How do you score good on the ACT essay
David Jones
Published Apr 19, 2026
ACT Writing Score Percentiles996 (top 4%)890 (top 10%)766 (top 34%)650 (top 50%)
Is a 9 out of 12 on the ACT essay good?
Because it requires exceptional skill to get 6 in all domains (or a 12/12) on the ACT Writing, even the most competitive schools will accept a 9/12 on the essay (which puts you in the 96th percentile for ACT Writing), even if the school’s ACT composite range is 32-35.
How does act essay affect score?
An image of your essay will be available to your high school and the colleges to which you have ACT report your scores from that test date. Taking the writing test does not affect your subject area scores or your Composite score.
How do you get a good score on the ACT writing?
- Go Long. Yes, ACT graders really do tend to reward longer essays. …
- Keep It Interesting. …
- Watch Your Word Choice. …
- Practice Your Best Handwriting.
How good is a 9 on ACT writing?
For example, the national rank for a writing score of 9 is 96. This means 96 percent of recent high school graduates who took the ACT achieved a writing score of 9 or below.
Is a 6 A good act essay score?
As you can see from this table, the mean, or average, score on the ACT Writing section is 6. It’s a good idea to aim for at least the 75th percentile, so in this case a good ACT writing score would be an 8 or above. A 9 or above would put you in the 96th percentile, which is great!
Is a 10 on ACT Essay good?
An average score on the current ACT Writing Exam is a a 6.5. For highly selective colleges, you’ll want a score of 8 or higher. Scores of 10, 11, and 12 truly stand out and highlight strong writing skills.
Is a 15 on ACT good?
Is a 15 a good ACT score? A score of 15 isn’t very competitive. It places you in the bottom 19th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you’ve done a very poor job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test.Is the ACT essay hard?
Getting a 36 on the ACT essay is not easy at all. You can think of it as getting two different English teachers to give you A+s instead of As on the same essay. It’s tough. So don’t sweat it if your essay score is a bit lower.
Is a 27 A good ACT score?Is 27 ACT Score Good? With a score of 27, you are in the 87th percentile of all test takers. More likely than not, with a score of 27, you’ll often be in or near the commonly accepted range at selective colleges. The exception may be the Ivy League where the score required may be higher than 30 on average.
Article first time published onWhat is a good ACT score 2021?
PercentileEnglishReading99th (Best)35+35+90th (Excellent)30-3131-3275th (Good)2425-2650th (Average)19-2020
Is 25 a good ACT score?
Is 25 ACT Score Good? With a score of 25, you are in the 79th percentile of all test takers. More likely than not, with a score of 25, you’ll often be in or near the commonly accepted range at selective colleges. The exception may be the highly selective colleges.
What is a good act writing score for Ivy League?
Ivy league schools and other extremely competitive colleges and universities are going to expect a writing score that is at least in the 97th percentile. This means you will have scored higher than 97% of all ACT test takers, which, according to our chart, equates to at least a writing score of 10.
Is 29 a good ACT score?
Is a 29 ACT Score (91st Percentile) Good? With a 29 ACT score, you’re an eligible and competitive applicant at a majority of schools. … A 29 ACT score puts you in the 91st percentile — that means you scored higher than 91% of all test takers. That’s a brilliant accomplishment and you should be proud!
Is a 11 on the ACT good?
Is 11 a good ACT score? This SAT score means that you scored better than 2% of test takers.
Is 21 a good ACT score?
Is a 21 ACT Score (50th Percentile) Good? A 21 ACT score is a little bit better than the average score of 20.8. Because of this, a 21 is a commonly accepted score at many schools, but it may not make you competitive at selective schools.
Is a 32 on the ACT good?
All that considered, yes, 32 is a good ACT score. … A 32 ACT score puts you at the 97th percentile — that means you scored higher than 97% all test takers!
Does ACT essay score matter?
For most high school students, your ACT Essay score matters a little bit, but least of all compared to the other sections of the ACT. … However – remember that many colleges just require that you take the ACT Essay – just not that you get a high score.
Is a 30 ACT score good?
Is a 30 ACT Score (93rd Percentile) Good? … Because of all this, a 30 ACT score is definitely considered good! To help you understand your standing within all test takers, a score of 30 on the ACT puts you at the 93rd percentile, meaning you scored higher than 93% of all test takers.
Is 17 a good essay score?
17 / 24 is really good score. SAT Essay Scoring will help you to understand. For each section maximum score is 8. Hence, in each section, if you scored 4+ it is above average.
What is a good essay grade?
Our advice is to aim for at least a 6 out of 8 on Reading, Analysis, and Writing. Higher essay scores (particularly on the Analysis dimension) are even better, but a 6 out of 8 shows that you have above-average writing skills on a standardized essay written at the end of a multi-hour test.
Is a 24 on the ACT good?
Is a 24 ACT Score (73rd Percentile) Good? … A score of 24 on the ACT certainly makes you an eligible candidate, as well as competitive! To put this another way, a 24 ACT score puts you at the 73rd percentile, meaning you scored higher than 73% of all test takers — which is definitely something to be proud of!
Is ACT essay Cancelled?
It’s highly possible that the ACT Essay may even get discontinued, given the College Board’s recent decision to eliminate the SAT Essay after June 2021. Some schools have stopped considering the SAT/ACT Essay altogether, including the University of California system, which used to require the essay.
Is the ACT essay optional?
Keep in mind: The ACT writing essay is optional. Currently, only 27 colleges and universities require the ACT with Writing. … If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should register for the ACT with Writing.
How many paragraphs should an ACT essay be?
The 5-paragraph structure might seem boring, but it is a good way to keep your points organized when writing an essay. For the ACT essay, you’ll need an introduction, two to three body paragraphs (at least one paragraph for each perspective), and a conclusion.
Is a 34 ACT bad?
ACT score of 34 is already top 1 percentile and is a top score even for elite schools. You can take it confirmed that you will not get denied, just because of this ACT score.
What is a 60% on the ACT?
Scale ScoreEnglish Raw ScoreScience Raw Score2762–6331–212660–61302558–5928–292456–5726-27
Is a 23 A BAD ACT score?
Is a 23 a good ACT score? Yes, with score of 23 you’re in about the top third. It places you in the top 68th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. … If a 23 isn’t strong enough to get into your dream school, consider taking a test prep course to see if you can raise your score.
Is a 33 on the ACT good?
Is 33 a good ACT score? An ACT score of 33 makes you an eligible and competitive applicant at a majority of schools, as well as makes you qualified for a sizable amount of merit aid. Because of all of that, a 33 ACT score is definitely considered good!
Is a 35 on the ACT good?
Because it provides access to the widest variety of college options, an ACT score of 35 is one of the best possible scores. To understand how proud you should be of your score, a 35 ACT score puts you at the 99th percentile — that means you scored higher than 99% of all test takers! Now go celebrate!
Is a 22 ACT score good?
Is 22 a good ACT score? A 22 ACT score is above the national average score of 21, making you eligible to apply as a good candidate to many colleges.