The ACT offers an optional 30-minute Writing Test component.
The ACT Writing Test complements the English Test. The combined information from both tests tells postsecondary institutions about students' understanding of the conventions of standard written English and their ability to produce a direct sample of writing.
Why the ACT Writing Test Is Optional
Because postsecondary institutions have varying needs, we made the ACT Writing Test optional for students.
- Postsecondary institutions are making their own decisions about whether to require the results from the ACT Writing Test for admissions and/or course placement purposes.
- Students should decide whether to take the Writing Test based on the requirements of the institutions they are considering.
Students are not required to spend the extra time and money to take a test that they do not need to take, and institutions have the freedom to require the tests that best inform their admission and course placement needs.