Deciding whether the ACT writing section is worth it comes down to one question: do any of your target colleges require it? With as few as three schools in the entire country mandating the ACT essay in 2025, most students can safely skip it. But the answer is not always that simple, especially if your college list is still evolving.
This is the most important section of this article, because the answer to "should I take the ACT with writing" almost always starts here. The list of colleges that require the ACT writing section has shrunk dramatically over the past decade. As of 2025, no Ivy League school, and no top-50 national university, requires or even recommends it.
According to the Krupnick Approach's 2025 report, as few as three colleges in the United States currently mandate the ACT with writing: Martin Luther College in Minnesota, Soka University of America in California, and the United States Military Academy (West Point) in New York. A handful of other small institutions may also require it depending on how strictly "require" is defined, so always verify directly with your target schools. Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Duke, the University of Chicago, and every Ivy League institution have all dropped the requirement entirely.
Four additional colleges recommend — but do not require — that applicants submit ACT writing scores: Colorado School of Mines, Bethune-Cookman University, Morehouse College, and Molloy College. "Recommended" means it may strengthen a borderline application, but your candidacy will not be penalized for omitting it.
| College | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther College | Minnesota | Required |
| Soka University of America | California | Required |
| U.S. Military Academy (West Point) | New York | Required |
| Colorado School of Mines | Colorado | Recommended |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Florida | Recommended |
| Morehouse College | Georgia | Recommended |
| Molloy College | New York | Recommended |
The base ACT registration fee is $68. Adding the writing section brings the total to $93 — a $25 difference. You can add or remove the writing section through your MyACT account before the late registration deadline, though the writing fee is non-refundable once you sit for the test.
| Option | Cost | Extra Time | Includes Writing? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT (no Writing) | $68 | — | No |
| ACT with Writing | $93 | +40 minutes | Yes |
| Writing Add-on Fee | $25 | +40 minutes | Add-on only |
The $25 fee is only part of the equation. The writing section adds 40 minutes to an already demanding test day. After roughly two and a half hours of multiple-choice questions, you then have to produce a cogent argumentative essay from scratch. For some students, the added fatigue is the bigger cost — not the money.
There is also the preparation time to consider. The ACT essay uses a specific prompt format (a complex issue with three perspectives) that benefits from practice. If you are already stretched thin studying for the four scored sections, adding essay prep may dilute your overall effort.
Here is what admissions counselors will not tell you publicly but what the data makes clear: the ACT writing score carries very little weight in most admissions decisions. Colleges evaluate your writing ability primarily through your application essays — personal statements and supplemental responses you draft, revise, and polish over weeks. A timed, 40-minute essay under test conditions simply does not provide the same signal.
Your English grades, the rigor of your coursework, and your application essays matter far more than a single number on a 2-12 scale. And because the ACT writing score does not affect your composite score at all, a mediocre essay cannot drag down your 1-36 number.
Some colleges use ACT writing scores not for admissions, but for course placement after you enroll. A strong writing score might let you skip a freshman composition class or place into a more advanced English section. If you are attending a school that uses writing scores this way, the 40 minutes and $25 could save you a semester of introductory coursework.
The ACT writing section is a 40-minute, paper-and-pencil essay. You receive a prompt describing a complex issue along with three different perspectives on that issue. Your task is to develop your own perspective, analyze how it relates to at least one of the given perspectives, and support your argument with reasoning and examples. You may adopt one of the provided perspectives or introduce an entirely new one.
Two trained readers independently score your essay across four domains: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Conventions. Each reader assigns a score of 1-6 per domain, and the two readers' scores are summed to produce a domain score of 2-12. Your final ACT writing score is the rounded average of these four domain scores, reported on the same 2-12 scale.
The average ACT writing score falls between 6 and 7. A score of 8 places you at the 92nd percentile nationally, meaning you outperformed about 92% of test-takers. Scores of 10 and above reach the 99th percentile.
| Writing Score | National Percentile |
|---|---|
| 12 | 100th |
| 11 | 99th |
| 10 | 99th |
| 9 | 97th |
| 8 | 92nd |
| 7 | 72nd |
| 6 | 59th |
| 5 | 33rd |
| 4 | 18th |
| 3 | 7th |
| 2 | 2nd |
Students frequently confuse the ACT writing section with the essays they will write for college applications. They are fundamentally different tasks. The ACT essay is a timed, argumentative response to a prompt you have never seen before — it tests how well you construct an argument under pressure. College application essays are personal narratives you choose, draft, and revise over weeks or months — they showcase who you are as a person.
Think of it this way: the ACT essay is a candid snapshot of your analytical writing ability. Your college application essay is a carefully composed portrait. Admissions officers know the difference and weight them accordingly.
If you have limited study hours — and most high school students do — your time is almost always better spent on your college application essays than on ACT writing prep. Application essays are required by nearly every selective college, and a compelling personal statement can meaningfully strengthen your candidacy. The ACT writing section, by contrast, is required by almost no one and carries minimal weight even where it is accepted.
No. The ACT writing score is reported separately on a scale of 2-12 and does not factor into your composite score of 1-36. A low writing score cannot lower your composite, and a high writing score will not raise it. The writing score does contribute to a separate English Language Arts (ELA) score on your report.
As of 2025, as few as three colleges in the United States require the ACT with writing: Martin Luther College, Soka University of America, and the United States Military Academy (West Point). A small number of additional schools recommend it, including Colorado School of Mines and Morehouse College. Requirements can change, so always verify directly with your target schools.
Yes. You can add or remove the $25 writing test fee through your MyACT account before the late registration deadline. However, the writing test fee is non-refundable once you take the test. Plan ahead and check your target schools' requirements before your test date.
A score of 8 or higher is generally considered good, placing you at the 92nd percentile or above. The average ACT writing score falls between 6 and 7. A score of 10 or above puts you in the 99th percentile. Most colleges that consider writing scores look for an 8 or higher.
If your college list is not finalized, taking the writing section is a reasonable precaution since it only costs an extra $25 and 40 minutes. Having the score available keeps your options open. However, given that fewer than 10 schools nationwide require or recommend it, skipping it is also a safe choice for most students.