Should You Take the ACT with Writing?

The ACT consists of three compulsory sections and two optional ones – Writing and Science. Many students wonder, should I take the ACT with Writing? In this guide we’ll cover what the Writing section is, how it’s scored, and all the factors you need to consider before you decide whether or not to take it.

Plus, if you do decide to do the Writing, we end with some expert tips from our ACT tutors on how to score highly.

What is the ACT Writing section?

Before we discuss whether you should take the ACT with Writing, let’s quickly recap what the section is.

The ACT Writing comes after the main ACT exam. It consists of a single 40-minute essay.

You will be given a prompt – a short paragraph on a contentious issue – followed by three different perspectives on that issue.

Your task is argue for your own perspective and analyse how it relates to other perspectives. In practice, this will usually mean discussing the strengths and weaknesses of other perspectives vs your own and arguing for why your argument is the strongest.

The perspective you take, and the other perspectives you discuss, could be taken in part or full from the three perspectives provided by the ACT, or you could invent them yourself.

How is it scored?

Your essay is evaluated against four different criteria – what the ACT calls ‘domains’.

Ideas and Analysis

How effectively you produce thoughtful ideas and consider different viewpoints on the topic. Strong responses show a clear understanding of the issue, the purpose of the task, and the intended audience. The ideas presented are appropriate and well suited to the context.

Development and Support

How effectively you develop ideas, justify their reasoning, and strengthen an argument. Effective responses expand on key points, consider consequences, and use clear examples to support their claims. They guide the reader through their line of thought and make their position easy to follow.

Organization

How clearly and purposefully you organise your ideas. Structure plays a central role in effective writing. Strong responses present ideas in a logical order, highlight the connections between them, and lead the reader smoothly through the discussion.

Language Use and Conventions

How effectively you use language to communicate your argument clearly. Good answers demonstrate control of grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, and technical accuracy. Writers also show awareness of their audience, adapting their style and tone to suit the context and convey their message effectively.

The full ACT Writing mark scheme is available here.

Scoring Process

Your essay is marked by two different markers. They will each give you a score on a scale of 1-6 for your performance in each domain, for a total score of 8-48.

This total is then divided by four to give you your ACT Writing score out of 12 and scaled to 1-36, in the same way as the other ACT sections, for your ACT Writing Scale Score.

The Scale Score is averaged with your Reading and English Scale scores, to give you your English Language Arts (ELA) score. Read more about how the ACT Writing is scored  – as well as the other sections – in our dedicated guide.

How long is the ACT with and without Writing?

The ACT without Writing and Science lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes (including a 10-minute break between Math and Reading).

The Writing and Science sections each add 40 minutes onto the test time, and there is a five minute break before the Writing section.

The ACT with Writing therefore lasts 3 hours exactly, while with Science and Writing it lasts 3 hours 40.

Sections taken	Duration
Compulsory sections only	2 hours 15 minutes
With Writing	3 hours
With Science	2 hours 55 minutes
With Science and Writing	3 hours 40 minutes

Should you take the ACT with Writing?

Many students wonder whether to take the ACT with Writing. Although it is technically optional – more on that in a moment – will it work to your advantage if you take it or leave it?

Reasons to take it

Your school or state requires it

Although the ACT makes the Writing section optional, you may still have to take it. This is because some states and some high schools require all their students to take the ACT with Writing. If this is you, then you won’t have a choice.

Your chosen college(s) require it

A very small number of colleges require all applicants to take the ACT with Writing. We’ll share the full list in the next section – it’s not long, but if you’re applying to one of these, you’ll have to take it.

You’re very good at essay-writing

If you are particularly good – we’re talking one of the very best students in your school – at writing essays, then taking the Writing section and scoring 10 or more out of 12 is likely to advantage your application.

Colleges know that students’ application essays can be written with the help of AI or tutors, but there’s no faking an outstanding essay written under test conditions. If you’re good enough to pull it off, this could help your application stand out.

Your grades in English or Language Arts are below your potential

If you’ve got disappointing grades in your English or Language Arts courses, then the ACT Writing is a chance to show that you are better than those grades suggest.

Of course, if those low grades are an accurate reflection of your abilities, then there’s no point taking the Writing – you’ll have to prep hard for the other sections and try to score highly enough to make up for this area of weakness.

You’re applying for a major that requires essay-writing skills

If you’re applying for a major where excellent writing and argumentation abilities are required – like English, Journalism, Philosophy, or History – then getting a high score in the Writing will provide evidence that you can meet the demands of the programme and may give your application a boost.

Reasons not to take it

Most colleges don’t require it

The vast majority of colleges don’t require the ACT Writing and some don’t consider it at all, even if you do take it. For those who do consider it, they don’t place anywhere near as much weight on it as they do on the compulsory sections.

It will take valuable time to prepare

Like with every section of the ACT, you need to prepare well in order to score to your potential. However, you only have finite time, and preparing for the Writing will take up time that you could use preparing for the compulsory sections. It’s up to you to decide whether you need that time to boost your English, Math, and Reading scores.

You’re not that good at essay-writing

If your essay-writing skills are weaker than the other skills the ACT tests, then by taking the Writing, you will drag down your average performance. Note that your Composite Score won’t be affected, however.

You’re applying for a major which doesn’t require essay-writing skills

If you’ve applied for a major in engineering, computer science, or another subject that doesn’t require you to write lots of essays, then taking the Writing is probably unnecessary. You might end up having to write essays for your other courses, but doing well on the Writing is unlikely to be of much benefit to your chances of admission.

Which colleges require the ACT Writing?

The following colleges require the ACT Writing section:

• Martin Luther College
• University of Montana Western

Please note that this list is subject to change. Always check the testing requirements of your chosen colleges before you apply.

How to do well

If you’ve decided to take the Writing, you’ll want to do as well as possible. Good preparation and exam technique is essential – here are a few quick tips to improve your score.

Prepare beyond the test

Strong ACT essays are built long before test day. Read widely on current affairs and pay attention to how arguments are constructed. Opinion pieces, speeches and debates are especially useful. Notice how writers introduce a position, develop evidence, address counterarguments and guide readers through their reasoning. The more familiar you are with persuasive structures, the easier it will be to replicate them under timed conditions.

Practise

Preparation should be structured.

Start by writing untimed essays. This allows you to focus purely on generating strong ideas, crafting a clear thesis, and building well-developed paragraphs without the pressure of the clock. Your aim at this stage is quality of thinking and structure.

Next, move on to fully timed essays so you can practise managing the 40-minute window effectively. Our recommendation for how you divide your time is in our next tip.

For quicker revision sessions, practise doing a ‘timed plan’ only. Give yourself 10 minutes to read a prompt, analyse the perspectives and produce a complete plan with a thesis and key points. This sharpens your ability to generate ideas quickly and structure an argument efficiently – a crucial skill on test day.

Plan strategically on the day

Effective time management is essential. Aim for:

• 10 minutes to read the prompt and perspectives carefully and create a plan
• 25 minutes to write
• 5 minutes to re-read and edit

Start by drafting a clear thesis and identifying at least two strong arguments you can fully develop. Two well-supported points are far more persuasive than three or four weak ones. Jot down specific examples for each point before you begin writing.

Build a persuasive core argument

Do not spend too long crafting a polished introduction. State your thesis clearly and move quickly to your main argument. The body paragraphs carry the most weight.

Aim for at least two well-developed paragraphs that promote your perspective. Use concrete examples to support your reasoning. These may come from personal experience, widely acknowledge phenomena in society, or any relevant facts and statistics you know (from your wider reading). Note, though, that the ACT does not fact-check your evidence; what matters is how convincingly it strengthens your case.

Some students successfully refine or blend elements of the given perspectives to form a more nuanced position, then dedicate a paragraph to evaluating and weakening competing arguments. This can be effective – but remember that your priority is building a compelling case for your own view, not simply attacking others.

Write with a clear structure

We recommend the following structure:

1. Brief introduction defining any key terms and clearly stating your main argument
2. Two body paragraphs, each containing a separate idea in support for your perspective
3. A paragraph that addresses one or two counter-arguments (these may come from the ACT’s provided perspectives), evaluates them, and ends by stating why your perspective is stronger
4. A conclusion which re-asserts your argument and ends by broadening out to suggest the implications of your perspective for other important debates or society as a whole

Transition words like moreover, therefore, on the other hand are vital. Your essay should feel like a coherent piece of reasoning, not a random list of points. Guide the reader from one idea to the next with clear signposting.

Remember to focus on clear, concise, persuasive language rather than extravagant vocabulary or jargon. This is a persuasive task, not a creative writing exercise.

Leave time to edit

Leave five minutes at the end to read your essay through. This is your opportunity to strengthen the transitions between paragraphs, clarify any ambiguities in your reasoning, and correct spelling and grammar errors. It is easy to become absorbed in writing and lose sight of the essay as a whole. A final review often makes the difference between a good score and an excellent one.

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