<p>My DD would love to know how much the ACT writing portion counts at admit time. On her first try she got a 34 composite but only an 8 on the essay. On her next try this week at school, she failed to hear the 5 minute warning and got caught right in the middle of a sentence. Needless to say, she was upset with herself. I would hate to have to pay another $86 just so she can try to up the essay score. Hoping in the long run it doesnt matter much. I would love to hear from some parents whose kids didnt have stellar essay scores but still succeded in getting in to a great school.</p>