Writing Scores Up

<p>Manyamile…I would say with a stellar 35 composite, the conventional wisdom is NOT to retake the ACT (and don’t risk the SAT either if not already taken) because she has one of the top scores in the country already for all students applying. CONGRATS! Only if your d is planning on a writing program at a top school like Columbia or Northwestern would you even want to entertain the notion to explore what she might consider; in that case, talk to guidance counselors and AdComs only if you think it might matter…</p>

<p>@Manyamile: </p>

<p>Those are the same set of subscores I got!!! haha, only I got a 10 on the essay. </p>

<p>your D doesn’t need to retake, she’ll be fine.</p>

<p>my English went from 29 to 28…could your composite change if you bombed the writing though?</p>

<p>my friend just got a 36 composite and an 8 in writing. he refuses to retake it. that may or may not help you decide whether retaking the ACT just to improve writing is worth it.</p>

<p>Scholar, your composite is not and will not be affected by the writing score. We don’t yet know how and why the AdComs want the writing as a requirement for admission. I suspect that even though it does not change the composite score, some schools are probably using the writing score to break ties in close calls among several talented students…</p>

<p>i think a lot of schools just want you to do it because it’s there, and not doing it would be lazy. same could be said for SAT writing.</p>

<p>others might want to use it to conduct their own studies as to how accurate they are in actually saying something about a student’s writing.</p>

<p>i would guess that very few colleges actually consider the writing score a true factor in the admissions process. and if someone is borderline, i would hope and pray that NO colleges use it as a tiebreaker. that would be completely and utterly ridiculous.</p>

<p>". . . I would hope and pray that NO colleges use it as a tiebreaker. that would be completely and utterly ridiculous. "
Why? Are you suggesting that good writing skills are NOT important? Let’s think about it. The writing score is something that truly cannot be achieved by rote memorization like the other scores. The students actually have to rely on years of experience reading and writing. This is a good thing.</p>

<p>Writing ability is definitely a critical skill, but I’m skeptical as to the validity of a 30 minute writing test, graded subjectively, as a measure of one’s writing skills. My youngest daughter is an excellent writer, and scored a 6 on the essay the first time she took the ACT. She almost doubled that score the second time she took the ACT - not because she improved as a writer, but because she figured out what they wanted and wrote more.</p>

<p>I agree with justamom. Not to minimize the sense of accomplishment one must feel when earning a 10 on the essay - my D would have been thrilled with that score. But really, the grading is hurried, formulaic and subjective, and I think (hope) it’s true that most AdComs don’t make it a turning point in evaluating applicants. </p>

<p>There’s an old adage: there’s no good writing, only good re-writing. Careful planning, drafting and revising is not possible on any 30 minute essay exam. As a teacher, I would be far more interested in seeing a student score well on the English test, which measures crucial knowledge in grammar and usage.</p>

<p>If you’re trying to read the tea leaves about whether the essay counts for much at a given college, look at the Common Data Set. If the school gives a breakdown of essay scores in the same way it breaks out sections of the ACT or SAT, then it might indicate that the number is more significant. Most that I’ve seen just show the ACT composite; the next most common is to show composite, English or Reading, and Math subscores. My sense is that if the college bothers to keep stats and report them on the common data set, then they probably have some relevance.</p>

<p>I got a 35 on the writing, and a 10 on the essay, which gives me a 33 combined english/writing score.</p>

<p>I got an 8 in October and an 11 in February.</p>

<p>I doubt essay scores matter too much.</p>

<p>I know that I didn’t receive an 11 or 12 this time because I had a fun time writing my essay. I made it funny and it was in no way serious. I think that you have to show some seriousness to make a 6 by both scorers.
My essay was sarcastic, and to me, very humorous. I think I got a 5 by both scorers because they had a good time reading it, but could’t give me a 6 because it was not serious enough for college level.</p>

<p>I don’t care though… it was a great way to end the test.</p>

<p>To the last three posters (#s 88 to 90), no one knows definitively how colleges use the writing score. The common data set statement is not relevant either because one must assume that the colleges that do not require writing don’t care, while those schools that do require the ACT plus writing do; it’s logical.</p>

<p>Secondly, it is true that the best writing is typically that which has been rewritten. Everyone can agree with that basic premise. However, these tests are measuring a variety of skills and abilities. This particular writing prompt on the ACT does not measure (obviously) that which is rewritten. It measures how a student can handle a quick assignment, organize their thoughts and convey that intelligently in rapid fashion.</p>

<p>Third, the fact that a student nearly doubles her score from one test admininistration to the next does not mean that the score is not important or that it does not measure a skill. How many students improve their scores marginally or significantly on ACT/SATs over a period of time in math, English, etc.?</p>

<p>Finally, I will inquire of the ACT folks directly and find out what they have heard from the colleges as to why the writing is being required and how it is being used, and I’ll get back to everyone!</p>

<p>Have a great day!</p>

<p>I am under the impression that colleges do not factor, or if all they minimally factor, the writing score into admissions decisions. I have e-mailed a few colleges about this, and they all seem to say that they just want your subscores (including writing) to be somewhat consistent percentile-wise. Don’t fret; that 35 on English means a ton more to adcoms than an 8 on writing.</p>

<p>“Third, the fact that a student nearly doubles her score from one test admininistration to the next does not mean that the score is not important or that it does not measure a skill. How many students improve their scores marginally or significantly on ACT/SATs over a period of time in math, English, etc.?”</p>

<p>Well, my daughter wrote it, and even she feels that her second attempt was not necessarily “better” than the first, it was just “more”, which is what ACT seems to want. She said she kept saying the same things over again, to lengthen her response. I guess that’s a “skill” (the art of BS), but in my opinion, not one which should make or break a college acceptance.</p>

<p>xxjustamom…
You and your daughter miss my point. You both seem to be trying to make the point that the ACT writing portion is insignificant based solely on your daughter’s supposition that she wrote more the second time. Neither of you can actually believe that! If you do, are you going to also follow that logic by telling scores of individuals that improving their scores by several points is also meaningless? Of course, not. Let’s take a breath and accept that possibility (probability to some) that the writing score is not the most significant factor, and probably will not be anytime soon. We all know that the SAT writing is also not the most important variable either (although probably given greater weight at this juncture then the ACT writing).</p>

<p>Finally, xxjustamom, you’ve been a member awhile, but have rarely posted, perhaps because your feelings are hurt too easily? Most of us are just trying to exchange info and have a good time. Relax!</p>

<p>Barrister Dad, don’t stretch my words. Who in their right mind would think that writing skills are unimportant?</p>

<p>As far as the rest of this argument, I disagree with you, but I don’t really want to get involved at the risk of being psychoanalyzed…</p>

<p>“Finally, xxjustamom, you’ve been a member awhile, but have rarely posted, perhaps because your feelings are hurt too easily? Most of us are just trying to exchange info and have a good time. Relax!”</p>

<p>Are you kidding me?! I don’t even know how to respond to your statement. But I’ll try, even though it probably won’t make a difference.</p>

<p>I don’t post often because… I’m busy. I try to help when I can, and ask questions when I need information. I most certainly don’t have the time to stalk members previous posts. I’m not on here to have “a good time”, yet I do truly appreciate the wealth of incredible information found on this forum. And my daughter doesn’t “miss your point” because she’s not commenting here…I am. And I’m well past the point in my life when “my feelings are hurt too easily” (are you serious? what is this, high school? Are you really a “Dad”?) by strangers on a message board. You need a new hobby.</p>

<p>And stop twisting my meaning. All I said was that a 30 minute essay on one test shouldn’t be a determining factor in college admissions.</p>

<p>I also was sarcastic/funny on my essay… I talked at length about Rock of Love Bus on vh1… still got a 10</p>

<p>I just got my score… 11. Still, the comment makes me feel really insufficient: “Your essay showed recognition of the complexity of the issue by PARTIALLY evaluating its implications. SOME varied sentence structures… added clarity and interest to your writing.”</p>

<p>Personally, I thought it was kind of a fascist preposition that every single TV station should be required to spend literally one-fifth of its programming time on educational subjects.</p>

<p>DFactorial…An 11 is exquisite and ranks you in the 99th%. Be happy! Those schools that require and utilize the writing score will be pleased as well…</p>

<p>JustAMom…You proved my point that your feelings are hurt TOO easily. Get over yourself! I have no interest in looking at your CC profile. By the way, I am a single dad and a lawyer and that matters not one iota on this or any other forum.</p>

<p>P.S. “JustAMom” (as a member name) is really insulting to ALL the many mothers I have known over the years. To most of us being a parent is the single most important thing we could ever do! Relax and rejoice in your status as a parent!</p>