Well...yes, no, and maybe! As yet, there isn’t any one rule. Each school makes its own decision about requiring this portion of the ACT — some require it, others don’t, and still others will accept it, but not require it. Sound complicated? It isn’t, really. If the school you want to attend requires the scores, then you’re going to have to take it to be considered for admission.

But I already wrote an essay…
Even if you wrote an essay as part of your college application, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Although several colleges feel that their pre-existing writing requirement is adequate, some have decided they want to see how you do on the ACT Writing Test, too. Why? It provides an example of your writing without hours and hours of editing. Schools like this want to have as much data as possible on which to base their decision.

Other schools might only use the ACT test as a reflection of your writing skills…but that’s not to say that this couldn’t change. If you aren’t applying for school for a while, and the schools on your list currently require the test, check back with them before you apply. Some are evaluating the effectiveness of the new test in assisting with admission decisions and will decide later whether to continue to use it or lose it.

I don’t have to take it. Should I?
If the school you’re applying to doesn’t require the test, but will accept the scores, decide for yourself if it’...

Author: Amy Ambler

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