<p>My daughter took ACT w/writing in June. That gave her a composite score, plus a writing score. She is taking ACT again in September, but does she have to re-take writing section? If schools look at best composite score, will they look back at separate writing score from her first sitting? She really doesn't want to have to re-take entire thing again...</p>
<p>If your daughter got a really great score this time, but didn’t take the writing, she would have to send the prior scores also to include the writing. All advice I have seen said take the writing with the ACT so it can be included. Also, it would cost twice as much to send both scores to each school she applies at, rather than the few dollars to add the writing.</p>
<p>There are a lot of schools now that require the writing section if you submit ACT. The issue she has is that the ACT without writing may not be considered at all at many of those colleges even if you submit another one with writing. In other words, if she is planing to apply to colleges that state they require the writing, and decides not to take the writing, she would be risking that her September score will mean nothing at many colleges.</p>
<p>^^^ </p>
<p>What they said. Some schools won’t even consider the composite from Sept if there’s no writing score on it. </p>
<p>It’s a 30 minute essay, if she scored 10-12 she’s highly capable of doing that again quite easily.</p>
<p>Actually, I emailed quite a few schools (especially the Ivies) regarding whether I could simply send two ACT scores (or self-report one and send the other to save money.) They stated that I would need to send them two official ACT scores, one with writing and one without, simply because my state testing (my best composite) did not offer the writing, and the students had no way of opting-in to it by paying. The likelihood that the score in September would mean nothing would be low. The unanimous reply from the admissions officers was that they would consider the writing score from one test, and the composite from the other. However, the cost issue is a different one. I now have to pay $20 to send both tests to each school. If your daughter retakes this test with the extra $10 for the writing now, she can likely avoid these costs of sending more scores later.</p>
<p>It would be better for your daughter to take ACT with writing again because you can’t “superscore” the ACT for most colleges.</p>
<p>Thanks all for replies earlier this year. Update: she did take it again with writing and happy she did as both Composite and Writing scores went up!</p>