Weight of ACT Writing score at liberal arts colleges?

The ACT Writing score typically carries less weight than other ACT sections at most liberal arts colleges, including institutions like Wesleyan and Amherst. While these colleges may review your Writing score as part of their holistic evaluation process, they generally place greater emphasis on your composite ACT score and individual scores in English, Math, Reading, and Science.

Your Writing score serves primarily as a supplemental data point rather than a crucial factor in admissions decisions at liberal arts colleges. Admissions officers already evaluate your writing abilities through your personal essays, supplemental essays, and English grades. The ACT Writing section provides additional confirmation of these skills but rarely makes or breaks an application.

Focus your test preparation efforts primarily on the four main ACT sections that comprise your composite score. These scores typically influence admissions decisions and merit scholarship considerations more directly than the Writing component. A strong composite score, particularly in the English and Reading sections, will generally carry more weight at liberal arts colleges than an exceptional Writing score.

If you're specifically interested in schools like Wesleyan and Amherst, your time would be better spent crafting compelling application essays and maintaining strong grades in your English and writing-intensive courses. These elements tend to provide more meaningful evidence of your writing abilities than the ACT Writing score. Additionally, many liberal arts colleges have made standardized test scores optional, further reducing the significance of any single test component.