Do I have to report my ACT writing score? Does it have much weight in the application?

Sneak

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My ACT scores are pretty good: 34 English, 32 math, 35 reading, 36 science. But my writing score was a 21.

Does the academy look at the writing score at all? I remember hearing somewhere that it doesn't matter that much, but there was a box for it on the PCQ. And I know USAFA has the writing score because I chose to have ACT send my scores there.

I guess what I'm asking is, will a writing score such as mine hurt my application? I know it doesn't factor in to the official composite score (my composite score is still a 34 because it is calculated using every category EXCEPT writing), so maybe USAFA will just take my superscore in terms of the other 4 subjects?
 
Great question.

BTW, did you know that you can challenge your essay score and have the ACT re-grade your essay? You pay $50. If they raise your score, you get your money back.
 
Great question.

BTW, did you know that you can challenge your essay score and have the ACT re-grade your essay? You pay $50. If they raise your score, you get your money back.

Wow, I did not know that. I might have to try that if the writing score ends up being a big deal. Although the 21 was from the October test date and you can only get a rescore within 3 months of the test. But this might help in case my April writing score is still trash.
 
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I don't know for certain, but I would venture to say that it will not matter very much. First of all, USAFA does not even require Writing Scores (only West Point does) so they clearly don't put to much stock in it. Secondly, in your application they require you to submit 3 essays with the intent of evaluating your writing abilities so, if they really think you're writing is poor they'll probably use those to evaluate it first.
 
Back in the dark ages, my twins had a discussion about the writing portion of the SAT, and how ridiculous it was for kids their ages, who did ALL their writing by computer. What 40-year-old thought this up?, said my 17 year olds to whom 40 might as well have been 100. So, they each did their best on the CR and M (and aced each section), but for the writing portion, made up and answered their own question. They scored, unbelievably, in the upper 600s, even though both had failed entirely to answer the proffered question. Say what?

It mattered not one whit and that's our story. Risky, but they're like that.
 
Back in the dark ages, my twins had a discussion about the writing portion of the SAT, and how ridiculous it was for kids their ages, who did ALL their writing by computer. What 40-year-old thought this up?, said my 17 year olds to whom 40 might as well have been 100. So, they each did their best on the CR and M (and aced each section), but for the writing portion, made up and answered their own question. They scored, unbelievably, in the upper 600s, even though both had failed entirely to answer the proffered question. Say what?

It mattered not one whit and that's our story. Risky, but they're like that.
Talked to a grader for SAT and ACT essays - paid by the essay, he spends roughly 12 seconds per essay! It was incredible.
 
My ACT scores are pretty good: 34 English, 32 math, 35 reading, 36 science. But my writing score was a 21.

Does the academy look at the writing score at all? I remember hearing somewhere that it doesn't matter that much, but there was a box for it on the PCQ. And I know USAFA has the writing score because I chose to have ACT send my scores there.

I guess what I'm asking is, will a writing score such as mine hurt my application? I know it doesn't factor in to the official composite score (my composite score is still a 34 because it is calculated using every category EXCEPT writing), so maybe USAFA will just take my superscore in terms of the other 4 subjects?


USAFA is completely unconcerned with your writing score, and it is not used in any computations. That may change in the future, but for now it will have no impact on your chances.

Insider
 
Ok great. That's one less thing I have to worry about. Thanks for the answers, everyone.
 
Back in the dark ages, my twins had a discussion about the writing portion of the SAT, and how ridiculous it was for kids their ages, who did ALL their writing by computer. What 40-year-old thought this up?, said my 17 year olds to whom 40 might as well have been 100. So, they each did their best on the CR and M (and aced each section), but for the writing portion, made up and answered their own question. They scored, unbelievably, in the upper 600s, even though both had failed entirely to answer the proffered question. Say what?

It mattered not one whit and that's our story. Risky, but they're like that.
That's funny! I ended up with a 760 on the writing section (my highest score of anything).
 
My ACT scores are pretty good: 34 English, 32 math, 35 reading, 36 science. But my writing score was a 21.

Does the academy look at the writing score at all? I remember hearing somewhere that it doesn't matter that much, but there was a box for it on the PCQ. And I know USAFA has the writing score because I chose to have ACT send my scores there.

I guess what I'm asking is, will a writing score such as mine hurt my application? I know it doesn't factor in to the official composite score (my composite score is still a 34 because it is calculated using every category EXCEPT writing), so maybe USAFA will just take my superscore in terms of the other 4 subjects?
Those are some impressive scores bud. Did you do any prep or was this your first time taking it?
 
Those are some impressive scores bud. Did you do any prep or was this your first time taking it?

I took it twice, and this is my superscore although the only category I didn't improve on the second time around was reading.

I didn't do any prep for either test. The first one was meant to get a feel for what it was like, and then I went for the highest score I could get on the second test.
 
Back in the dark ages, my twins had a discussion about the writing portion of the SAT, and how ridiculous it was for kids their ages, who did ALL their writing by computer. What 40-year-old thought this up?, said my 17 year olds to whom 40 might as well have been 100. So, they each did their best on the CR and M (and aced each section), but for the writing portion, made up and answered their own question. They scored, unbelievably, in the upper 600s, even though both had failed entirely to answer the proffered question. Say what?

It mattered not one whit and that's our story. Risky, but they're like that.

Yeah, I've heard stories of people just writing down key words on the ACT writing section in no particular order. If you read their essays from start to finish they would make no sense at all, but they included the right words so they got a high score. Maybe I'll try that in April, seeing as the academy doesn't look at the writing score and I can't do much worse than a 21 anyway.
 
All I want to say is awesome job on the science section. How you got a 36 blows my mind. I am barely squeaking by with a 26
 
All I want to say is awesome job on the science section. How you got a 36 blows my mind. I am barely squeaking by with a 26

If you've already taken the test I'm sure you know this already, but most of the science portion is just reading graphs and understanding studies/experiments. Don't waste your time studying advanced concepts or calculations. I'm pretty sure the last time I took it there were 0 questions involving calculations.

This goes for the rest of the ACT as well, but mostly the math/science portions: time management is the most important thing. You are not given a lot of time, and most of the questions are pretty simple. If you learn to answer questions quickly and efficiently the test will feel a lot easier.
 
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