half of the ppl on the ACT essay wrote about "Supersize Me" and McDonalds, just like me. How many of you?!</p>
<p>F the ACT! Colleges like the SAT better anyways!</p>
<p>yeahh.. I got a 33 ACT composite and a 2130 SAT... so the ACT worked out better for me, but I got a 9 on the fastfood essay too! I thought my fastfood essay was at least as well written as my SAT essay, which I got an 11 on. Maybe the grading is tougher on the ACT?</p>
<p>i'm pretty sure they're out of 12.. that's what the percentile charts say on the ACT website.. plus the 9 lowered my combined english score by two points (from a 32 to a 30) when the writing was added.</p>
<p>ACT essays are out of 12. and i too wrote about super size me but only got a 5 because i didnt stay on topic. i did get a 32 though so i guess it's almost ok.</p>
<p>the problem i had with a "fast food" essay is there is little room for creativity...at least in 20 minutes. The SAT prompt led my mind in many different directions and it showed in my essay, which was quite good for such a short time period. But on the ACT prompt, honestly, how cliche can I get? The ACT brings out the worst in me...but after that rant last night, I will probably end up taking IT instead of the SAT again, only because I've already taken the SAT twice and don't want to look desperate, and I can keep takin the ACT.</p>
<p>I don't think the essay directly impacts your composite score in any way. It just shows up as a separate essay score. Even if you got a 12 on the essay, you would have gotten the same composite.</p>
<p>I thought I did bad on the essay but I got an 11.</p>
<p>I can't believe ya'll are complaining about a test that you scored so highly on! My S wanted to do better than his 30 so badly, but it didn't happen. Oh well! He liked the topic because it is one that is near and dear to his heart! Whataburger is his staple diet :)</p>
<p>I feel like the ACT essay gives less room to be creative, so therefore there are more people who took the essay in the right direction because the right direction is a little more obvious than it is on the SAT. On the SAT, from the scores I've gotten (9 the first time and 11 the second time), after looking at my essays I've noticed that they care a lot about where you took the prompt as well as how good your writing is. To be honest, I'm not sure what the ACT looks for... I felt like I had written a solid essay.. lots of facts to back up my points, carefully organized, well written... yet I still got a 9 on it.</p>
<p>my thoughts? Damn your good. lol just playing. I got a 12 on that ACT essay... but i only got a 29 >< however, I have gotten a 31..... i work in fast food and i know a lot about health and stuff... not everyone does.</p>
<p>Honestly, you have to know how to write the essay. I'm not trying to brag, but the essay is like the writing section: once you study/practice enough to recognize patterns and what they are looking for, it becomes really easy.</p>
<p>For the fast food essay, I made up ridiculous facts about the fast food industry, I pulled statistics out of my ass to support my thesis, etc. and I got an 11. I made up manager names, anecdotes, etc. They don't care much about accuracy, they just want to see if you know how to write a 5 paragraph essay.</p>
<p>badkarma89: and see I would agree with your assertion if I hadn't made a 12 on the SAT essay and a 9 on the ACT essay. After taking the SAT, I consider my English/Writing skills my strength (770/780 respectively) compared to Math, my weakness (670...twice!). So I just don't really see "how" they grade these essays and merit giving a lower score when I considered both of my essays equally impressive. </p>
<p>However, I see what some have been pointing out. The essay on the ACT had no impact on my composite score, so I guess it doesn't matter, but I still don't think it's a fair process. Essay scores will hopefully only be taken for what they are - a random person's opinion of your essay - and will not be considered as a determinant of one's ability to write.</p>
<p>I've never worked in fast food, but I do know a little bit about nutrition. I mentioned the abundancy of saturated and trans fats that are in fast food, and also how nearly every carb item on the menu of your average fast food joint is really high on the glycemic index, and eating too many high GI foods can lead to insulin insensitivity, resistence and diabetes. Since it didn't affect my composite I'm not too upset, but I really think I deserved higher than a 9. I plan on retaking the test anyway, and hopefully I'll do better on the essay then.</p>