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

Amy says:

February 23, 2017 at 4:32 pm

My son did well on the SAT (780, 780) but only a 16 on the essay. Is it worth taking the ACT? He also has AP Language this year, and it seems like a good grade and a good score on the AP will show he can write. He is looking at Stanford and Princeton as reach schools. (It probably doesn’t matter to his safety schools)
Thank you for insight
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 1, 2017 at 5:10 pm
  
  Amy,
  The essay score is a very, very small part of a testing portfolio. His 16 may not be the score he wanted, but it is not so far off the norm for top scorers that I recommend a retest — and certainly not a switch to the ACT given his strong SAT score. I expect 25th-75th percentile scores for enrolled students at even schools such as Stanford and Princeton to be in the 15-21 range. The benefit of being higher in that range is dubious.
Liza says:

March 12, 2017 at 12:46 pm

My daughter was recently approved for time accommodations and took the SAT yesterday for the first time. Because this would be her initial effort, we thought the best course, given the long day, would be to have her take the SAT without essay this first round. The concept was that she’d take some subject tests in May, then retake the SAT WITH the essay in June or August. I hadn’t realized that she would be unable to superscore the two SAT’s. This will be irrelevant if her second set of scores are higher across the board, but I now see that it could be problematic if that’s not the case. I’m trying to find a silver lining here, because nothing is to be done about yesterday. Only a few of the schools on her preliminary list require the essay. For those schools, would there be any utility in sending in both sets of scores for general consideration, even if one set doesn’t have the essay? The changing regulations certainly make for a muddle of testing. Thanks for any insights you have to offer. Your site has been a great resource!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 27, 2017 at 2:13 am
  
  Liza,
  She may not have a problem superscoring between her two administrations — colleges have not always been clear on the topic. The UC system requires all scores to come from a single administration, but the University of Michigan, on the other hand, simply wants to see at least one Essay score. Given the trend in requirements and the number of colleges that will likely superscore between the two administrations, I would not worry much about her decision to skip the March essay. It sounds like it was the right decision for her first SAT. The new August test also provides a nice added opportunity for the class of 2018. I agree with you about the muddle. Thank you!
Olga says:

March 26, 2017 at 11:58 am

What are your thoughts on Spanish with or without listening. The November test date for listening forces students to take the test the fall of junior without completing a full year of Spanish 4. Georgetown uses the score for language placement. Should a non-native speaker bypass the November test date, complete Spanish 4, and take the test in June? I am a former Spanish teacher and looked at the practice tests. Having A full year of Spanish 4 is extremely beneficial. What are your thoughts?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 27, 2017 at 3:05 am
  
  Olga,
  Please ignore my original replay, as I misread your comment entirely. The Spanish Subject Test — like the other foreign language exams — is challenging enough for students to do well on even with 3 full years of high school language. I would definitely recommend that students take the additional 7 months and wait for the June date. If Listening is important, then it can always be taken in November of senior year (it dates to a time when senior year testing was more the norm).
Surj sondhi says:

March 27, 2017 at 8:17 am

The FAQ section for Brown has some conflicting info. They state that the SAT or ACT with writing is required. They also provide the link to the College Board which indicates that Brown neither requires nor recommends the writing section. Do you have any idea which one is correct?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 27, 2017 at 3:19 pm
  
  Suri,
  I see what you are referring to. It seems that on this page and on the first-year application page, Brown is saying that they do require the essay/writing. That conflicts with what we found last year and with the College Board information to which they link. I have contacted Brown in an effort to get clarification.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 28, 2017 at 10:25 am
  
  Suri,
  I’ve confirmed with Brown that the requirement of SAT w/Essay or ACT w/Writing is new for the class of 2018. The College Board information is outdated. We’ll be changing the information on our site, of course. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
kelly says:

March 29, 2017 at 11:33 am

Art,
Trying to add to the info on your site, because your site has helped me. My son (in FL) scored 1540 on the first SAT but 17/24 on the essay. He retook the test on the “SAT School Day” (so it was free) . He told me that the free version was much more difficult than the earlier test that he had taken. His recent score of 1460 reflected his assessment. But we looked into the essay and what we learned is below. His essay score on the recent SAT was 24/24. He went from a 17/24 to a 24/24 after doing this. (I am not associated with anyone, just a parent trying to help my son.)

Maybe this info will help some other parents or kids taking the SAT. I am no expert, and my son’s writing did NOT improve in 2 months time. He just gave the reviewers what they wanted in a format to allow them to check boxes.

Write longer… +700 words if possible
Be positive about the speech / work that you are reviewing (never negative)
Don’t analyze the speech (what they could have done better), point out how he/she elicited or what they did/said to elicit the response that he/she wanted.

Looks like the easiest/best way to do this is: (intro/body/conclusion style)
– Paragraph 1 = Introduction, short summary of how he/she elicits reaction
– Paragraph 2-4 = pick a few specific examples and elaborate on those examples from your introduction (how they elicited the response/ or intended to)
– Paragraph 5 = conclusions say what a great job they did, and confirm some of the introduction

You may want to quickly outline your 3 body paragraphs first – then start on your introduction, so you don’t miss something in your introduction and are erasing/trying to go back and include it.

Watch the videos in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iohba3b8rYg&list=PLWrx3HAZbAqHEQhWByAjiKiYyHYlKmZiU

Look at these essay examples:
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/essay/1
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 17, 2017 at 9:37 pm
  
  Thank you, Kelly. I’ve shared your suggestions.
AndyW says:

March 29, 2017 at 8:46 pm

Hi Art. My son who is class of 2018 took the SAT w/o the essay, scored well at a 1460. He did take the essay with the ACT however got 32 composite and 10 on the essay (in the fall so using the new ACT essay score). If he’s applying to one of the colleges that requires an essay, will the fact that he did take the ACT essay fulfill the essay requirement? Or will he HAVE to submit an SAT essay score too?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  March 30, 2017 at 5:28 pm
  
  Andy,
  Thanks for a new and interesting twist on this question. I’m quite sure that I haven’t seen any college specifically address the it — other than, perhaps, the UC system which has always demanded that scores be from a single administration (so an ACT essay won’t be combined with an SAT total score). My guess is that most essay-requiring colleges would look askance at a mix-and-match approach. His ACT score is just as strong has his SAT score, though, so I’m not sure that it is much of a concern. If he decides to repeat the SAT, I would advise him to take the essay.
Preetal says:

April 13, 2017 at 7:59 pm

Do superscoring colleges superscore the SAT essay? My daughter got a better SAT score in March (1560) but only 17 on essay. Last November she got 1520 but 24 on essay. Not sure how colleges will view this.
Also for colleges that need one score, will the 1560 with 17 on essay look bad?
Any advise is appreciated.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  April 17, 2017 at 7:27 pm
  
  Preetal,
  It’s a question that only a few colleges have addressed directly. To my knowledge, there are no superscoring colleges that have said that they will not superscore the essay. Colleges that superscore choose to view students’ scores in the most favorable light, so I don’t think they will choose to handle essay scores differently.
  
  Your daughter’s 24 is extraordinary; her 17 is inline with what we see from many top-scoring students. It should not be a concern.
Brad says:

May 21, 2017 at 7:31 am

Hi Art,

My daughter is a Junior and took the January 2017 SAT and scored a 1280 (640 and 640 splits) but scored a 23/24 on the Essay. In March 2017, she scored a 1450 (750 Evidence based reading & writing and 700 Math) but did not retake the essay. She is also looking to retake the SAT again in August to try to boost the Math section. Do you know how some of the top colleges will view this (particularly those requiring the essay) as her best sitting score wasn’t on the same date as her essay? Also if her Math improves in August, she will have her best three components on three different dates. Will this hurt her chances at some of the top schools?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 24, 2017 at 6:56 pm
  
  Brad,
  Colleges that superscore will generally look at the highest scores across each section — including the Essay. Some schools that require the Essay simply want the Essay taken at least once (University of Michigan falls in this group). Other colleges — such as the University of California system — will only consider test dates that include the Essay. Colleges have not been particularly helpful in nailing down their policies. Keep in mind that some colleges — Yale and Stanford, for example — will require all her scores and consider them in a more holistic fashion. The “hurt her chances” part is glass half-full/empty. Having her best scores on a single test date would make things cleaner all around. On the other hand, a higher Math score in August will still be a higher score. She certainly showed great progress from January to March, so it seems like she can put up good scores. I would recommend that she take the Essay again. Even if she scores lower (and the statistics on the Essay make it likely), my feeling is that it is more important to have a test date that can be used everywhere than it is to skip the Essay because she already nailed it. For example, at a Score Choice college, I’d be more comfortable seeing a student submit only a 730ERW / 730M 6/6/6 Essay than having to also submit the 640/640.
Diana says:

June 7, 2017 at 5:37 am

Hi Art,
Our situation is a bit the reverse of Brad’s. My son scored a 1350 on his first SAT (740 Math, 610 Evidence Based Reading & Writing) and a 5/3/5 on the Essay. He then took his second SAT at school (in NYC), and scored 1540 (780 Math, 760 Evidence Based Reading & Writing) but the NY DOE did not offer the Essay. Is it possible to Super score, using the complete second SAT (1540) and the Essay from the first SAT? And if so, can we extract that Essay score on its own, or will we need to send the entire SAT scores from the first test (1350) ? Would prefer for schools not to see the lower score at all, but at least to submit the Essay from that test would be what we need.

[Edit: Art, I read many of the questions from the others after I sent you mine, many of which are similar. Just to clarify – I was asking this: if colleges don’t super score the optional essay from one test with another entire SAT test (no essay taken), and my son wants to apply to schools where Essay is required, would you suggest we send both complete SAT tests? Thanks again!]

Many thanks, Diana
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  June 9, 2017 at 7:48 pm
  
  Diana,
  I’m sorry to hear that the NY DOE did not offer the Essay. There is no ability to send just the Essay score. The only case where he would not send the first SAT is where a college does not require the Essay. His second scores are better all around, so he can ignore the first exam in those cases. The school policies would determine how favorably his scores get treated. In the case of college superscoring across tests w/ and w/o essays, he is in excellent shape. His Essay score is, perhaps, a little weak given his overall scores. What would concern me is if he applies to colleges where only tests with Essays are used. The difference between his EBRW scores is substantial. I’d suggest at least considering repeating the SAT. As you’ve likely read, I prefer students not re-take the SAT just to raise an Essay score. But the 190 point difference in total score is impossible to ignore. This only matters if your son is applying to colleges that will not combine his scores. For example, UCLA would only consider his 1350. That’s the exception, though, so I would recommend examining his target colleges closely.
Mom in NJ says:

June 29, 2017 at 9:14 am

Hi Art
Thank you for all of this useful information! My son took the ACT 3 times:

1) 34 C 35 W 35 M 35 R 31 S (no essay)
2) 34 C 35 W 36 M 35 R 28 S (essay – 8)
3) 35 C 35 W 36 M 34 R 35 S (essay – 8)

Do you see any reason to send anything other than the third score? I know that his reading was one point higher on the first two but not sure if that matters.

Thanks so much! I really appreciate any insight.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  June 30, 2017 at 7:43 pm
  
  NJ Mom,
  No, I don’t see any reason to send scores 1 or 2 (except where a college requires all scores). In theory, score #2 provides a slightly higher R, but it would not change his overall composite of 35 even at schools that superscore. There are problems with the other scores (the 28 Science on #2 and the lack on an essay on #1) that make me think your son should keep it simple.
li li says:

July 10, 2017 at 12:31 pm

My son is interested in UVA and was wondering if he needs to take SAT subject tests to apply this school. The subject tests are optional for UVA. Also he took SAT math2 in May and received 740. Is 740 an ok score? Thank you so much!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 1:40 pm
  
  li li,
  Your son does not need to take Subject Tests. UVA used to “strongly recommend” the tests, but they have downgraded their policy to “Subject Test optional.” As with many “recommended” or “optional” colleges, Subject Tests can demonstrate a student’s strengths. Yes, a 740 is strong enough that I think it is worth sending. If your son has academic strengths in other areas — chemistry or biology, for example — then he might consider trying the exams.
Bethany says:

July 10, 2017 at 5:09 pm

Art,
I am a student who recently scored a 35 composite score on the ACT without writing. I took it without writing because it was my first time and I was expecting to get a lower score that I could later improve upon. I would like to submit this score to the colleges I am applying to, but some of the colleges require the writing portion and will therefore not accept my 35 composite without writing. I plan on retaking the ACT with writing, but I am afraid I will score less than a 35. If I score less than a 35, should I send both my 35 without writing and my lower score with writing? Will colleges like Brown and Stanford even accept this? Thank you for your help.
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 3:21 pm
  
  Bethany,
  Sorry to hear that the lack of a Writing section poses a problem, but congratulations on your great score! Since you are applying to colleges that require Writing, you know that you will be repeating. I would focus on the positive. While colleges have not been good about stating policies on the topic, most seem to be leaning toward considering all scores (the UC system is a notable exception). As an “all scores” school, Stanford emphasizes the testing portfolio, so I’d be surprised if they ignored your 35. There is no reason *not* to send your 35 unless you do even better next time. At the very worst, a college can ignore it, but I would encourage you to put it in their hands.
James says:

July 12, 2017 at 7:04 am

I’m shaping myself on my application as a writing student. I’m Editor-in-Chief of two publications at my school and have won a few prestigious writing competitions. I got a 1580 on my SAT, but a 6/5/6 on my essays. I want to go to UPenn and am wondering if I should retake the SAT to bump my essay score. I don’t know if my good writing extracurriculars will outweigh my poor essay score or if my poor essay score will delegitimize by good writing extracurriculars. What should I do?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 12, 2017 at 5:17 pm
  
  James,
  Please do not retake the SAT. Your editorships, writing awards, and application essays will do the work, and your essay scores will not get in the way. In fact, should you go to Penn, you’ll likely find that your essay scores are the exact median of your classmates’ scores. The SAT Essay is a task in search of a mission. Don’t let it distract you from yours.
Raj says:

July 16, 2017 at 1:41 pm

Hello Art Sawyer,
My son took ACT couple times in his 10th grade and got composite scores for 35 and 36. His essay scores both times was 8.
He is thinking of applying for engineering major at University of Michigan, Stanford and UC Berkeley. Wondering how are the chances with low essay score and do i need to send both scores to universities
Appreciate your insights.
Thanks
Raj
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  July 17, 2017 at 11:24 am
  
  Raj,
  Stanford expects students to send all ACT scores unless it will be a financial burden (because ACT requires payment for each reporting date). The UC’s and Michigan will look at your son’s highest scores. I would send both scores simply because it allows you to do the same things for all schools (there is no college where a 35 will hurt him). His 8 is at the lower range of enrolled students at those colleges — which would see a range of 8-10 for 25th to 75th percentile. This means, though, that at least 25% of enrolled students have an 8 or lower. Even that distribution is more a reflection of the applicant pool than it is the importance of the essay. I would not worry about the score.
Mary says:

July 26, 2017 at 1:40 am

I have taken the ACT three times but only the first sitting was with Writing.

For schools I’m interested in that are “writing optional” such as BC and Notre Dame I’m assuming the admissions process will consider all my test dates regardless of whether that date had he writing section scored or not?

For some schools – Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Dartmouth, will they not consider scores from the dates I didn’t take the writing section?

Thanks
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 1, 2017 at 3:23 pm
  
  Mary,
  You are correct about the writing optional schools. Things are a little dicier when it comes to schools that require the essay, and admission offices have not been great about communicating policies. The elite schools you mention often take a “portfolio” approach. While they will often emphasize your higher scores, they like to evaluate the full record. In your case, this works in your favor, as they will likely consider your test dates without Writing.
Ann says:

August 1, 2017 at 12:47 pm

Hi Art
If a college requires ACT with writing and does not superscore (website says they look at the highest composite score from one sitting) does this mean they will not consider any ACT scores that were not taken writing?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 1, 2017 at 4:33 pm
  
  Ann,
  There is not one answer. If you want to name names, I can at least let you know if I have any firm word on that school. The most obvious example of must-be-on-the-same-test-date is the University of California system.
Kathy says:

August 3, 2017 at 11:05 am

My son took the new SAT w/Essay got a 1590 but a 15 on Essay. Took two subject tests: Math2: 730, Chemistry 710. Unweighted GPA 4.0, Took 15 AP’s: APLang 5, APLit 5, AP CALC AB and BC 5 on both, AP Chem 5, AP Bio 5, AP Physics 1= 4, plus many more (all 5’s except for a 4 on Latin) but not relevant to my question. Should he retake either of the Subject tests in the case of Harvard or Princeton and if majoring in Biomedical Engineering, or do they weigh in his AP scores as well in that regards, or what if he decides to major in law, would that change anything. I believe they use this formula for a thing called the Academic Index Score based on Subject Tests, SAT, GPA, and class rank, his school does not rank so his Academic Index score comes to 231. Is that good enough? Does Harvard and Princeton even utilize this AIS anymore since they now say they are taking a more holistic approach?
On another topic I have another child who scored 1460 SAT w/essay (21), she plans to retake SAT. She is interested in Stanford and we wanted to know if she took it again without the essay if they would superscore the two SAT’s and they said yes. Here was their response: “Hello,
We require ALL the scores from ALL the tests taken and will consider the highest scores from all the results, including the tests without the writing portion. Best, Office of Undergraduate Admission Stanford University”
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 12:18 pm
  
  Kathy,
  The Academic Index Score causes a great deal of confusion. AIS is not used for admission (with an exception important for only a slice of students). The Ivy League is, first and foremost, a sports league. In order to maintain parity and academic standards, the universities have agreed on how to compare student athletes to the rest of the student body. The holistic factors for admission aren’t of much use here. How do you compare “Her essay blew me away” at Dartmouth to the same reaction at Harvard? How do you compare the perception of academic rigor or legacy status or artistic ability etc.? So the universities have a straightforward formula of GPA and test scores. Because the AIS is used for athletes, it can come into play in the case of recruited athletes. A useful article at The Crimson is here.
  
  Back to your son’s Subject Test scores. I do think there is room for improvement. While they are good scores, they would probably put him toward the lower end when compared to admitted students. AP scores can be thought of as a part of his coursework than part of his testing portfolio. APs are not designed to be admission tests. Most colleges will at least take a look at them, but his grades in those courses are likely more important than his test scores.
  
  Thank you for the update on Stanford. I’m glad to add another college to the common sense category regarding the essay (although dropping it might be even better). Despite Stanford’s all caps ALLs, the answer neglects to mention that they mean SATs and ACTs. They specifically do not require reporting of all Subject Tests.
Kathy says:

August 4, 2017 at 2:38 pm

His grades in the AP Classes that correlate to the subject tests were high A’s (without the AP score incorporated), since his school incorporates the AP score into the final grade on the transcript. One thing that concerns me for a few other classes where he had a 92 before the AP was incorporated (which is considered an A- at his school, but with the AP score incorporated it got bumped up to an A) is that I’ve read that colleges don’t like that and prefer that the class grade be separate from the AP score. Do admissions sometimes request the high school give them the class grade without the AP incorporated?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 10, 2017 at 12:58 pm
  
  Kathy,
  Colleges typically use unadjusted GPA when looking at transcripts. For example, some schools give an A in an AP class a 5.0 rather than a 4.0. Your school’s situation sounds like it may be different. If the only course grade on your son’t transcript is an A and your school reports this as a 4.0, then I’m not sure how a college would work backwards. This falls out of my area of expertise, though, so I don’t want to make any definitive statements.
Dane says:

September 8, 2017 at 12:00 pm

Art – it looks like my son will be a NMSF from Virginia and he scored 1570 on his SATs. Unfortunately, he only got a 14 on the essay, because he did not prepare at all. He is planning to apply to the most competitive schools including schools that require the essay. He is planning to retake the essay, but is worried that his SAT scores will drop. Any recommendations for us?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 8, 2017 at 2:05 pm
  
  Dane,
  As you’ve probably gleaned, I usually try to talk students out of repeating the SAT when the only goal is to increase the essay score. It’s far less important than the EBRW/Math components even at colleges that require it. It is hard to imagine that many scenarios where it is the decision maker. The 25th-75th score range for the essay is likely to be 5-7 (in each area), so your son’s score is not that out-of-whack. As you may also have gleaned, I’m a believer in supporting students. If your son wants to raise his Essay score and is willing to repeat the SAT, then I’d encourage him to focus on the positive. He is a Semifinalist from VA and scored a 1570, so he knows his stuff. A “drop” is not going to be significant and is completely irrelevant for superscoring colleges. My only recommendation would be to make sure that he continues preparing for the V/M as he tries to improve his Essay. He can’t go into the test just thinking “gotta do great on the Essay,” especially since the Essay comes at the end. I’m sure he’ll do fine.
dane says:

September 10, 2017 at 1:40 pm

very helpful. thanks so much.
Annie says:

September 18, 2017 at 8:53 pm

Hello Art – My daughter plans on applying to several ivies. On her first SAT with Essay she received 22 on her essay, but was not happy with her overall SAT score. Recently, in August, she retook the SAT without the essay. She is happy with her August SAT score of 1550. Will Yale, for example, allow her to use the August SAT score along with the essay score from her previous SAT test? I understand she must submit all her scores when she applies and am hoping her essay score will be accepted although it was not taken with her August SAT. Thank you!
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  September 20, 2017 at 6:32 pm
  
  Annie,
  Almost all of the admission offices that we have talked to are happy to see at least one testing with an essay and are ok if other sittings do not include an essay. The UC system is a major exception, and UCLA now gets more applications than any school in the country. I have not spoken to Yale, but it has its “send all scores” policy because it prefers to take a holistic review. There is no reason to think that Yale will ignore her 1550.
Annie says:

September 25, 2017 at 5:42 am

I appreciate your reply. Thank you!
Jennie says:

December 14, 2017 at 9:39 pm

My son took the SAT twice. Once he received a 770 V and 780 M. He took it again with essay and scored 730 V, 790 M and an abysmal 11 on the essay. I assume at elite schools this essay score is so low as to raise a red flag … and avoid sending this score, even if the college superscores and the math would be higher? He has taken all schools that require the essay off his list.
Also, he took the ACT (no essay) once “for fun” and ran out of time on the science section. He scored Composite 34, English 36, math 35, Reading 35, Science 29. Should he report those scores instead of the SAT scores? And on the subject tests he got an 800 math and 750 physics. Would you report those scores to elite schools?
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  December 18, 2017 at 12:26 am
  
  Jennie,
  While the 10 points of superscoring benefit is probably not worth the risk of submitting the second test, I would not recommend that your son cross off “essay required” schools. An 11 might raise a flag, but colleges look at the entire application for a reason.
  
  His SAT scores and ACT score are similar (looked at via concordance). I would probably go with the SAT score to avoid any issues with the “low” Science score. His Subject Tests scores should be reported to all schools (those that don’t consider them will simply ignore the scores).
  - Jennie says:
    
    December 26, 2017 at 9:11 pm
    
    Thank you! This is SO very helpful! He took the ACT in December and got oddly opposite scores, compared to the first time. (He is a slow test taker and often runs out of time.) The first time he scored Composite 34, English 36, math 35, Reading 35, Science 29 …. and in December he scored Composite 34, English 30, math 36, Reading 35, Science 36 (stem 36)! Would you still go with the SAT score (770 verbal 780 math)? or send both ACT scores? Or just send all 3?
    I really appreciate your time.
    - Art Sawyer says:
      
      January 2, 2018 at 1:17 pm
      
      Jennie,
      I would recommend sticking with the SAT score.
Rithvik says:

April 25, 2018 at 3:10 pm

Hello Mr. Sawyer,
I am planning on sending both my SAT and ACT scores to the colleges to which I’m applying, some of which are on this list. When I took the SAT, I elected to take the writing portion as well. However, with the ACT, I did not take the essay portion. If I were to send my ACT score would it be considered even without the writing component? Do I need to retake the ACT with the essay in order to have both tests considered with their respective writing components? Keep in mind that I am planning on sending the SAT with the writing. I hope this makes sense.

Thanks,
Rithvik
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  May 8, 2018 at 7:40 pm
  
  Rithvik,
  This is an interesting twist, and I will say that I have not asked colleges about this case. Keep in mind the relatively small number of colleges that will even require the essay component. I would recommend contacting admission offices to see what they recommend. My sense is that they would be OK with it. While they don’t superscore across test types, some view the essay as simply a checkbox. You’ve checked it as long as you submit the SAT. If your SAT and ACT scores are similar, then you should send both.
Johnny says:

July 27, 2018 at 9:15 am

Hello Mr. Sawyer,
I received a July ACT score of 33 with an essay score of 6 (Not happy about). My composite score is a 36 R, 35 S, 32 W, 29 M. Will my essay score be a red flag when applying to the more highly selective colleges?
Thanks,
Johnny
- Art Sawyer says:
  
  August 15, 2018 at 2:50 pm
  
  Johnny,
  The 25th-75th percentile range for admitted students at highly selective colleges is 8-10. I don’t think the essay score will disqualify you by any means — and many won’t pay attention to it at all. If you are thinking of retaking the test, though, I’d recommend retaking the Writing, as well.

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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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

Related posts:

About Art Sawyer

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

Categories

Previous PostThe PSAT and National Merit for the Class of 2022

Next Post2020 AP Exams in Review

173 Comments

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