ACT Writing and SAT Essay Requirements

On January 19th, 2021, College Board announced that they will no longer administer the SAT Subject Tests in the U.S. and that the Essay would be retired. Read our blog post to understand what this means in the near term and what the College Board has in store for students down the road.

Our articles on Subject Tests and the SAT Essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape. As an admission tool, students should consider the Essay as canceled. Compass recommends our students forgo the SAT and ACT optional essays on future exams.

The SAT Essay and ACT Writing continue to pose a conundrum for students. While College Board and ACT have made these components optional, a small number of colleges continue to require or recommend them. Compass believes that students should no longer take the SAT Essay or ACT Writing unless they are applying to (or thinking about applying to) one of the few colleges that still requires the essay. Students who have already taken the essay should not be overly concerned about scores. One reason the essay is fading away is that the scores simply aren’t that accurate or useful. Colleges never really found a use for them, and the essays created an unnecessary obstacle for some applicants.

Rather than worrying about an essay score that is mostly ignored by colleges, Compass believes students should spend their time strengthening the more valuable pieces of their academic portfolio: high school GPA and, more specifically, success in rigorous courses like APs. Compass offers AP and academic tutoring in over 50 subjects to help students stay on pace with their coursework. Our team of subject specific expert tutors will guide the program from start to finish. We also offer a Study Skills and Organizational Coaching program to provide students with the tools they need to excel in the classroom.

The following table of popular colleges provides a wide range of institutions and policies.

Colleges with essay optional policies often do not specify whether submitted essay scores will be used for admission. When the college explicitly states that scores will not be evaluated, we have listed the policy as “Not Considered.” “Optional” should not be interpreted as meaning that the college uses submitted scores. We recommend contacting the school if you have specific questions.

ACT and SAT Essay Requirements - Class of 2019 and Beyond

School	Region	SAT Essay Required	ACT Essay Required
Martin Luther College	Midwest	Required	Required
United States Military Academy	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Required
University of Montana Western **	West	Required	Optional
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities	Midwest	Optional*	Optional*
Abilene Christian University	South	Optional*	Optional*
Soka University of America	West	Optional*	Optional*
Adelphi University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Agnes Scott College	South	Optional	Optional
Albion College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Allegheny College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
American University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Amherst College	New England	Optional	Optional
Appalachian State University	South	Optional	Optional
Arizona State University—Tempe	West	Optional	Optional
Auburn University	South	Optional	Optional
Augustana College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Austin College	South	Optional	Optional
Babson College	New England	Optional	Optional
Baldwin Wallace University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Bard College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Barnard College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Bates College	New England	Optional	Optional
Baylor University	South	Optional	Optional
Beloit College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Bennington College	New England	Optional	Optional
Bentley University	New England	Optional	Optional
Berea College	South	Optional	Optional
Binghamton University—SUNY	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Biola University	West	Optional	Optional
Birmingham-Southern College	South	Optional	Optional
Boston College	New England	Optional	Optional
Boston University	New England	Optional	Optional
Bowdoin College	New England	Optional	Optional
Bradley University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Brandeis University	New England	Optional	Optional
Brigham Young University—Provo	West	Optional	Optional
Brown University	New England	Optional	Optional
Bryn Mawr College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Bucknell University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Butler University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
California Lutheran University	West	Optional	Optional
Carleton College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Carnegie Mellon University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Carroll College	West	Optional	Optional
Case Western Reserve University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Centre College	South	Optional	Optional
Chapman University	West	Optional	Optional
Christopher Newport University	South	Optional	Optional
Clark University	New England	Optional	Optional
Clarkson University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Clemson University	South	Optional	Optional
Coe College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Colby College	New England	Optional	Optional
Colgate University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
College of Charleston	South	Optional	Optional
College of New Jersey	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
College of St. Benedict	Midwest	Optional	Optional
College of the Holy Cross	New England	Optional	Optional
College of William and Mary	South	Optional	Optional
College of Wooster	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Colorado College	West	Optional	Optional
Colorado School of Mines	West	Optional	Optional
Colorado State University	West	Optional	Optional
Columbia University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Concordia College—Moorhead	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Connecticut College	New England	Optional	Optional
Cooper Union	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Cornell College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Cornell University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Creighton University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
CUNY—Baruch College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Dartmouth College	New England	Optional	Optional
Davidson College	South	Optional	Optional
Denison University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
DePaul University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
DePauw University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Dickinson College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Drake University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Drew University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Drexel University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Drury University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Duke University	South	Optional	Optional
Duquesne University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Earlham College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Elmhurst College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Elon University	South	Optional	Optional
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	South	Optional	Optional
Emerson College	New England	Optional	Optional
Emory University	South	Optional	Optional
Fairfield University	New England	Optional	Optional
Florida Institute of Technology	South	Optional	Optional
Florida State University	South	Optional	Optional
Fordham University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Franklin and Marshall College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Furman University	South	Optional	Optional
Gallaudet University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
George Mason University	South	Optional	Optional
George Washington University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Georgetown University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Georgia Institute of Technology	South	Optional	Optional
Gettysburg College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Gonzaga University	West	Optional	Optional
Goshen College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Goucher College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Grinnell College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Gustavus Adolphus College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Hamilton College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Hampden-Sydney College	South	Optional	Optional
Hampton University	South	Optional	Optional
Hanover College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Harvard University	New England	Optional	Optional
Harvey Mudd College	West	Optional	Optional
Haverford College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Hendrix College	South	Optional	Optional
High Point University	South	Optional	Optional
Hillsdale College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Hobart and William Smith Colleges	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Hofstra University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Hollins University	South	Optional	Optional
Hope College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Howard University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Illinois Institute of Technology	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Illinois Wesleyan University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Indiana University—Bloomington	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Iowa State University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Ithaca College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
James Madison University	South	Optional	Optional
John Brown University	South	Optional	Optional
Johns Hopkins University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Kalamazoo College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Kenyon College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Knox College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Lafayette College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Lake Forest College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Lawrence University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Lehigh University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Lewis & Clark College	West	Optional	Optional
Lipscomb University	South	Optional	Optional
Louisiana State University—Baton Rouge	South	Optional	Optional
Loyola Marymount University	West	Optional	Optional
Loyola University Chicago	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Loyola University Maryland	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Luther College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Macalester College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Manhattan College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Marist College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Marquette University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	New England	Optional	Optional
Mercer University	South	Optional	Optional
Miami University—Oxford	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Michigan Technological University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Middlebury College	New England	Optional	Optional
Millsaps College	South	Optional	Optional
Milwaukee School of Engineering	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Mississippi State University	South	Optional	Optional
Missouri University of Science & Technology	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Morehouse College	South	Optional	Optional
Mount Holyoke College	New England	Optional	Optional
Muhlenberg College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
New College of Florida	South	Optional	Optional
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
New School	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
New York University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
North Carolina State University—Raleigh	South	Optional	Optional
Northeastern University	New England	Optional	Optional
Northwestern University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Oberlin College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Occidental College	West	Optional	Optional
Ohio State University—Columbus	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Ohio University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Ohio Wesleyan University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Oklahoma State University	South	Optional	Optional
Oregon State University	West	Optional	Optional
Pacific Lutheran University	West	Optional	Optional
Pennsylvania State University—University Park	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Pepperdine University	West	Optional	Optional
Pitzer College	West	Optional	Optional
Point Loma Nazarene University	West	Optional	Optional
Pomona College	West	Optional	Optional
Pratt Institute	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Presbyterian College (SC)	South	Optional	Optional
Princeton University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Providence College	New England	Optional	Optional
Purdue University—West Lafayette	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Queens University of Charlotte	South	Optional	Optional
Quinnipiac University	New England	Optional	Optional
Randolph-Macon College	South	Optional	Optional
Reed College	West	Optional	Optional
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Rhode Island School of Design	New England	Optional	Optional
Rhodes College	South	Optional	Optional
Rice University	South	Optional	Optional
Ripon College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Rochester Institute of Technology	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Rollins College	South	Optional	Optional
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—Newark	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Saint Louis University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Sam Houston State University	South	Optional	Optional
Samford University	South	Optional	Optional
San Francisco State University	West	Optional	Optional
San Jose State University	West	Optional	Optional
Santa Clara University	West	Optional	Optional
Sarah Lawrence College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Scripps College	West	Optional	Optional
Seattle University	West	Optional	Optional
Seton Hall University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Sewanee—University of the South	South	Optional	Optional
Siena College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Simmons University	New England	Optional	Optional
Skidmore College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Smith College	New England	Optional	Optional
Southern Methodist University	South	Optional	Optional
Southwestern University	South	Optional	Optional
Spelman College	South	Optional	Optional
St. John Fisher College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
St. John's College Annapolis	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
St. John's University (NY)	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
St. Lawrence University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
St. Mary's College (IN)	Midwest	Optional	Optional
St. Mary's College of California	West	Optional	Optional
St. Mary's College of Maryland	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
St. Michael's College	New England	Optional	Optional
St. Olaf College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Stanford University	West	Optional	Optional
Stetson University	South	Optional	Optional
Stevens Institute of Technology	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Stonehill College	New England	Optional	Optional
Stony Brook University—SUNY	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
SUNY—Geneseo	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Susquehanna University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Swarthmore College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Syracuse University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Temple University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Texas A&M University—College Station	South	Optional	Optional
Texas Christian University	South	Optional	Optional
Texas Lutheran University	South	Optional	Optional
The Catholic University of America	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
The Citadel	South	Optional	Optional
Thomas Aquinas College	West	Optional	Optional
Transylvania University	South	Optional	Optional
Trinity College (Hartford)	New England	Optional	Optional
Trinity University	South	Optional	Optional
Truman State University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Tufts University	New England	Optional	Optional
Tulane University	South	Optional	Optional
Union College (Schenectady, NY)	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
United States Air Force Academy	West	Optional	Optional
United States Coast Guard Academy	New England	Optional	Optional
United States Naval Academy	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University at Albany—SUNY	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University at Buffalo—SUNY	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of Alabama	South	Optional	Optional
University of Arizona	West	Optional	Optional
University of Arkansas—Fayetteville	South	Optional	Optional
University of Chicago	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Cincinnati	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Colorado—Boulder	West	Optional	Optional
University of Connecticut	New England	Optional	Optional
University of Dallas	South	Optional	Optional
University of Dayton	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Delaware	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of Denver	West	Optional	Optional
University of Florida	South	Optional	Optional
University of Georgia	South	Optional	Optional
University of Hawaii at Manoa	West	Optional	Optional
University of Illinois—Chicago	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Iowa	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Kansas	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Kentucky	South	Optional	Optional
University of La Verne	West	Optional	Optional
University of Mary Washington	South	Optional	Optional
University of Maryland—College Park	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of Massachusetts—Amherst	New England	Optional	Optional
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Mississippi	South	Optional	Optional
University of Missouri	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Nebraska—Lincoln	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of New Hampshire	New England	Optional	Optional
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill	South	Optional	Optional
University of North Carolina—Wilmington	South	Optional	Optional
University of North Texas	South	Optional	Optional
University of Notre Dame	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Oklahoma	South	Optional	Optional
University of Oregon	West	Optional	Optional
University of Pennsylvania	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of Pittsburgh	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of Portland	West	Optional	Optional
University of Puget Sound	West	Optional	Optional
University of Redlands	West	Optional	Optional
University of Richmond	South	Optional	Optional
University of Rochester	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
University of San Diego	West	Optional	Optional
University of San Francisco	West	Optional	Optional
University of South Carolina	South	Optional	Optional
University of South Florida	South	Optional	Optional
University of Southern California	West	Optional	Optional
University of St. Thomas (MN)	Midwest	Optional	Optional
University of Tennessee	South	Optional	Optional
University of Texas—Austin	South	Optional	Optional
University of Texas—Dallas	South	Optional	Optional
University of the Pacific	West	Optional	Optional
University of Tulsa	South	Optional	Optional
University of Utah	West	Optional	Optional
University of Vermont	New England	Optional	Optional
University of Virginia	South	Optional	Optional
University of Washington	West	Optional	Optional
University of Wisconsin—Madison	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Ursinus College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Valparaiso University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Vanderbilt University	South	Optional	Optional
Vassar College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Villanova University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Virginia Commonwealth University	South	Optional	Optional
Virginia Military Institute	South	Optional	Optional
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Wabash College	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Wake Forest University	South	Optional	Optional
Washington and Jefferson College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Washington and Lee University	South	Optional	Optional
Washington College	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
Washington State University	West	Optional	Optional
Washington University in St. Louis	South	Optional	Optional
Wellesley College	New England	Optional	Optional
Wesleyan University	New England	Optional	Optional
Westmont College	West	Optional	Optional
Wheaton College (IL)	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Whitman College	West	Optional	Optional
Whittier College	West	Optional	Optional
Willamette University	West	Optional	Optional
Williams College	New England	Optional	Optional
Wofford College	South	Optional	Optional
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	New England	Optional	Optional
Xavier University	Midwest	Optional	Optional
Yale University	New England	Optional	Optional
Yeshiva University	Mid-Atlantic	Optional	Optional
California Institute of Technology	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
California Polytechnic State University--Pomona	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Fresno	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Fullerton	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Long Beach	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Los Angeles	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Monterey Bay	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
California State University--Northridge	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
Humboldt State University	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
San Diego State University	West	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
Loyola University New Orleans	South	Not Considered*	Not Considered*
Michigan State University	Midwest	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Berkeley	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Davis	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Irvine	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Los Angeles	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Merced	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Riverside	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—San Diego	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Santa Barbara	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of California—Santa Cruz	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
Claremont McKenna College	West	Not Considered	Not Considered
University of Miami	South	Not Considered	Not Considered

* In response to COVID-19, these schools have announced temporary test optional or test blind policies, which also effects their essay requirements and recommendations. Please check with the individual schools for more information.

** University of Montana Western has students submit ACT Writing in order to satisfy English proficiency requirements.

Post a comment or send an email to guide@compassprep.com with questions or recommended changes.

ACT Writing scores have gone through multiple changes. To try to clear things up, Compass has published ACT Writing Scores Explained. A similar analysis for the SAT is also available.

Our College Profiles page provides SAT and ACT scores for some of the most competitive colleges in the country.

Score choice and superscoring policies can be found for more than 400 popular colleges and universities.

Subject Test requirements continue to evolve, so Compass keeps an up-to-date list.

Updated 6/24/2020

173 Comments

Crystal says:

July 28, 2018 at 9:54 am

Hi Mr. Sawyer,

I’m in an interesting situation with my test scores. I took both the SAT (1550) and ACT (35) last fall as a junior without the essay component but took the ACT (33) this summer with the essay (10). For schools that recommend/require the essay AND superscore, can I send in my essay score with the final superscored composite (35) or must it be submitted with my original composite score? If so, would you recommend that I retake the SAT this time in hopes of receiving a high essay score?

Also, most of the schools I would like to apply to have the essay portion as ‘optional,’ but is it advantageous to send the scores in or does it have no impact on my application?

Thanks,
Crystal K,
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 15, 2018 at 3:01 pm
  
  Crystal,
  You can only report an essay score by reporting all of your scores (at least via an official score report). Likewise, if you report your ACT scores, your Writing score will be included. You can’t opt out. I would not worry about it. If a school superscores, they will not downgrade you because of the 33. If the essay is optional, I don’t see any reason to submit that test date.
Emma says:

August 1, 2018 at 3:57 am

Hello,

Thank you for your website and all the information you provide. My daughter is interested in physics, engineering STEM. Her subject test scores: Chemistry 730, Math 800. She took the ACT and received a 35 Composite ( 35-Math, Science, Reading. 34 English) however only a 6 on the essay. (This was her second ACT, first ACT 33 composite no essay) Do you think the essay score have a will have a negative consequence on colleges that do not require the essay? Of the few that do require the essay do you think she should retake it? Is the Chem subject test score ok for the selective schools?
Again, thank you!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 15, 2018 at 3:51 pm
  
  Emma,
  The essay is quickly disappearing from colleges’ radar, and I do not think her 6 is a reason to retake. I look at Subject Test scores this way: Does the score improve my test portfolio, hurt my portfolio, or fit in with the rest of my portfolio? In the case of the Chem 730, I think it fits with the rest of your daughter’s profile.
Pristina says:

August 15, 2018 at 3:26 pm

How much weight is given to SAT Essay scores at schools with no Essay requirement? Are there any unspoken rules that it’s best to submit an Essay score no matter what? Or do Optional schools really just not care?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 15, 2018 at 4:48 pm
  
  Pristina,
  Keep in mind that every college is different and individual admission officers may be influenced by different factors. With that said, the Essay is dying a quick death. Most schools fall in the “just don’t care” box at this point. Having at least one essay score is helpful in case a student decides to apply to a Required college, but it is unlikely to play a role at Optional colleges.
TC says:

September 6, 2018 at 2:51 pm

Looks like Miami has changed the wording on their website to say not required for admission and no longer says anything about placement (I just noticed it this summer), do you have any updates on that?

This is their old statement:

3. Send Official Test Scores
All testing must be completed by November for Early Decision I and Early Action applicants and all testing must be completed by December for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants.

Test scores will only be accepted if they are submitted directly from the testing agency. If you take the test more than once, please ensure that the testing agency sends all of your scores so that we have your best performance on record. The Admission Committee will consider all official test scores from multiple test dates. We will use the highest composite score from among each test that you’ve taken. This is called super scoring. There is no limit to the number of test scores you may submit to us for your application.

We consider only the critical reading and math sections of the SAT for admission. Beginning Fall 2017, the ACT Plus Writing or the Redesigned SAT with optional Essay will be required for new undergraduate applicants with fewer than thirty transfer credits for English course placement.

Beginning in Spring 2016, applicants may submit scores from either the current or redesigned SAT. Students who take both tests will be evaluated on their best score. We will continue to super score the SAT. A concordance table is used to determine your highest critical reading and math scores, regardless of when the test was taken.

This is their new statement:

3. Send Official Test Scores
We only accept official scores directly from the ACT and/or the SAT. For the ACT, we only consider the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections; for the SAT, we only consider the Reading and Math sections. The Essay and/or Writing sections for both exams are not required for admission. There is no limit to the number of test scores you may submit with your application. If you take the test more than once, please ensure that the testing agency sends us all of your scores as we will superscore your test results. Be sure to complete all testing by the following dates:
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 6, 2018 at 4:44 pm
  
  TC,
  When we contacted them in June, they still said that the essay was needed for placement. I agree with your interpretation of the new page, which went live sometime in July. It sure seems definitive. We are going to reach out to Miami to get final confirmation. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 7, 2018 at 9:58 am
  
  TC,
  We contacted Miami, and they are still maintaining that it is required for placement. Given their testing page, I find it hard to believe that they are rejecting students for not having an essay score. We will be leaving it up, however, until we get clearer guidance from the school. The did say that a single test with an essay is fine.
  - TC says:
    
    September 20, 2018 at 1:28 pm
    
    Interesting because I contacted them as well and was told they are no longer requiring for placement and at students do not need either…i find it difficult to believe they would have reworded their website so drastically while still requiring. I am going to continue to dig into this further.
    - Art Sawyer says:
      
      September 20, 2018 at 3:22 pm
      
      TC,
      I agree with you. I’d feel much better about dropping it if we were getting consistent answers. If you got the name of who you talked to, I’d be interested in following up. I won’t post it here.
Steph says:

September 7, 2018 at 7:26 pm

So just to clarify: you cannot super score individual composite scores of ACT tests, if the ACT tests you have taken were with the essay. So if I am taking the ACT again (second time) with essay but I do not feel confident that I will get a better writing score, I should not take it with the essay. But rather take the second test without the essay so i can super score all of my composite scores (from my first and second try) to get the best score.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 11, 2018 at 4:35 pm
  
  Steph,
  Of the colleges that superscore ACT scores, I am not aware of any that will not superscore between ACT W/Writing and ACT W/O Writing. If you are applying to the University of California system, I would recommend repeating the essay. Otherwise, you should be able to save yourself the headache.
Luna says:

September 15, 2018 at 5:38 pm

My essay writing is not strong so I originally planned not to take the SAT essay. However, for schools that recommend the essay, is it better to not take it or is it better to just take it ?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 16, 2018 at 11:08 pm
  
  Luna,
  That’s a difficult question to answer because of all of the potential factors. Have you had a practice essay scored to know where you stand? If you haven’t, I recommend it. Also, don’t expect an essay score to stand out in the same way that your ERW and M scores might. Even a “not strong” essay score can be fine. Some colleges feel that removing “recommended” would mean that they are diminishing the importance of writing as a skill. That’s not the same thing as saying that it is important to them in the admission process. If you really feel that you will do poorly or that the anxiety might negatively impact the rest of your test, you should be OK without it.
LF says:

September 22, 2018 at 8:24 pm

Hi Mr. Sawyer,

If I did well on the SAT essay, can I just retake the SAT without essay when applying for the University of California schools?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 24, 2018 at 1:37 am
  
  LF,
  The UC system will only accept scores that include the Essay, so you should include it when you retest.
From Texas says:

September 25, 2018 at 2:08 pm

Hello!
My daughter is trying to get in as an out of state student to University of North Carolina and University of Michigan as her top 2 choices. She scored a 33 on ACT with a 6 writing, which she took because Michigan said it was required. She clearly wasn’t prepared for the writing section, so she just took it again and scored a bit lower on her composite but the same on the essay. Then we went to a college fair and spoke to a Michigan Admissions Officer who said Michigan has decided NOT to require writing. She wants to apply to both as Early Action, but doesn’t have time to retake ACT without writing for that deadline. Her SAT is a 1450. Do you think reporting her 33 ACT with the poor writing score will hurt her at UNC or Michigan, even though they say it is not required, and UNC says it is discouraged? OR should we send her 1450 SAT without a writing score? Thank you for your insight.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 26, 2018 at 5:45 pm
  
  FT,
  It seems like your daughter already has a nice alternative in her SAT score. Her 1450 is concordant with her 33 ACT and doesn’t come with any essay baggage. I really doubt that the 6 would impact her, but I also don’t see the need to report her ACT.
Shelden says:

October 11, 2018 at 10:55 am

Hi, I scored 1500 on the SAT with Essay (7 6 7). I’m thinking about taking the ACT to just try it and see if I can score better on it than SAT. Let’s say I take the ACT without writing and scored better on it than SAT and I send both scores to a school that requires the writing part. Will they look at my ACT score and my SAT Essay score or I have to take the ACT with writing in order for the score to be considered.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 14, 2018 at 10:59 pm
  
  Shelden,
  I am not aware of any college that allows the fulfillment of the essay requirement with one test while using the scores from a different exam. You will need to take the ACT with Writing if you are considering colleges that require the essay.
Dan Ascher says:

February 4, 2019 at 10:28 am

Hi Art. It appears that Rutgers no longer requires or recommends the SAT Essay or ACT Writing (according to their website).

Cheers. Dan
- Ash Kramer says:
  
  February 4, 2019 at 10:37 am
  
  Hi Dan,
  
  Thanks for the heads up! We’ve updated the page.
John B says:

March 1, 2019 at 11:31 am

Hi, I scored 36 on ACT but only 8 on ACT writing, will the writing score hurt my application to top colleges, like IVYs? do you recommend me to retake the test?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 1, 2019 at 3:49 pm
  
  John,
  Congratulations on your 36. Do not repeat the exam because of your Writing score. Your essay score will not hurt your application.
Kate says:

March 18, 2019 at 11:41 am

Hi Art,

Where do you see that Stanford “strongly recommends” the writing? I have their website up and specifically it says “Required testing:
ACT or SAT (Writing/Essay not required)

I do not see any other verbiage on their website using the words that you do. Could you please let me know as soon as you can? Thank you
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 19, 2019 at 12:18 pm
  
  Kate,
  Thank you for drawing our attention to Stanford’s change. We’ve updated our list to reflect that the essay is now completely optional at Stanford.
Aimee says:

April 2, 2019 at 5:20 am

Looks like essay scores are now optional at Binghamton, based upon their web site: https://www.binghamton.edu/admissions/info/test-policy.html

Also, Georgia Tech now says they don’t consider the writing section for either test: https://admission.gatech.edu/first-year/standardized-tests
- Ash Kramer says:
  
  April 2, 2019 at 3:24 pm
  
  Thanks, Aimee! We’ve updated our table.
Jessica says:

April 4, 2019 at 6:14 pm

If I have a 9 in the ACT essay, what does that score equals to SAT writing? Thank you!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 5, 2019 at 1:44 pm
  
  Jessica,
  They are so different that they can’t really be compared. A 9 is a good score. Only about 7% of students score higher. Also, we know that the 25th-75th percentiles scores at the most competitive colleges are 8-10, so your essay score should not be a concern.
Alex says:

April 9, 2019 at 2:05 pm

Mr. Sawyer,
can I superscore a reading and writing score from an SAT W/O ESSAY with a math score from an SAT WITH ESSAY and vice versa?
Thanks!
Alex
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 12, 2019 at 6:30 pm
  
  Alex,
  I don’t know of any superscoring colleges that will not superscore across SATs W/ and W/O Essay.
Morgan says:

April 20, 2019 at 1:06 pm

Mr. Sawyer,
I took the ACT with writing and got a 32 and 8. I then took the ACT again without writing and got a 34. I want to apply to Dartmouth (which requires the writing). Should I take the entire ACT with writing again, or does the essay from my initial test (32) carry over to my 34 test.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 22, 2019 at 7:07 pm
  
  Morgan,
  I’m fairly certain that Dartmouth does not require Writing. In fact, they no longer even talk of recommending it. So the good news is that you don’t need to worry about your 32 or your essay.
Hayden says:

May 7, 2019 at 7:34 pm

Hello Mr. Sawyer!
I am currently a Junior and recently took the ACT w/ Writing and received a 29 Composite Score and a 9 on my Essay.
My Math and Science scores brought down my composite so I will be re-taking the test to raise those to try to get into the 30’s.
I feel confident about my writing score and don’t see the need to take it again.
Does that mean that I can just retake the ACT w/o Writing to focus on raising my composite?
In other words, will colleges consider my essay score from my older test and “superscore” my new composite scores or do I have to retake the entire test with the essay again?
Let me know. Thank you!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 15, 2019 at 7:27 pm
  
  Hayden,
  Among schools that superscore the ACT, I don’t know of any that will not superscore across w/ and w/o Writing test dates. The University of California system does not superscore but requires that Writing be taken for scores to be considered. The UCs are the only colleges I know of with this policy. Good luck!
Ro says:

May 8, 2019 at 2:10 pm

Art,
My daughter scored a 34 on her first ACT and we just received her writing scores. She did very well; 12,10,12 and 12, for an average of 11.5. I have just come to realize that most of the schools no longer require the writing portion. I’m just wondering why she wasted her time taking the writing portion. I don’t know if she will take the ACT again. Will the schools where writing is optional even care that she did well in writing?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 15, 2019 at 7:21 pm
  
  As much as I rail against the essay, I still recommend that students take it — at least once. Your daughter didn’t waste her time, she created some options. Policies on viewing essay results are all over the place at essay optional schools. Many admission officers would view it as a “plus factor.” It’s wonderful that your daughter did so well.
George says:

July 3, 2019 at 11:06 pm

Hi Art,

My daughter is a rising junior. She just took ACT this past June the first time. Her composite score is 35. However , the writing is only 8. Do you think she should retake the ACT just to improve the writing part? Reading your other comments sounded like she may not need to do that but would like to confirm. My daughter’s targets are the Ivy’s. She does have 4.0 unweighted GPA so far, SAT Math II 790, SAT Bio 770.

Thanks much.. George
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 10, 2019 at 4:54 pm
  
  George,
  The essay is becoming increasingly irrelevant. I would not recommend that your daughter retest just to improve her 8.
Lucy says:

July 7, 2019 at 12:05 pm

Mr. Sawyer,

I got a 7,6,7 on my SAT essay, and plan to retake the sats this summer. I got a 5 on my AP Lang exam and was wondering if that was enough to prove my writing ability to colleges? Or should I retake the essay this summer?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 10, 2019 at 4:58 pm
  
  Lucy,
  7/6/7 is an excellent set of scores for the SAT Essay. I would certainly not retest to improve them.
William says:

September 24, 2019 at 10:06 am

Hi, Mr. Sawyer,

I scored 1560 on SAT with the essay (6/4/7). Should I retake it to improve the essay score, if I want to apply the top colleges, like Princeton?

Thank you,
William
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 25, 2019 at 5:38 pm
  
  William,
  The SAT Essay is increasingly irrelevant. Your score is not out of the norm, so I would not recommend retesting.
Beth says:

October 3, 2019 at 7:21 pm

Mr. Sawyer,

Thanks for all the great information.
My junior son just got back his ACT score of a 35 but an essay score of 7. His first ACT in June was a 31 with an essay score of 8. Most of the schools he will apply to are test optional or not required. Will the 7 hurt his chances at highly selective schools and do you think he should send both ACTs to show the better writing score of 8?
4.3 GPA W/3.92 UW, World history AP 5/subject test 800, Bio E/M subject test 730
5APs this year

Thanks,
Beth
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 4, 2019 at 6:31 pm
  
  Beth,
  The 7 will not hurt his chances. Submit only the 35. The difference between a 35 and a 31 is significant. The difference between a 7 and 8 is immaterial.
  - Beth says:
    
    October 4, 2019 at 6:50 pm
    
    Mr. Sawyer – thanks so much for your opinion! Last question: the UC’s – more specifically UCSD is a target for him. Do you have any idea how closely the UC’s look at the writing score. I know that they use the ELA for English placement but can’t find much about how much they look specifically at the writing score since they are one of the only schools (all UC’s) that still require writing (his ELA is slightly above 50% for last year’s admitted students with the writing score of 7).
    Thanks again,
    Beth
    - Art Sawyer says:
      
      October 7, 2019 at 1:01 pm
      
      Beth,
      There is a very strong chance that the UCs will have dropped the essay by next year. It already plays a minimal role in admission. Given the strength of your son’s other scores — especially for UCSD — I would not worry about his 7.
Mike G. says:

October 20, 2019 at 10:18 pm

Hi Art:

My son took the ACT without writing as a junior and received a 34 composite (32 STEM score). He retook it as a senior with writing and also received a 34 composite (33 STEM), but only received an 8 on the writing portion. The only other difference between the 2 scores is that he got a 36 Reading/35 Science on the first ACT, and 35 Reading/36 Science on the second. For competitive schools that don’t require (or recommend) the writing portion, would you recommend that he submit his first score without the writing, or the second? I’m thinking the first is probably a better choice for him (especially for liberal arts colleges/universities), but wanted to get your thoughts.

Thank you,

Mike G.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 21, 2019 at 4:55 pm
  
  Mike,
  The 8 score is not that out of the norm, so I wouldn’t give it much weight in the decision. About 2/3 of colleges superscore the ACT, so I would send both scores in those cases (that way he has a 36 Reading / 36 Science). It’s less important at schools that do not superscore, but I would still be comfortable submitting both scores.
  - Mike G. says:
    
    October 21, 2019 at 9:44 pm
    
    Thanks so much for the helpful advice, Art!
    
    Best,
    
    Mike
Swapna says:

October 21, 2019 at 5:03 pm

My son is a junior and he took ACT for the first time. He received a 35 Composite and 8 on essay. He feels 8 is not good enough to apply to UCs. He wants to retake in January 2020. What do you recommend?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  October 29, 2019 at 12:40 pm
  
  Swapna,
  8 falls within the 25th-75th range of enrolled students at even Berkeley and UCLA. More important, the UCs are likely to drop the essay requirement this year. That said, I don’t like to stand in the way of students motivated to retest. If he has the time and the desire, he could take the ACT again on Feb 8. He shouldn’t count on his Writing score making a difference.
Karina says:

December 16, 2019 at 2:37 pm

Hi Mr. Sawyer,

I’m a junior in high school and I just took the ACT without writing and received a 31. I would like to take the ACT again to eventually superscore. However, my top school is Duke which is one of the few that recommend taking the ACT with writing. Should I take the ACT with writing the next time I take the test? And if I do take it with the writing, can I superscore the two composite scores together even though one is with writing and one is without? Thanks
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 11:39 pm
  
  Karina,
  I don’t know of any superscoring school that will not superscore across ACT and ACT with Writing. As you may have read, the essay is becoming less important every year — even at Duke. If you feel that you would do well or would like to keep all of your options open, then I would encourage you to spend the extra time to take Writing. Either way, it will not hurt your ability to superscore.

ACT Writing and SAT Essay Requirements

On January 19th, 2021, College Board announced that they will no longer administer the SAT Subject Tests in the U.S. and that the Essay would be retired. Read our blog post to understand what this means in the near term and what the College Board has in store for students down the road.

ACT and SAT Essay Requirements - Class of 2019 and Beyond

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