ACT: The Writing Section Playbook

Do You Need the 40-Minute Essay?

The Writing section is scored on a scale of 2–12. It is reported separately and does not affect your 1–36 Composite score.

Step 1: The "Keep-Your-Options-Open" Check

• Are you applying to highly selective universities? While many Ivies have dropped the requirement, some top-tier schools still "recommend" it. If a school says "recommended," treat it as a requirement.

• Are you an Undecided Major? If you haven't finalized your college list, taking the writing section once ensures you don't have to retake the entire ACT just to get an essay score later.

• Is it a State Graduation Requirement? Some states (like Hawaii or Montana) require the writing section for high school graduation when the test is given during the school day.

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Step 2: The "Strength" Assessment

• English Grades vs. Test Scores: If your high school English grades are a bit low, but you are a strong writer, a high ACT Writing score (10–12) can prove to colleges that you have the skills.

• Humanities/Journalism/Law Majors: If you are heading into a writing-heavy field, this is a "low-stakes" way to show off. A bad score won't hurt your Composite, but a great score looks excellent on a resume.

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Step 3: The "Energy" Calculation

The new ACT is significantly shorter. If you skip Science and Writing, you are out of the building in about 2 hours.

• Take Writing if: You have the stamina to stay an extra 40 minutes and want the "complete" score report.

• Skip Writing if: You are prone to test fatigue and want to put 100% of your mental energy into the Math and Reading sections to maximize your 1–36 Composite.

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Summary: The "Quick Call" Table

The Scenario	Recommended Action
Applying to local/state schools	SKIP. Most do not look at it.
Applying to Top 20 / Competitive schools	TAKE. It’s better to have it and not need it.
You hate writing under pressure	SKIP. A low score won't help you, and it's not worth the stress.
Your state/district requires it	TAKE. (Usually free during school-day testing).

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Workshop Strategy: The "Three Perspectives" Tip

The "Golden Rule" for the 40-minute essay:

The ACT gives you a prompt and 3 perspectives. Your job is not just to pick one; it is to compare your idea to at least one other. To get an 8+, you must show how your argument interacts with the others provided.