Should I register for the writing section of the ACT or SAT?
If you want the quick answer to whether you should register for the extra writing section on the ACT or SAT, the answer is NO.
Let me explain why these essays exist, how they are scored, and why you don’t need the additional essay on college admission exams.
Why Is There an Essay Option?
In 2005, College Board made a written essay part of the SAT. It wasn’t optional and was part of a student’s SAT Writing score. Not to be outdone by the competition, the ACT soon added an optional essay.
When College Board changed the SAT in 2016, they made the written essay an optional add-on. It no longer factored into a student’s SAT score. At that point a number of colleges began to make these essays optional. By 2021 when the SAT abruptly dropped the written essay, no colleges were using them for admission.
So why is it an option now?
Some states (Illinois, Arizona, Montana, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and others) use the SAT or ACT as part of their high school graduation requirements. I’m in Texas where our high school students have to meet proficiency levels on EOC (End of Course) exams in order to graduate. Other states use the SAT or ACT for this purpose. ACT and College Board continue to offer the essay for students who need it to meet their state’s graduation requirements.
Can It Raise My Score?
Optional essays have never factored into a student’s SAT or ACT score. They receive a separate evaluation. Therefore, the written essay cannot help boost your test score, even if you are an exceptional writer.
How Will Colleges Use the Optional Essay?
Colleges are no longer using ACT or SAT essays in the admissions process. It is not considered.
“But if I take the essay section and get a good score, will colleges see that?”
Unlikely. Colleges determined that these test-day essays were not particularly useful to the admissions process. You could submit your score, but with all of the other required and optional information available, it is doubtful that a high score on this type of essay would even be noticed.
Conclusion
Save your time. Save your money. Don’t register for the optional essay on the ACT or SAT unless you live in a state where it is required for graduation and you are trying to meet that standard.