There are two problems with the above, the first of which is the statement that only 18 colleges/universities require completion of the ACT essay (what ACT refers to as its “Writing Section”) or the SAT Essay. It gets worse: In addition to those schools that require or recommend completion of the SAT Essay or ACT Writing Section, there are an unknown (and likely difficult to quantify) number of colleges that neither require nor recommend completion of SAT/ACT essays but will consider the scores of those essays when making admissions decisions. While ½ of America’s universities have gone test optional, the issue is far more complex than it seems. And if there’s the slightest doubt about to what schools you might be applying, do the safe thing by completing the SAT or ACT essay. The list below of North Carolina schools also includes other colleges and universities around the country. Let us help make it easier! Pin down your needs now. Score At The Top comprises several family-owned, full-service learning centers and schools throughout Palm Beach and Broward Counties. For over 30 years, we have provided an integrated array of academic support and guidance services to students of all ages. …while a fairly small number of colleges require completion of the ACT Writing Section or the SAT Essay Section, it might still well be to a student’s benefit to do so. This omission doesn’t strike us as a sound strategy if the objective is to get hired. Let's discuss a custom learning strategy that will get you or your student on a path to success. This discrepancy between how the two tests incorporated their essay portions caused a fair amount of confusion for students and colleges. Some colleges require the ACT writing test. To get the most up-to-date info, you should also contact that school’s admissions department to be sure of their ACT requirements when you submit your application. Our analysis of data presented in an April 21, 2019 post on the prepscholar blog discloses that while only 67 colleges require completion of the ACT Writing Section, another 408 colleges recommend that it be completed. Test-Optional and College Admissions: Think Twice, College That Have Gone Test Optional as Result of the Coronavirus, The Coronavirus: Creates College Admissions Vertigo. ACT Essay Keep in mind: The ACT writing essay is optional. As you look at which colleges require the SAT essay, it is clear that many of the top schools have dropped the requirement. NOTE: the list is subject to change, so make sure to double check with each school you’re applying to. …while a fairly small number of colleges require completion of the ACT Writing Section or the SAT Essay Section, it might still well be to a student’s benefit to do so. (Because the ACT and the SAT are accepted interchangeably by virtually all colleges, we’ll focus on the ACT Writing Section in what follows.) Realize, however, that there are hundreds of colleges that recommend the ACT Plus Writing without requiring it. A recent blog post by one of our fellow members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) opened with this advice to other IECA members: It's time to stop telling students to write the ACT or SAT essay. For example, students aren’t required to study hard for tests, and job applicants aren’t required to wear clean clothing to job interviews, but…. Topics: The identity of the author of that blog won’t be disclosed in this post for reasons that you may infer from what we have to say about his post, his facts, and his conclusions. College admissions offices are more than willing to set their record straight about their essay requirements. Stay up-to-date on the latest developments in college entrance requirements and test prep through our free email newsletter. But essays continue to be considered if you submit them with your application. Which colleges & universities require the SAT Essay and/or ACT writing? ACT/SAT So, while we’ll grant that the number of colleges that require completion of the ACT Writing or the SAT Essay is a very small percentage of the total number of colleges, 18 appears to be significantly too low. ACT Writing Scores by College . Nonetheless, the SAT's essay was required and the ACT's was optional. It includes all of the colleges and universities in the 50 United States that require the ACT writing section, listed by state. His reason for giving such advice is that the number of. Currently, only 27 colleges and universities require the ACT with Writing. Consider, for a moment, applying for a job and not doing something that the prospective employer recommends that you do. Our analysis of data presented in an April 21, 2019 post on the prepscholar blog discloses that while only 67 colleges require completion of the ACT Writing Section, another 408 colleges recommend that it be completed. The data below is historical—it's from pre-2015 when ACT used a 12-point scale and many colleges used the writing score as part of the admissions equation. Appalachian State University: Not required Auburn University: Not required Brown University: Not required Catawba College: Not required Cornell University: Not required Davidson: Not required Duke University: … And consider what your chances would be if many other applicants for the position do what is recommended – and do it well – while you haven’t done it at all. Depending on your major and the college you wish to attend, the writing test may or may not be required. You should decide whether or not you should take it based on the requirements of the colleges you are applying to or considering. Call: (844) Get-1600Email: info@scoreatthetop.com. Because so few schools now require the ACT writing exam, the data is no longer reported to the Department of Education. Join 20,000+ subscribers and get exclusive test prep tips and college insights straight to your inbox. About the only scenario we can imagine in which students shouldn’t complete a SAT/ACT essay is if those students are absolutely certain that all of the schools to which they might conceivably apply won’t consider the score — and that’s likely something you’d discover only on a case-by-case basis by visiting individual college’s websites and/or contacting admissions at those schools. So, as to our colleague’s statement, “It's time to stop telling students to write the ACT or SAT essay,” we disagree. Take a look at a sample ACT writing prompt and learn five key steps to penning a high-scoring essay. Consider what your chances of admission would be if many other applicants completed those essays and scored well on them, while you haven’t submitted any essay with your test scores. Because postsecondary institutions have varying needs, we offer the ACT writing test as an option. Colleges that continue to require the SAT/ACT Essay include the entire University of California system, California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), Claremont McKenna College, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, United States Military Academy, and University of North Texas. To find out if your desired college requires it, go to the ACT website and look up the schools you’re applying to. Many colleges require applicants to provide their essay results from one of the exams, while other schools will consider the SAT essay or ACT writing during the admissions process. Give them a call if the school website doesn’t answer your question. SAT Essay. Recommended: Cardinal Stritch University Carroll University* Marquette University Saint Norbert College* Virtual school is hard! The college application essay is considered one of the MOST IMPORTANT factors in college admissions. Attention, Students Who Want to Apply to Test-Optional Colleges! Score Academy has you covered this school year! Essay US colleges and universities that require applicants to complete the essay portion of SAT or ACT…has been dwindling over the past several years and we are now left with…eighteen colleges/universities that require said essay…[and]…eighteen represents fewer than one percent of all four-year schools in the United States. The second – and far more serious – problem with the blog author’s advice is how it ignores the fact that many things that students aren’t required to do would still be very much in their best interests to do. My best advice—and your least limiting option—is to sign up, prepare for, and take the essay portion. Why the ACT Writing Test Is Optional . Based on our own research on the ACT website, there are 44 colleges in New York, Texas, and California, alone, that require the ACT Writing section as part of the admissions process. 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