act essay 8

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ACT Essay Template and Sample

Act essay template.

¶1: Introductory Paragraph

• Introductory statement

¶2: First Body Paragraph

• Describe your thesis
• Provide 1st example/reasoning: include specific, relevant information

¶3: Second Body Paragraph

• Continue supporting your thesis
• Provide 2nd example/reasoning: include specific, relevant information

If you are running out of time, don’t write a 2nd body paragraph. Instead, take the time to write a thorough 3rd body paragraph and a clear conclusion  paragraph.

¶4: Third Body Paragraph

• Explain how your thesis compares and contrasts with Perspectives One, Two, and/or Three
• Strengths/Weaknesses of the perspective(s)
• Insights offered / Insights not considered
• Persuasive / Not persuasive
• Example or reasoning: provide specific, relevant information

¶5: Conclusion Paragraph

• Recap your thesis
• Recap how your thesis compares and contrasts with Perspectives One, Two, and/or Three

Sample Prompt

Bilingual Accreditation

While the most common language in the United States is English, it’s certainly not the only language in which Americans communicate. In fact, bilingual fluency is highly desirable in many professions, including business, education, and medicine. In an effort to ready students for success in their future careers, some high schools may consider instituting programs that would offer bilingual accreditation to students who successfully complete a significant portion of their schooling in a language other than English. Because bilingual certification is not a necessary component of traditional education, should schools be  expected to explore this option for interested students? As American high schools aim to remain competitive as measured by increasingly rigorous international education standards, innovative programs such as bilingual certification may prove to be essential.

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each discusses relevant aspects of offering bilingual accreditation.

  Perspective One: Schools should encourage bilingual fluency but should not be expected to offer special classes  or programs. School administrators need to work on strengthening the existing curriculum rather than overcomplicating instruction by attempting to incorporate additional programs that do not reinforce traditional education.

Perspective Two:  Offering bilingual accreditation weakens the core of high school curriculum. A large enough portion of the student population already struggles to maintain passing grades when taught in English, and adding other languages would likely add to that number.

Perspective Three:  Bilingual accreditation should be offered, but it needs to be thoughtfully implemented. Courses taught in languages other than English need to be carefully selected to ensure that this program does not affect the integrity of the high school diploma.

Sample Essay Using the Prompt

Essay outline.

• Thesis:  Schools should offer bilingual accreditation as long as courses offered in languages other than English are carefully selected.

¶2: First body paragraph

• Describe your thesis:   All classes need to be carefully selected so scheduling bilingual offerings is not an additional burden for school administrators.
• Provide first example/reasoning: include specific, relevant information— Even if core classes are given in two languages, all students still study the core curriculum and preserve the integrity of the diploma.

¶3: Second Body Paragraph

• Continue supporting your thesis:   Offering bilingual accreditation provides an opportunity for schools to offer non-traditional classes for all students .
• Provide second example/reasoning: include specific, relevant information— Every dollar spent to accommodate bilingual education should be matched with equal funding for other types of educational enrichment such as STEM training and career-oriented electives.

¶4: Third Body Paragraph

• Explain how your thesis compares and contrasts with Perspectives One, Two, and/or Three:   The first perspective argues that schools should encourage bilingual fluency but not add any bilingual classes, which is in direct contrast to Perspective Three.
• Strengths/Weaknesses of the perspective(s):   Perspective One doesn’t take into account that making the existing curriculum better often means adding additional classes, which bilingual accreditation would accomplish.
• Persuasive / Not persuasive:   The argument simply says that these classes would only be for interested students, so it doesn’t affect everyone.
• Example or Reasoning: provide specific, relevant information— Most of the world uses English as a second language, and many people speak at least two languages, so to stay competitive, U.S. students should also be fluent in two languages.
• Recap your thesis:   I fully support perspective three because it opens up possibilities for all students without denying anyone a full high school curriculum leading to a meaningful diploma.
• Recap how your thesis compares and contrasts with Perspectives One, Two, and/or Three:   Recognizing the benefits of being bilingual, and making bilingual courses available but optional, is the best of both worlds.

Final Essay

               In today’s world where international education standards are very high and the U.S.  needs to remain competitive, educators are looking for ways to enhance high school curriculum.  One way is offering classes in languages other than English. Some people think that  schools should provide enough education in a different language for students to be certified  as bilingual. Others think this will weaken the curriculum. Still others think the accreditation  should be offered but carefully administered so that graduation from that school would  indicate the completed high school curriculum, and this is the option I agree with. I would  further argue that schools should not only carefully implement bilingual programs to suit  students who want to become fluent in two languages, but also provide supplemental non- traditional courses for students pursuing their entire education in English.

              The third perspective posits that while students should be given the opportunity to  learn in other languages and be accredited as bilingual, the courses given need to be carefully  selected. In reality, all classes need to be carefully selected so this is not a problem  for bilingual classes. And if the classes selected were all optional, not required, it would not  affect students who still want to learn everything in English. Since core classes might be  given in two languages, and students select which one they want, all students still study the core curriculum and preserve the integrity of the diploma. Schools have always taught  languages in high school so a French or Spanish course taught as a bilingual class makes  perfect sense. Bilingual classes are also advantageous for students who do well and want  to challenge themselves. So a French literature class can be taught in French while students  read in French also.

             As schools work to accommodate students who wish to pursue a bilingual education,  administrators must keep in mind that students who do not want an additional bilingual  accreditation should still have every opportunity to excel as they work toward their high  school diplomas. Every dollar spent to accommodate bilingual education should be matched  with equal funding for other types of educational enrichment such as STEM training and  career-oriented electives. That way, every student can benefit from classes that go beyond  traditional education, whether the classes concentrate on language, science, technology,  engineering, mathematics, or future careers. Given the rigorous demands of the current job  climate, students will greatly benefit from any additional marketable skills that they can  acquire during their high school careers.

              The first perspective argues that schools should encourage bilingual fluency but not  add any bilingual classes, which is in direct contrast to my position. Instead, the school  administrators should make the existing curriculum better so that traditional education is  really good. Certainly a high school curriculum should be as good as it can be and we should  always be looking for ways to make it better. That often means adding new courses. For instance, computer courses didn’t exist a few years ago, but they are in schools now because  it’s important for people to be able to use computers. It’s the same thing with bilingual  courses. Most of the world uses English as a second language, and many people speak at  least two languages. So it’s only right that to stay competitive, U.S. students should also  be fluent in two languages; this is particularly important in careers that require international  work. Also, the argument simply says that these classes would only be for interested  students, so it doesn’t affect everyone. And finally, how can the schools encourage bilingual  fluency if they don’t provide a place for students to practice another language?

              Being bilingual in a world with international interaction can’t help but be useful. I fully  support perspective three because it opens up possibilities for all students without denying  anyone a full high school curriculum leading to a meaningful diploma. Recognizing the  benefits of being bilingual, and making bilingual courses available but optional, is the best  of both worlds. Expanding courses offered in a curriculum is always better than restricting  them, especially when they serve such an important need as the ability to communicate  with others in their own language.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., act writing score secrets.

You get 40 minutes to write, but ACT graders have to grade each essay in less than five.

The way to get a great ACT writing score is to make the graders’ jobs easy. So, don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on the big picture: a clear position, logical organization, and strong examples.

ACT Writing Rubric

The ACT essay is scored by two graders who will each assign a score of 1–6 for a total score of 2–12.

View a sample ACT essay prompt . Your ACT writing score will be based on how well you can do the following:

What's a Good ACT Writing Score?

The ACT Writing Test is scored on a scale of 2 (lowest score) to 12 (highest score). The average ACT Writing score is between a 6 and 7. Here's a look at national ACT writing score percentiles, according to the latest data released by ACT, Inc.

SOURCE:  ACT, Inc.

More ACT Writing Tips

Your argument, organization, and supporting examples are the most crucial pieces of your essay, but these four writing tips can help boost your score.

Yes, ACT graders really do tend to reward longer essays. Try to write at least four paragraphs spanning two to three pages. If your handwriting is large, make sure you write an extra page to compensate!

Read More: What's A Good ACT Score?

2. Keep It Interesting

Vary your sentence structure to improve the rhythm of your essay. If you write a really long sentence with lots of modifiers and dependent clauses, it sometimes helps to follow it with a shorter, more direct sentence. It really works.

3. Watch Your Word Choice

Sprinkle some nice vocabulary words throughout your essay (make sure to spell them correctly!). If you’re uncertain about the meaning or spelling of a word, it’s best just to pick a different word. Using a big word incorrectly makes a worse impression than using a smaller word correctly.

4. Practice Your Best Handwriting

Though graders shouldn’t take neatness into consideration when determining your ACT writing score, the bottom line is that a neat, legible essay is easier to read. And a happy grader is a good thing! For an essay that's truly easy on the eyes, make sure you indent each paragraph and avoid messy cross-outs.

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2021-22 ACT Writing Practice Test Sample Essays

Welcome to Piqosity’s guide to the 2021-22 ACT writing practice test! Below are sample essays that illustrate how to (and how not to) answer the previously released 2021-22 ACT prompt, as found in the Writing section of the previously released 2021-2022 ACT exam (from “Preparing for the ACT Test” (form 2176CPRE)).

The full PDF of the previously 2021-22 ACT is available FREE from the ACT for download. The ACT Writing portion explained below begins on page 52.

You can find additional Piqosity guides with answer explanations for the previously released 2021-22 ACT Practice Test in this series of articles:

• English Answer Explanations from 2021-2022 ACT Practice Test
• Math Answer Explanations from 2021-2022 ACT Practice Test
• Reading Answer Explanations from 2021-2022 ACT Practice Test
• Science Answer Explanations from 2021-2022 ACT Practice Test
• Writing Answer Explanations from 2021-2022 ACT Practice Test (this article)

When you’re finished reviewing the 2021-22 ACT Writing Practice Test PDF and guide, keep practicing for the ACT with Piqosity! We provide 10 additional full-length practice ACT tests , 70+ lessons and tutorials, personalized practice, and more!

The 2021-22 ACT Writing Prompt & Sample Essays

Remember that you have only 40 minutes to familiarize yourself with the prompt, plan your essay, and write it out. It is recommended that you take no more than 10 minutes to plan your essay, so that you have the rest of the time to write and review it. The test booklet includes blank pages for you to use when planning your essay. These blank pages are not scored; only the lined pages on which you write your essay will be scored.

Well-Written Essay Sample

First, let’s look at a sample essay which would likely receive the highest possible score (a 6 in all categories, which results in a final ACT Writing score of 12). A top-scoring essay will align with the following ACT scoring rubric descriptions:

Many schools implement both academic and behavioral standards as prerequisites for joining an extracurricular activity. While this practice ensures that the students in a club remain accountable for their grades and behavior, it leaves out students who are unable to do so – particularly students who struggle with their grades. Students who struggle with their grades could still benefit from extracurricular activities, whereas students with unsatisfactory behavior would disrupt the activity and poorly represent the school. There should be behavioral standards for students that permit them to take part in extracurricular activities; however, academic excellence should not be a barrier between students and their participation in these activities. By withholding enriching opportunities from struggling students who don’t otherwise impede the experience of other students, schools actively inhibit their growth as individuals. Extracurricular programs, teams, and clubs are spaces where students can form relationships with other students, build skills that they wouldn’t have the capacity to otherwise, and develop responsibility, teamwork, and leadership – all skills that can enrich their future social lives, academic experiences, and employment opportunities. They also provide an avenue for students to develop their individuality; students must take generally the same courses during their K-12 years and often don’t have a voice in choosing those classes, so offering a way for students to decide their own path helps them develop their own agency. Naturally, many students have certain academic weaknesses; for example, while a student may thrive in History and English classes, they may struggle to grasp the concepts of Math or Physics, no matter how hard they try and how many hours of studying they pour into it. Thus, they may be unable to reach the academic standards for extracurriculars. To bar these students from thoroughly beneficial extracurricular activities is unnecessarily harmful, especially since unsatisfactory grades have no negative consequences for the activities themselves. By contrast, if school programs are open to students who disrupt the school environment, this would harm the success of the activity (such as distracted or irresponsible participants) and a negative representation of the school in off-campus events. Since it is very likely that disruptive students would behave similarly in a program outside of school hours, implementing behavioral standards for students and specifying that only students with good conduct are permitted to participate in extracurricular activities would improve student and school life. Encouraging excellent conduct by opening extracurricular activities to only well-behaved students also encourages the student body to improve their behavior as a whole – if a certain student has poor conduct of their own accord and wishes to join the debate club, for instance, they may work to improve their conduct in order to join the club. It is true that many students have behavioral issues at school due to circumstances outside of their control, such as issues at home or with their mental health. These students deserve the support of their school; however, allowing them to participate in extracurricular activities can disrupt and hinder the experiences of other participants and the success of the club. Alternatively, academic shortcomings have no effect on the club’s success nor the experience of other students. Some may argue that it is unfair to hold club participants to a higher standard than other students who are not interested in participating in extracurricular activities. But participation in extracurriculars is a privilege, and the disadvantages students with poor conduct are likely to bring to club activities and events justify a stricter standard of conduct that helps to protect this privilege. Extracurricular activities should be open to students that have good conduct, regardless of their grades. Holding students to a standard of excellent conduct in order to participate in these activities encourages the whole student body to improve their conduct and insulates the clubs from disruptive students, while including academically struggling students allows them to experience the many benefits of extracurricular activities and encourages their growth outside of the classroom.

Well-Written Sample Essay Score Explanation

Let’s look at how this essay aligns with the rubric descriptions for a score of 6 in each domain. Text in quotes comes from the rubric; italicized text comes from the student’s essay.

Ideas and Analysis

“The writer generates an argument that critically engages with multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects nuance and precision in thought and purpose.”

The author’s thesis is easily located at the end of the first paragraph: There should be behavioral standards for students that permit them to take part in extracurricular activities; however, academic excellence should not be a barrier between students and their participation in these activities. This thesis – and the introductory paragraph on the whole – actively engages with the three perspectives laid out in the prompt, clearly states the central argument, and incorporates nuance by distinguishing between academic and behavioral standards.

“The argument establishes and employs an insightful context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. The analysis examines implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions.”

The essay has a core idea that extracurricular activities are very beneficial (paragraph 2) and supports this idea with examples of how extracurriculars can enhance a student’s experience. It goes on to evaluate the potential reasons (bad behavior, poor academic behavior) for barring students from these experiences in light of which reasons have the potential to disrupt extracurricular activities for all involved. The writer supports the main idea further by evaluating counterarguments (paragraph 4). They address the idea that while both bad behavior and bad scholastic performance may be caused by issues outside of a student’s control, only bad behavior has the potential to disrupt extracurricular activities for others. The author clarifies that students with behavioral issues “ deserve the support of their school” but not at the expense of other students’ experiences.

Finally, the writer cinches their argument that participation in extracurricular activities should be open to all students, regardless of academic standing, by highlighting the importance of giving academically struggling students the opportunity to be well-rounded in an environment that is not disrupted by behavioral issues.

Development and Support

“Development of ideas and support for claims deepen insight and broaden context. An integrated line of skillful reasoning and illustration effectively conveys the significance of the argument. Qualifications and complications enrich and bolster ideas and analysis.”

One of the essay’s core ideas is that extracurricular activities are beneficial, and the author supports this idea by developing reasons why they are important: “ Extracurricular programs, teams, and clubs are spaces where students can [develop] skills that can enrich their future social lives, academic experiences, and employment opportunities… They also provide an avenue for students to develop their individuality… ”

The author also uses clear, intermittent examples of students engaging with school and extracurriculars to convey the real-life uses of their ideas: “… if a certain student has poor conduct of their own accord and wishes to join the debate club, for instance, they may work to improve their conduct in order to join the club. And, “… for example, while a student may thrive in History and English classes, they may be unable to grasp the concepts of Math or Physics, no matter how hard they try…”

Finally, the author draws a firm distinction between how academic issues and behavior issues might affect the success of students participating in extracurricular activities. They state that “ unsatisfactory grades don’t impact the activities…” but that “it is very likely that disruptive students would behave similarly in a program outside of school hours .”

Organization

“The response exhibits a skillful organizational strategy. The response is unified by a controlling idea or purpose, and a logical progression of ideas increases the effectiveness of the writer’s argument.”

The writer uses a five-paragraph essay structure, utilizing the first body paragraph to discuss academic standards, the second to discuss behavior standards, and the third to discuss counterarguments. The arguments logically build upon one another as the author develops support for their thesis, namely; extracurricular activities are important and should be available to all students who may benefit from them; implementing academic standards creates unnecessary barriers to well-behaved students who would become more well-rounded while participating in these programs; implementing behavioral standards protects said students from disruptive behavior and supports the continued success of the programs themselves. These ideas are then bolstered as the author refutes counterarguments.

“Transitions between and within paragraphs strengthen the relationships among ideas.”

By beginning with the phrase, “By contrast,” the topic sentence of the third paragraph simultaneously establishes a relationship between the ideas discussed in the second and third paragraph and while making it clear that the latter issue will differ in some way to the former. And this is, in fact, what occurs; the second paragraph concludes by stating that academic issues have “no negative consequences ” for extracurricular activities, while the third paragraph begins by stating that behavioral issues “ would harm the success of the activity…” The author also uses transitions within their paragraphs to help clarify their ideas, such as the use of “For example” in paragraph two to illustrate a point via a list of examples, and “Alternatively” in paragraph 4 to present a counter argument.

Language Use

“The use of language enhances the argument. Word choice is skillful and precise. Sentence structures are consistently varied and clear. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are strategic and effective.”

There are no significant language or grammar problems. The author uses a wide range of vocabulary ( enriching, withholding, unsatisfactory ) and precise language. Throughout, the student also uses appropriate academic language and a formal tone. Sentence length varies; a wide variety of punctuation is used correctly. All of this indicates a strong command of written English.

Mediocre Essay Sample

Now, let’s look at a sample essay which would likely receive middling scores (a 3 in all categories, which results in a final ACT Writing score of 6). A mid-scoring essay will align with the following ACT scoring rubric descriptions:

Extracurricular activities should be open to all students who want to do them because it is fair to everyone and it is unfair to keep students from doing it, no matter what your point of view is. Banning any students that don’t have the best conduct or grades from them would make school unbearable for them and it wouldn’t help them do any better in school. Plus schools would lose a lot of opportunities that good student athletes or actors would give them by limiting who could be in these programs. Some people have a lot of trouble focusing when they’re in school because of problems outside of school or because they are being taught things that won’t matter in their lives. Trouble focusing leads to bad grades and bad conduct. If they couldn’t participate in extracurricular activities, school would become a terrible place for them. Think of all the times an athlete helped there school team win a game, or student musicians who finally learned to play that difficult note. These students don’t have bad grades or conduct on purpose so they are punished for things out of their control. Extracurricular activities help students become who they want to be in life. They let kids try new things, and find what they like. For example someone may be interested in sports and try out for soccer. Next thing you know, they go to college on a soccer scholarship and get on a really good team after college! Or there’s a student who’s always liked movies and plays who tries out for the drama club. Turns out, they become an A-list celebrity and actor in tons of hit movies! Even if students don’t end up becoming what they do as an extracurricular activity, it’ll still help them in the future. Like a student on the debate team can become a lawyer, or someone in band keeps playing their instrument for the rest of their life. Limiting the number of students who can do extracurricular activities won’t only make the lives of students more miserable, but it would hurt the school. Schools can get a lot of money for really good sports teams or other clubs. And think about how much people like the schools that a bunch of famous athletes, successful writers, or CEOs came from. They may have been students on the basketball team, book club, or business club. Schools get prestige from these kinds of graduates, which make them more successful schools. The solution is to make school itself a better place for students. Stop punishing students for misbehaving and doing bad in class. Give longer time between classes and for lunch so that they can relax and get energized for class. And continue offering extracurricular activities so that the students can have better lives and the school can have more success.

Mediocre Sample Essay Score Explanation

Let’s look at how this essay aligns with the rubric descriptions for a score of 3 in each domain. Text in quotes comes from the rubric; italicized text comes from the student’s essay.

“The writer generates an argument that responds to multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects some clarity in thought and purpose.”

The student’s thesis seems to be Extracurricular activities should be open to all students who want to do them because it is fair to everyone and it is unfair to keep students from doing it, no matter what your point of view is. This thesis acknowledges the presence of multiple perspectives and is clear, but it dismisses perspectives it does not share without providing a counterargument.

“The argument establishes a limited or tangential context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. Analysis is simplistic or somewhat unclear.”

There are a few claims in the body of this essay without adequate support, such as If they couldn’t participate in extracurricular activities, school would become a terrible place for them. Why would school become a terrible place? The conclusion consists of clear solutions to this problem, without a clear explanation of the problem: Stop punishing students for misbehaving and doing bad in class. Give longer time between classes and for lunch so that they can relax and get energized for class. And continue offering extracurricular activities…

The student doesn’t engage with perspectives other than their own past the thesis, and the essay doesn’t present nor refute the reason students may be barred from extracurriculars based on academic or behavioral status.

“Development of ideas and support for claims are mostly relevant but are overly general or simplistic. Reasoning and illustration largely clarify the argument but may be somewhat repetitious or imprecise.”

Throughout the essay, the student gives many examples to illustrate their point; though, they are somewhat repetitive: Think of all the times an athlete helped there school team win a game, or student musicians who finally learned to play that difficult note… For example someone may be interested in sports and try out for soccer. Next thing you know, they go to college on a soccer scholarship and get on a really good team after college!… And think about how much people like the schools that a bunch of famous athletes, successful writers, or CEOs came from.

The examples do illustrate their ideas well to the reader, but their repetitiveness and simplicity weakens the argument. For example, see the second sentence in paragraph 4: Schools can get a lot of money for really good sports teams or other clubs. And think about how much people like the schools that a bunch of famous athletes, successful writers, or CEOs came from. There is no explanation of how schools “get a lot of money” for this. Naturally, the student isn’t expected to understand the intricacies of something like this, but, since they plan on using it as a supporting idea in their argument, they should understand the basics to strengthen their argument.

“The response exhibits a basic organizational structure. The response largely coheres, with most ideas logically grouped.”

The student organized their essay into a traditional five-paragraph structure, with each paragraph having a generally clear purpose. However, each paragraph seems to stand alone. They do not build upon each other to create a convincing argument, nor do they present counter arguments.

“Transitions between and within paragraphs sometimes clarify the relationships among ideas.”

A few paragraphs are straightforward enough with their ideas that a clear transition isn’t integral to the flow of the essay. For example, the second paragraph’s end discusses the joys of extracurriculars that students may miss out on and the third paragraph begins with the clear benefits of extracurriculars, which are two overlapping ideas. A clearer transition, however, would have been beneficial between the third and fourth paragraphs, which jump from the idea of how limiting extracurriculars hurts students to the idea of how schools need extracurriculars to boost funding.

“The use of language is basic and only somewhat clear. Word choice is general and occasionally imprecise. Sentence structures are usually clear but show little variety.”

The author uses a limited vocabulary, with language that could be more refined and precise. For example, Schools can get a lot of money could be made more precise into “Schools can receive more funding” or a similar phrase, conveying how/why schools can “get a lot of money” or who/where it is from.

Sentence structure is clear, but generally the same throughout. Many sentences start with “like”, “for example”, “plus”, or a coordinating conjunction before proceeding to list an argument or example. The lack of variation between sentences loses the reader’s attention and creates monotony in the writing.

“Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are not always appropriate for the rhetorical purpose. Distracting errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics may be present.”

The author’s language choices are overly colloquial and should be presented more formally, with an academic tone. For example the sentence, “ Next thing you know, they go to college on a soccer scholarship and get on a really good team after college!” would be more appropriate as: “ Participation on a school soccer team could open doors and create opportunities, from an academic scholarship to college to a career in athletics, personal training, coaching, and beyond.”

Some of the more language choices come across as hyperbolic, as they are presented without sufficient evidence and may even be perceived by a reader as contrasting with the primarily casual tone. Limiting the number of students who can do extracurricular activities won’t only make the lives of students more miserable or Banning any students that don’t have the best conduct or grades from them would make school unbearable for them … are two places in which a very strong adjective is used to describe how school makes students feel without sufficient reasoning to warrant this word use.

There are spelling and grammar errors throughout, as well.

• “There” in place of the correct “their”
• Missing comma after “purpose” before the coordinating conjunction “so”
• Extra comma after “things” before the coordinating conjunction – “find what they like” is a dependent clause so no comma is required
• Missing comma after the introductory phrase “For example”

Get More ACT Writing Practice Test Help with Piqosity!

Need more ACT writing practice test help? For writing tips in particular, check out our ACT writing tips ; for general tips, check out our ACT strategies guide and our overview of how to improve your ACT score . But keep in mind that one of the best ways to improve your ACT score is to practice! And one of the best ways to practice is to take practice tests.

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More Educational Resources by Piqosity:

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How to Write an Effective ACT Essay

By Eric Eng

The ACT essay, also known as the writing portion of the ACT, may seem daunting at first. However, with the correct understanding, planning, and writing techniques, it’s possible to assemble a strong essay. In this guide, we’ll go through each step of the process to help you master the art of ACT Essay writing.

Understanding the ACT Essay Prompt

Understanding the prompt is the first step toward crafting a successful ACT essay. The ACT writing test propels you to analyze and create an argument around a complex issue. To do this effectively, you need to decipher what the essay question is asking of you.

When you receive the ACT essay prompt, it is essential to take the time to carefully read and comprehend it. Pay close attention to the language used and the specific instructions given. This will help you grasp the central theme or topic that the prompt is addressing.

Once you clearly understand the prompt, you can begin to analyze its components. Look for keywords or phrases that indicate the nature of the issue being discussed. These keywords can provide valuable insights into the perspectives you will encounter later in the prompt.

Decoding the ACT Essay Question

You’ll state a contemporary issue and then three perspectives related to it. Your task is to analyze and evaluate the perspectives, express your viewpoint, and explain the relationship between your philosophy and those given. Getting the hang of this process requires you to break down the prompt and analyze the views critically.

When decoding the ACT essay question, paying attention to the statement regarding the contemporary issue is crucial. This statement sets the stage for the perspectives that follow. Take the time to reflect on the significance of the issue and its relevance in today’s society.

The three perspectives in the prompt offer different viewpoints on the given issue. Each view presents a unique argument or stance; your job is to critically evaluate them. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, and identify any underlying assumptions or biases that may influence the arguments presented.

Critical Elements of the ACT Essay Prompt

The ACT essay prompt has three critical elements – the statement of a contemporary issue, the three perspectives, and your task. All these elements provide a blueprint for your essay. Understanding how to extrapolate the details and nuances of each perspective will enable you to construct a compelling argument.

The statement of a contemporary issue serves as the foundation for your essay. It is essential to comprehend the context and significance of the issue to effectively address it in your writing. Consider the implications and potential consequences of the problem and how it may impact various stakeholders or society as a whole.

The three perspectives presented in the prompt offer different viewpoints on the issue. Each view may highlight other aspects or consequences of the issue, providing you with various arguments to consider. Analyze each perspective critically, identifying the evidence and reasoning to support the arguments.

Your task in the ACT essay is to evaluate the perspectives and state your viewpoint. This requires you to form a well-reasoned argument that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of the perspectives provided. Additionally, you must explain the relationship between your viewpoint and those given, highlighting any similarities or differences in reasoning or evidence.

By understanding the critical elements of the ACT essay prompt and decoding its nuances, you will be better equipped to craft a thoughtful and persuasive essay. Take the time to analyze the prompt thoroughly, consider multiple perspectives, and construct a well-structured argument. Remember, practice makes perfect, so hone your skills by tackling various essay prompts to improve your performance on the ACT writing test.

Planning Your ACT Essay

Planning your ACT essay is a crucial step in the writing process. It not only helps you organize your thoughts but also allows you to create a logical progression in your argument, resulting in a high-scoring essay.

When approaching the planning stage, there are several key factors to consider. Understanding the prompt thoroughly ensures that your essay addresses the specific requirements and stays focused on the given topic. Take the time to carefully analyze the prompt, identifying keywords or phrases to guide your writing.

Importance of Brainstorming

One effective technique to kickstart your planning process is brainstorming. This free-thinking exercise allows you to generate ideas and arguments about the prompt. Grab a pen and paper, or open a blank document, and jot down every relevant thought that comes to mind.

Don’t worry about organizing your ideas or evaluating their validity during brainstorming. The goal is to create a pool of potential content that can be refined and collected later. By allowing yourself to explore different angles and perspectives, you increase the chances of finding unique and compelling arguments for your essay.

Consider different viewpoints, examples, and evidence that support your main argument. Consider personal experiences, historical events, literary references, or scientific studies that can strengthen your position. The more ideas you generate during this stage, the more options you will have when crafting your essay.

Creating an Effective Essay Outline

Once you have completed the brainstorming process, it’s time to create an outline for your essay. An outline serves as the skeleton of your essay, providing a clear structure and ensuring a logical flow of ideas.

Start by organizing your thoughts into different sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The introduction should grab the reader’s attention, provide background information, and present your thesis statement. The body paragraphs should each focus on a specific argument or supporting evidence, giving detailed explanations and examples to support your claims. Finally, the conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis concisely and impactful.

Consider using a topic sentence within each body paragraph to introduce the main idea, followed by supporting evidence and analysis. This approach helps create a coherent and cohesive essay, allowing readers to follow your thought process easily.

Remember, the outline is a flexible tool that can be adjusted as you refine your essay. It helps you stay organized and ensures that you cover all the necessary points in a logical order. By creating a well-structured outline, you set yourself up for a smoother writing process and a more polished final essay.

In conclusion, planning your ACT essay is an essential step that should not be overlooked. By thoroughly understanding the prompt, brainstorming ideas, and creating an effective outline, you lay the foundation for a well-structured and persuasive essay. So take the time to plan your essay carefully, and watch as your ideas come to life on the page.

Writing the ACT Essay

Writing the ACT essay is a crucial part of the exam, allowing you to showcase your analytical and writing skills. With your understanding of the prompt and your essay outlined, you are now ready to start writing. However, it’s important to remember that the ACT essay is not just about putting words on paper but crafting a well-structured and persuasive argument that effectively addresses the given topic.

The ACT essay includes an introduction, two to three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section is vital in presenting your ideas and supporting your thesis statement.

Crafting a Strong Introduction

The introduction is your first impression on the reader, so it’s crucial to make it engaging and compelling. Your introduction should briefly overview the topic and provide context for the reader to understand the issue’s importance. Additionally, it should include a thesis statement that clearly expresses your viewpoint and sets the direction for the rest of your essay.

Consider using a hook to grab the reader’s attention when crafting your introduction. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, or a compelling anecdote. By starting your essay with an intense and captivating introduction, you can immediately capture the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.

Building Your Argument in Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of your ACT essay are where you develop and support your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should contain one argument in support of your thesis, backed up by evidence. It’s essential to choose your arguments carefully and present them in a logical and coherent manner.

Using relevant examples is an effective way to support your argument. These examples can be drawn from various sources, such as literature, history, current events, or personal experiences. By incorporating specific details and providing concrete evidence, you can strengthen your argument and make it more persuasive.

In addition to examples, logical reasoning is another powerful tool to support your argument. By presenting a clear and logical chain of thought, you can demonstrate the validity of your thesis statement. This can be achieved through deductive or inductive reasoning, as well as by addressing potential counterarguments and refuting them.

Concluding Your Essay Effectively

Your conclusion is the final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the reader. It should not be a mere repetition of your thesis statement and arguments but a synthesis of your main points and a reflection on their broader implications.

In your conclusion, restate your thesis in light of the arguments you presented in the body paragraphs. However, it goes beyond a simple restatement and offers a fresh perspective or insight. Consider discussing the significance of your argument in a larger context or suggesting potential avenues for further exploration and thought.

Remember, a firm conclusion should give a sense of closure to your essay while leaving the reader with something to ponder. By ending your essay on a thought-provoking note, you can leave a lasting impression and demonstrate your ability to think critically and analytically.

In conclusion, writing the ACT essay requires careful planning and execution. By crafting a solid introduction, building a persuasive argument in the body paragraphs, and concluding effectively, you can create a compelling essay that showcases your skills and impresses the reader.

Essential ACT Essay Writing Skills

Effective ACT essay writing employs specific skills. These skills can be developed with practice, including using persuasive language, incorporating evidence, maintaining logical flow, and much more.

When using persuasive language, it is essential to understand that robust and influential language is crucial in making your arguments compelling. This means using vocabulary that conveys certainty and conviction. By carefully selecting your words and phrases, you can effectively persuade your readers to agree with your viewpoint.

In addition to persuasive language, incorporating evidence is another critical skill that can significantly enhance the strength of your argument. Proof refers to specific examples, facts, or data that support your arguments. You can substantiate your claims and make your essay more convincing by providing concrete evidence. Remember, the more reliable and relevant your proof is, the stronger your argument becomes.

Furthermore, maintaining a logical flow in your essay is essential for clarity and readability. A well-structured essay ensures that your ideas are presented logically, allowing readers to follow your thought process efficiently. This involves providing each argument logically leads to the next, and all arguments collectively support your thesis. By organizing your essay in a coherent manner, you can effectively convey your message and make it easier for your readers to understand your perspective.

Moreover, it is essential to note that effective ACT essay writing also requires strong analytical skills. Analyzing the given prompt and understanding its nuances is crucial for developing a well-rounded argument. You can identify the key points and formulate a clear thesis statement by carefully examining the prompt. Additionally, analyzing and addressing the counterarguments in your essay demonstrates your ability to critically evaluate different perspectives.

In conclusion, mastering the essential ACT essay writing skills is a continuous process that requires practice and dedication. You can significantly improve your essay writing abilities by using persuasive language, incorporating evidence, maintaining logical flow, and honing your analytical skills. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep writing and refining your skills to achieve success on the ACT essay.

Reviewing and Revising Your ACT Essay

Reviewing and revising your work is the last step in crafting a great ACT essay. This is an opportunity to enhance your essay’s clarity, coherence, and cogency.

Importance of Proofreading

Proofreading ensures that your essay is free from grammatical and typographical errors. It also allows you to check the structure, flow, and clarity of your writing.

Tips for Effective Essay Revision

Look at the overall argument, check each paragraph for clarity and purpose, and ensure each sentence is concise and precise. You can polish your ACT essay to its maximum potential with these revision tips.

In conclusion, an effective ACT essay involves understanding the prompt, planning your essay, using essential writing skills, and reviewing your work. By mastering these areas, you can confidently write an impressive ACT essay.

If you want to discuss the matter to a greater extent or inquire about college admissions, look no further! Our experts here at AdmissionSight can help you! Here at AdmissionSight, we have over a decade’s worth of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process to get accepted to the top universities in the world. Feel free to set up an appointment today to book your initial consultation .

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What is a Good ACT Writing Score?

The ACT Writing section is the only optional part of the ACT. However, optional does not mean unnecessary . A number of colleges do require it to be included with the rest of your ACT scores as part of their application process. If any of the schools you’re considering require you to take the ACT Writing Section, you definitely need to know what constitutes a good ACT Writing Score.

Start improving your ACT writing score (and everything else) today with Magoosh!

Act writing: essay percentiles.

The ACT Essay is scored from 1-6 in four categories by two graders. This gives you four scores from 2-12. You then receive a final ACT Essay score from 2-12 that is the average of these four scores. This is the score you will be reporting to colleges. For more detail on how the essay is scored, make sure you check out Rachel’s article on ACT Essay scores .

Here’s the breakdown for ACT essay scores and percentiles for the 2022 reporting period:

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!

Of course, a lot depends on the schools to which you apply ( this thorough rundown on ACT scores has more info). Generally, the more selective the school, the higher your score should be to be competitive.

Universities that require the ACT Writing will almost always have an average score range on their admissions website, so make sure you do your research. If you aspire to Ivy League or other highly-selective schools , a 9 is the threshold you should try your best to reach to be safe.

However, most schools do not provide a cut-off score, so theoretically a below-average score will not eliminate you from being considered for admission. Then again, it won’t help you either.

If you are ever concerned that your essay score is inaccurate, however, you can ask for your essay to be re-scored. The $50 fee for the re-score will be refunded if you do get a higher score .

So what’s the takeaway from all of this? Really, a few key points:

• Research the schools you plan to apply to, and see which of them require the ACT Writing test.
• At the least, shoot for an 8+ overall score for a “good” ACT Writing score.
• A score of 9+ is an ideal score for applications to selective schools.
• If you believe your essay has been mis-scored, you may request a re-score for a fee.
• Don’t panic!

ACT Essay Grader

If you’re coming to this post after taking your first ACT practice test, you might be wondering how the heck you’re supposed to even grade your essay. You’re thinking, “What even IS my ACT Essay score?”

To start, let your essay sit for a day or two before grading it (it’s helpful to get some distance). Then, follow the official scoring rubric from ACT , and ask a trusted friend/teacher/parent to do the same. Be as objective as possible as you grade—you won’t do yourself any favors by inflating your score!

Then, use our handy ACT Essay Grading tool to find your score:

Click the button below to get started:   Start Quiz!

• Essays at this level will respond to all three perspectives offered.
• The thesis is nuanced and precise.
• The argument puts the issue in context insightfully, examining implications, complexities, tensions, values, and assumptions.
• Ideas and analysis are well developed and qualified.
• Organization is skillful and unified around a main idea; the essay progresses logically and uses transitions.
• Word choice, sentence structures, style and register are all skillfully and precisely used.
• Some errors that do not impede meaning may be present.
• The thesis is precise, though could be more nuanced.
• The argument puts the issue in context thoughtfully, examining implications, complexities, tensions, values, and assumptions.
• Ideas and analysis are mostly developed.
• Organization is productive and mostly unified around a main idea; the essay progresses logically and uses transitions.
• Language use is serviceable, if not skillful.
• Essays at this level will respond to at least two of the perspectives offered.
• The thesis is clear.
• The argument puts the issue in context, recognizing implications, complexities, tensions, values, and assumptions.
• Ideas and analysis are clear.
• Organization is clear and related to the main idea; the essay progresses logically and uses transitions.
• Word choice, sentence structures, style and register are all adequate.
• Some errors that impede meaning may be present.
• The thesis is somewhat clear.
• The issue’s context is limited or tangential.
• Ideas and analysis are relevant, but too general or specific.
• Organization is basic and mostly coherent.
• Language use is basic and unvaried.
• Distracting errors that impede meaning may be present.
• Essays at this level only weakly respond to multiple perspectives.
• The thesis may not be evident and analysis is incomplete, irrelevant, or repetitive.
• Development and illustration are weak, inadequate, or illogical, and the argument is unclear.
• Some attempt at organization is visible.
• Language use is inconsistent and distracting errors that impede meaning are present.
• The essay does not respond to the task.
• Analysis is unclear, while ideas are undeveloped and unsupported.
• Little to no organization is evident, while errors in language usage may be common and often impede understanding.

Question 1 of 2

Question 2 of 2

Elizabeth holds a degree in Psychology from The College of William & Mary. While there, she volunteered as a tutor and discovered she loved the personal connection she formed with her students. She has now been helping students with test prep and schoolwork as a professional tutor for over six years. When not discussing grammar or reading passages, she can be found trying every drink at her local coffee shop while writing creative short stories and making plans for her next travel adventure!

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30 responses to “What is a Good ACT Writing Score?”

I have a 24 on the written portion of the act. is that good?

Good question! 🙂 The quality of a score depends a lot on what you are comparing it to–if you only need an 18+ then a 24 is awesome! If you are supposed to get at least a 30, then a score of 24 would present a challenge to your application. A 24 is in about the 84th percentile, which means you are strong in the general pool of test takers. 🙂

If you know what you might need for the universities you like, that should be your guiding information, more than anything else. But good job! 🙂

My score is 8 out of 12.how much value do this score gain?

The new 1-12 scoring scale for the ACT Essay hasn’t been out long enough for there to be any official percentiles for the score ranges. But for the time being, you can still get a good idea of percentile by looking at this chart of percentiles for the original 36-point essay scale .

Because the maximum number of ACT Essay points is 1/3 of what it used to be (12 is 1/3 of 36), you can multiply your score by 3 to get the equivalent under the old scoring system. 8*3 = 24, and on the old chart linked above, a 24 puts you in the 88th percentile. This means you scored higher than 88% of all ACT Essay test-takers. This is pretty respectable. Congratulations!

How do I request a rescore on the writing section?

Here is some helpful info from act.org https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/Request-for-Score-Verification.pdf

My son scored a 5 out of 6 on the writing. How can that be. His ACT score was a 32. I do not understand the writing grade.

First off, congratulations on your son’s 32 on the general ACT. That’s a really good score! 🙂

As for the ACT, it sounds like your son actually got a 10 out of 12? Since he would have received a rating from two separate scorers who both looked at his essay, that 5 out of 6 figure should be doubled, I think.

Your son actually does have a pretty good ACT Writing score. If you were to put his score on the ACT’s regular 0-36 scale, his essay score is equivalent to about a 30. That’s very close to the 32 your son got on the rest of the test. The reason his ACT Writing score is in the single digits isn’t because it’s bad. Instead, his score shows a 5 out of 6 because the ACT recently changed the scoring scale for ACT Writing, so that it’s not in the same 36 point range as the rest of the exam.

My daughter is in 8th grade. She scored a 32 on her ACT Exam (36 in English, 35 in Reading, 30 in Science, 26 in Math). I was familiar with all of those scores and understand that she did pretty well. However, I have no experience with the writing score. She scored a 9 on the writing. I am not sure how good this is. Should she retake it? She doesn’t really know her future college plans, but she does want the option to attend an Ivy League school. Does she need to retake the writing portion again?

Hello Lisa,

A 9 is strong! That puts your daughter above the 90th percentile in writing, and seems in line with the rest of her score. If she wanted to improve the writing for whatever reason, there is room to do so, and it may be necessary just to pull the science/math scores up to the level of her English/reading scores, too. But this is an amazing outcome for an 8th grader. The ACT is meant to showcase knowledge obtained through all of high school, so she will likely improve just by dint of having completed more years of school. 🙂

My daughter got a 27 and a 10 on the writing for her first test. Can she keep the Writing score and then only re-take the ACT portion? So, she would be submitting results from two different tests.

Unfortunately it is almost never possible to submit portions of separate test sessions. I can only think of one time ever that this has been allowed, so your daughter will almost certainly need to retake the entire test.

I got a 10/12, but I felt like I did terrible on it. My thoughts were unorganized, decentralized, and incoherent. How is it possible that I scored within the top 3%? Also, does the percentile only include those who decided to take the writing portion, or was the sample from students from all demographics?

On the bright side, this appears to be a situation in which you did better than you thought! Perhaps, your writing was not as incoherent as you thought. Great job! 😀

With regard to sample, please note that the score is only reported when the student takes the optional writing portion. I hope this helps a little! Again, great job. 🙂

Hi I got a 22 on the test portion and an 8 for the writing. I feel like my scores are pretty low and I’m taking the SAT this Saturday so hopefully that will look better. What do you think about my scores? Good, bad, moderate?

Your score for the four-section multiple choice portion of the ACT is definitely not competitive. In terms of ACT percentiles , this only puts you in the 63rd percentile. However, your 8 in ACT Writing is relatively good. That would be an 82nd percentile score.

Different test-takers will find either the ACT or SAT to be easier. So trying your luck with the SAT might not be a bad idea. However, you should also be open to retaking the ACT. Your Writing score indicates that you have strong language arts skills, and there may be ways you can build on those skills to greatly improve in Reading on either the SAT or ACT. And of course, strong writing skills can be used to improve your accuracy in either ACT English or SAT Writing & Language.

As you consider which of these to tests is best, I recommend reading our post on ACT vs. SAT .

I got an 8 on the reading and a 24 overall composite score…is that good or should I retake?

Do you mean 8 on the reading or 8 on the writing? If you got an 8 (out of 46) on reading, I would absolutely retake the test to raise that score. If you got an 8 (out of 12) on the writing, that is more in like with your 24 overall. I will say that aiming for 27+ is often better, but the score you really need should be determined based on the schools you want to attend. If you haven’t done research into that yet, I highly recommend you do. 🙂

Hi, My son took the Feb ACT and got a 33 (35, 33, 32, 31) but didn’t take the writing. So he retook the test in April and received a lower score of 30 (27, 33, 32,31) but received a 12/12 in the writing. Will schools superscore his ELA score; so taking the 35 Eng/32 Reading from Feb test and the 12 (36) from April writing for a superscore of 34? Not sure you can superscore with only taking the writing one time? Thanks in advance. Lisa W.

This will depend heavily on the individual schools, but it is worth sending the full applicant profile to show that there is relative consistency in abilities and a strong writing ability. That said, the most common way to handle scores is to just take one single session/date rather than pick and choose higher outcomes. It may be word contacting some admissions committees to get their take on the matter, too. I hope that helps!

I got a 35 on the test: 36 math, 35 english, 34 reading, and 34 science. that’s great and all, but I completely potatoed the writing with a 9. How much weight does the writing have in applications for ivy league colleges?

Hi Franklin,

Oh no! I have potatoed a part of a test before, and it’s super frustrating. Unfortunately, my answer is going to be a little frustrating, too, because the answer is “it depends.” I would investigate the admissions pages and, if they don’t give you enough details, email admissions directly to ask how much the ACT writing versus the application essays count. In some cases, you will likely be fine, but there will be others where both matter. Good luck!

my son got a 34 composite but 7 on the essay writing. Is that bad?

Wow–your son has a stellar composite score! A 34 puts him in a competitive range for many of the top universities in the country (see this post for more information). As we mention in this blog post, we suggest that students aim for an 8 or higher, but a lower essay score won’t necessarily make or break the application. Schools look at a lot of information as they make their admissions decisions, and as long as you son has a strong overall profile, a slightly lower essay score may not cause too much fuss. I highly recommend that you talk to an admissions counselor at your son’s target schools to get their input before making any decisions!

Hi, I got a 10 on writing, and that’s a pretty high percentile on the chart. However, if I would like to go to a more selective college, and I come from a very competitive high [school where there are likely to be 50+ people with a similar 9+ score, would my 10 still give me an edge?

A 10 is an excellent score–congrats on such a strong essay! 98th percentile is very impressive. You reached the ‘threshold’ for top selective schools, so I’m not sure what sort of ‘edge’ an extra point in writing might give you. However, our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid that we aren’t the best people to answer this question. I recommend that you speak with a guidance or admissions counselor at your high school and your target universities. Good luck!

Hey I got a 7 on the writing, and an overall score of 25 in the test (math:21, english: 26, science:24) do you think that is a good score?

Congrats on taking the ACT! Whether or not this is a good score depends on your target schools and college plans. Your scores are above average , but each school has it’s own requirements. I recommend contacting your target schools directly for more information about the average scores at their schools.

Hello! I got a 9 on the writing portion for the Act, but a 25 overall. (23 math, 23 science, 22 English, 32 reading) I retook the test recently, and felt I did much better than last time. Would I be able to submit a super-score, with my writing score. Or would I be unable to do that.

Yes, you should be able to do that. The ACT says that “your superscore is the average of your best scores from each subject from multiple test attempts.” Be sure to read over the Superscore FAQs from this official ACT page for more information!

Best of luck to you! 😀

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ACT Essay Samples | Good vs Bad Examples

The ACT Essay option is a great way to impress college admissions officers with your writing ability. But what does a good essay look like vs a bad one? Thankfully, ACT has provided some helpful ACT essay samples that you can study based on good vs not-so-good examples.

In addition, here are 10 helpful ACT Essay prep tips to practice before test day.

ACT Essay Samples Prompt

This provided prompt, Intelligent Machines, is a good representation of how prompts are provided to you on the actual test.

“The test describes an issue and provides three different perspectives on the issue. You are asked to read and consider the issue and perspectives, state your own perspective on the issue, and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective on the issue. Your score will not be affected by the perspective you take on the issue.”

ACT Essay Samples Passage

Here is the actual passage that students drew from when writing the sample essays below.

Intelligent Machines

“Many of the goods and services we depend on daily are now supplied by intelligent, automated machines rather than human beings. Robots build cars and other goods on assembly lines, where once there were human workers. Many of our phone conversations are now conducted not with people but with sophisticated technologies. We can now buy goods at a variety of stores without the help of a human cashier. Automation is generally seen as a sign of progress, but what is lost when we replace humans with machines? Given the accelerating variety and prevalence of intelligent machines, it is worth examining the implications and meaning of their presence in our lives.

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the increasing presence of intelligent machines.”

ACT Essay Samples Perspective Choices

• Perspective One : What we lose with the replacement of people by machines is some part of our own humanity. Even our mundane daily encounters no longer require from us basic courtesy, respect, and tolerance for other people. “
• Perspective Two : Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases, they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone.”
• Perspective Three : Intelligent machines challenge our long-standing ideas about what humans are or can be. This is good because it pushes both humans and machines toward new, unimagined possibilities.”

ACT Essay Sample 1 (Low-Scoring)

“Well Machines are good but they take people jobs like if they don’t know how to use it they get fired and they’ll find someone else and it’s more easyer with machines but sometimes they don’t need people because of this machines do there own job and there be many people that lack on there job but the intelligent machines sometimes may not work or they’ll brake easy and it’s waste of money on this machines and there really expensive to buy but they help alot at the same time it help alot but at the same time this intelligent machines work and some don’t work but many store buy them and end up broken or not working but many stores gets them and end up wasting money on this intelligent machines’ but how does it help us and the comunity because some people get fired because they do not need him because of this machines many people are losing job’s because of this machines.”

Sample Essay 2 (High-Scoring)

“Should machines be used to do good and services instead of humans? I believe they should not for many reasons. Machines can not be smart unless a human is controlling it. So it would not matter if it’s an intelligent machine or not a human is still controlling it to do everything.

When using a machine it could easily malfunction and it could be hard to fix the problem or it will just take a while to fix it. If a human is taking over instead of the machine there may be fewer problems. Machines have so many problems that it would not be worth having.

Also, the more machines you have the fewer jobs there are for people because everyone thinks it would be better to have machines instead of people. When fewer people are out of work that means less money for those people and sometimes they will lose their homes or cars because they can not afford anything.

Sometimes working with machines can be very stressful because they may not work at times or they could be running extremely slow and won’t get anything done. Machines are not smart at all, only when people are controlling them they are but not all the time. It may seem smart but it’s really not.

In conclusion, I think machines should not be used to take over a human job because machines can not think only humans can think and make right or wrong decisions. Machines do not have brains, they’re not wired to think so why have them do stuff that we can do ourselves.”

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How to Write an ACT Essay

Last Updated: October 11, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Arash Fayz . Arash Fayz is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LA Tutors 123, an academic consulting and private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. Arash has over 10 years of educational consulting experience, managing the tutoring of students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to score higher on standardized tests and gain admission to their target schools. He has a BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 3,681 times.

The ACT may seem a bit daunting, particularly the writing section, and if you're feeling that way, don't worry. While no one can guarantee you a perfect store, you can do well on the essay section as long as you practice a little first. When writing the essay, take 5-10 minutes to organize your thoughts, then write your essay in a standard 5-paragraph format with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. If you have time in the end, spend a few minutes reading over what you wrote to correct any mistakes.

Organizing Your Thoughts

• When reading through them, analyze them. Think about what each perspective assumes and what each perspective leaves out.
• For instance, if one perspective is "The electoral college is beneficial because it makes it easier for a state to vote together," that assumes a state should vote together, and it may leave off the individual's vote.
• Repeat for each perspective.

• You will have space to plan in your notebook, so write down the perspective you choose to take.

• For example, if the perspective is "The electoral college is beneficial," you might write, "The electoral college is beneficial to states with smaller populations, which gives farming areas a much-needed advantage."

• For instance, you might write, "While the electoral college does have pitfalls due to the way it distributes electoral votes, that very distribution gives rural voters the advantage they need to be on an even playing field with urban voters, as it places a slightly higher weight on the votes of people in small states with high rural populations."

• For instance, one example might be that the electoral college helps protect farmers by giving slightly more power to rural voters.
• Whatever example you use, try to get as specific as possible with it. [6] X Research source

Writing the Essay

• When giving an overview, present what examples you plan to use, in order, such as "The electoral college gives farmers a voice, allows for rural voices to be heard in Washington D.C., and helps elect a president that represents all citizens."

• You can use 4-6 paragraphs, but make sure you stick to the format of an introductory paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.

• For instance, you might write, "Farmers' perspectives are important, but they aren't the only ones who benefit from the electoral college. It also gives rural people a voice in Midwestern and Southern states where all electoral votes must go to one candidate."
• Another example might be, "Rural people deserve to have their voices heard, as a president should represent all people, not just those in large cities."

• For example, you may write, "All in all, the electoral college does more good than harm. It gives farmers and rural voters the opportunity to elect a candidate that also considers their needs, along with those in the urban centers of the country. After all, a president should be for all citizens, not just those who have a pretty house in a big city."

Correcting Your Essay

• However, even 5 minutes spent on proofreading can be helpful.

• Avoid writing in the margins. Only write neatly between the lines.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/act-writing-prompt
• ↑ https://magoosh.com/hs/act/act-writing/2016/how-i-got-a-perfect-36-on-the-new-act-essay/
• ↑ https://writewellapp.com/how-write-act-essay
• ↑ http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/writing-test-prep.html#scrollNav-1-5

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• You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal. All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.  
• Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application. You may use the additional comments field to note extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, if necessary. 

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

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ACT Writing

Most of the ACT is entirely multiple choice. All you have to worry about when answering the questions is that you're filling in the correct answer bubble!

But then there's that (optional) Writing section, which requires you to give your answer in words. How are you supposed to write a persuasive essay in 40 minutes? What format should your essay have? Is there an ACT essay template that can guarantee you a high score? We'll answer these questions in this article.

feature image credit: homework ritual by woodleywonderworks , used under CC BY 2.0 /Cropped from original.

What Does Your ACT Essay Need? 5 Key Elements

In order to do well on ACT Writing, your essay will need to have the following five elements (not necessarily in this order):

#1: An Introduction

The first thing the grader will see is your opening paragraph, so you should make a good impression. Don't just jump right into the meat of your essay— introduce your perspective (your thesis statement) and how it relates to the other perspective(s) you'll be discussing. You don't necessarily have to start out by writing your introduction (you can always leave a few lines blank at the top of your essay and come back to it after you've written your example paragraphs), but you MUST include it.

#2: Your Thesis Statement (should be in your introduction)

You must take a perspective on the issue presented in the prompt paragraph and state it clearly . I advise using one of the three perspectives the ACT gives you as your position/perspective; you can come up with your own perspective, but then you'll have less time to spend on writing the essay (which is not ideal with a time constraint). Your thesis statement (the statement of your perspective) should go in the introduction of your essay.

#3: A Discussion of the Relationship Between Perspectives

In your essay, you must discuss the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective . Make sure to discuss pros as well as cons for the perspectives you don't agree with to show you understand the complexities of the issue.

#4:  Examples or Reasoning to Support Each Point

To support your arguments for and against each perspective, you need to draw on reasoning or specific examples . This reasoning should be in the same paragraph as the arguments. For instance, if your argument is about how globalization leads to greater efficiency, you should include your support for this argument in the same paragraph.

And it's not enough to just say "Because freedom" or "Because Stalin" or something like that as your support and leave it at that. You need to actually explain how your reasoning or examples support your point.

#5: Clear Organization

Avoid discussing multiple points in one paragraph. Instead, our recommended strategy is to discuss one perspective per paragraph . This organization will not only make it easier for you to stay on track, but will also make it easier for your essay's scorers to follow your reasoning (always a good thing).

ACT Essay Outline

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 . You should state your thesis in your introduction and conclusion (using different words in your conclusion so that you're not repeating yourself exactly).

So how do you write in this five paragraph structure on the ACT? I'll show you how to put the plan into action with an essay template that can be used for any ACT essay question. First, here's the prompt I'll be using:

Public Health and Individual Freedom

Most people want to be healthy, and most people want as much freedom as possible to do the things they want. Unfortunately, these two desires sometimes conflict. For example, smoking is prohibited from most public places, which restricts the freedom of some individuals for the sake of the health of others. Likewise, car emissions are regulated in many areas in order to reduce pollution and its health risks to others, which in turn restricts some people's freedom to drive the vehicles they want. In a society that values both health and freedom, how do we best balance the two? How should we think about conflicts between public health and individual freedom?

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the conflict between public health and individual freedom.

Write a unified, coherent essay about the conflict between public health and individual freedom. In your essay, be sure to:

• clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective
• organize your ideas clearly and logically
• explain the relationship between your perspective and those given
• communicate your ideas effectively in standard written English

Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different.

Next, I'll break down the ACT essay into its individual parts (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion) and give examples for what each should look like. Because I'm writing in response to a specific prompt, some of the information may not translate exactly from essay to essay; instead, focus on the structure of the paragraphs. I've bolded key structural words and phrases for you to focus on.

Introduction (2-3 sentences)

Begin your introduction with a general statement about the topic that draws the reader in; should provide some context for what you'll be discussing in the essay. Can be omitted if you're short on time (1-2 sentences).

As society progresses into the 21 st century, there are some pundits who create a false two-sided fight between individual liberty and complete dependence on the government.

Next comes your thesis statement that includes a clear position on the issue. For the highest score, you should also mention the other perspectives you'll be discussing in contrast to the position you've chosen (1 sentence).

While individual freedom is essential to society, the freedom to avoid health risks should supersede freedom of the individual when individual behavior endangers others.

Sample ACT essay introduction:

As society progresses into the 21 st century, there are some pundits who create a false two-sided fight between individual liberty and complete dependence on the government. While individual freedom is essential to society, the freedom to avoid health risks should supersede freedom of the individual when individual behavior endangers others.

Body Paragraph 1 (Opposing perspective) (5-7 sentences)

Open with a transition to a different perspective (1 sentence).

Perspective Two espouses the view that "[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither."

Alternatively, if you don't want to name the specific perspective that opposes yours (or if you can't because you're comparing your perspective to a combination of ones given by the ACT):

Proponents of freedom of the individual above all else espouse the view that "[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither."

Next, provide an example of how this perspective is somewhat true and explain why (2-3 sentences).

This perspective is true to some extent. For instance, in the Civil Rights movement, schools were integrated at the cost of both the mental well-being of racists, who had to deal with the blow to their world view, and the physical and emotional well-being of those being integrated, who had to deal with the abuse flung upon them by said racists. The freedom to attend any public school was deemed more important to society than the temporary mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health risks caused by that freedom.

Provide an example of how this perspective is mostly false when compared to the perspective you agree with and explain why (2-3 sentences).

However, Perspective Two[/this absolutist perspective] is not always a useful way to think about the world, particularly when life and death is at stake. During the Civil Rights movement, parents who were afraid their children might incur physical or even fatal harm from being forced to integrate still had the freedom to homeschool; the same goes for parents who were racist and did not wish their children to interact with children of "lesser" races. While the government pushed the issue of freedom of all people to attend all public schools, it could not make it mandatory for every child to attend a public school (rather than being homeschooled, or attending private or church school) and risk physical injury or worse.

Sample Body Paragraph (Opposing Perspective):

Perspective Two espouses the view that "[t]hose who give up freedom in order to gain security deserve neither." This perspective is true to some extent. For instance, in the Civil Rights movement, schools were integrated at the cost of both the mental well-being of racists, who had to deal with the blow to their world view, and the physical and emotional well-being of those being integrated, who had to deal with the abuse flung upon them by said racists. The freedom to attend any public school was deemed more important to society than the temporary mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health risks caused by that freedom. However, Perspective Two is not always a useful way to think about the world, particularly when life and death is at stake. During the Civil Rights movement, parents who were afraid their children might incur physical or even fatal harm from being forced to integrate still had the freedom to homeschool; the same goes for parents who were racist and did not wish their children to interact with children of "lesser" races. While the government pushed the issue of freedom of all people to attend all public schools, it could not make it mandatory for every child to attend a public school (rather than being homeschooled, or attending private or church school) and risk physical injury or worse.

Body Paragraph 2 (Opposing perspective) (5-7 sentences)

Same as above, except with another perspective you disagree with/don't entirely agree with. Make sure to use transition words so that the change of topic (from the previous perspective) isn't abrupt or unexpected.

To make your example of the Spanish Inquisition less unexpected, make sure to use transitions.

As of September 2016, the ACT no longer requires you to discuss all three perspectives in your essay; instead, you need only "clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective."

If you've chosen only to discuss the relationship between your perspective and one other perspective, then this second body paragraph is optional . However, if you're limiting your analysis to one other perspective , then in order to fully explore the relationship between this other perspective and your own point of view you'll most likely need a second paragraph . In that case, this body paragraph should be similar in structure to the previous body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 3 (Your perspective) (5-7 sentences)

Acknowledge the value of the other perspective(s) you discussed, but affirm that your perspective is the truest one (1-2 sentences).

As can be seen from the examples above, sometimes the greater good means individual freedom is more important than personal health. For the most part, however, allowing individual behavior to harm others damages both freedom and health.

Provide one final example of why this perspective is true (3-5 sentences).

Some parents worry that vaccines contain toxic chemicals and so have fought for the right to not vaccinate their children against once deadly diseases like measles. By being allowed this freedom, however, these parents are not only putting their children at risk of catching these virulent diseases, but are risking the life of anyone with a compromised immune system who comes into contact with a non-vaccinated child. The results of the anti-vaccination movement can be seen in cases like the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland and the mumps outbreak at a New York City daycare company; both of these outbreaks unfortunately led to fatalities. When the health risks caused by personal freedom reach life-and-death stakes, it is necessary to restrict individual freedom in favor of freedom to avoid preventable health risks.

Sample Body Paragraph (Your Perspective):

As can be seen from the examples above, sometimes the greater good means individual freedom is more important than personal health. For the most part, however, allowing individual behavior to harm others damages both freedom and health. Some parents worry that vaccines contain toxic chemicals and so have fought for the right to not vaccinate their children against once deadly diseases like measles. By being allowed this freedom, however, these parents are not only putting their children at risk of catching these virulent diseases, but are risking the life of anyone with a compromised immune system who comes into contact with a non-vaccinated child. The results of the anti-vaccination movement can be seen in cases like the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland and the mumps outbreak at a New York City daycare company; both of these outbreaks unfortunately led to fatalities. When the health risks caused by personal freedom reach life-and-death stakes, it is necessary to restrict individual freedom in favor of freedom to avoid preventable health risks.

Conclusion (1-2 sentences)

Transition into restating your thesis, using different words (1-2 sentences).

Sample ACT Essay conclusion:

America was built on the idea that there is a fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—in that order. When individual behavior puts others' lives at risk, it must be curtailed.

Putting Your Essay Together

Here is my final ACT essay template (excluding the second body paragraph):

[Body paragraph two on the other opposing perspective would go here]

Even though there are some minor grammatical issues in this essay, because they don't significantly affect the readability of the essay they don't matter. There are also some factual inaccuracies in this essay (as far as I know, there haven't been any reports of a mumps outbreak in NYC daycare facilities), but that doesn't matter for the ACT as long as the facts are persuasive and make sense in the context of the essay . Adding false information about a mumps outbreak added to the persuasive impact of the essay, so I put it in, whereas I couldn't figure out a way to work dinosaurs into this essay, and so they were not included.

Next essay, my velociraptor friend. Next essay.

How Do You Write Essays In This Format?

Now that you have a structural template for your ACT essay, how and when do you use it?

An essay template is most helpful during the planning phase of your essay. Whether you're writing a practice essay or taking the test for real, it's important to take the time to plan out your essay before you start writing. I personally believe 8-10 minutes is a good amount of planning time to start out with, although you may get faster at planning as you practice, leaving more time for writing and revising.

It might be tempting to leave out this planning stage so that you have more time to read the prompt or write. Don't fall into this trap! If you don't take the time to plan, you run the risk of writing a disorganized essay that doesn't really support your argument or omits how one of the other perspectives relates to yours. If you're struggling with decoding the prompts, be sure to read my article on how to attack ACT Writing prompts ; it'll help you break down every ACT Writing prompt so that you can extract the information you need to write your essay.

In addition to using this essay template when you're planning out your essay, you also need to make sure you practice writing this kind of essay before you take the real ACT Plus Writing. Don't expect to just memorize this outline and be good to go on test day—you'll need to practice putting the template to good use. Practice with as many ACT Writing prompts as you can—our complete guide to ACT Writing prompts will get you started.

ACT Essay Format: A Quick Recap

Remember, your essay should be in the following format:

• Your point of view on the essay topic (easiest to choose one of the three perspectives the ACT gives you).
• Reason why it's true (with reasoning or examples for support)
• Reason why it's not as true as your perspective (with reasoning or examples for support)
• One last reason why your perspective is true (with reasoning or examples for support).
• Conclusion (with your thesis restated)—1-2 sentences

What's Next?

Want to learn more about how to write a top-scoring ACT essay? Watch as I construct an ACT essay, step-by-step .

Looking to put the icing on your ACT essay cake? Check out our top 15 ACT Writing tips and strategies .

Wondering how much you have to write to do well on ACT Writing? Read this article on essay length and your ACT Writing score .

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Biden said he needed Congress' help to 'shut down the border.' Now he's doing it anyway.

WASHINGTON − With Congress in gridlock and his reelection in question, President Joe Biden is leaning on executive powers to curb migration his administration had insisted he did not have.

Biden said he was driven to action by a worldwide migrant crisis that could result in an unlimited number of people trying to enter the country.

"The goodwill of the American people is wearing thin right now," Biden said Tuesday in an address from the East Room of the White House. "Doing nothing is not an option. We have to act."

Biden issue d a dire ctive Tuesday that compels the U.S. to turn away migrants who do not enter the country through legal ports of entry anytime unlawful crossings hit an average of 2,500 people a day in a given week. The temporary measures take effect immediately and will remain in place until such crossings dip below an average of 1,500 people a day.

The Democratic president backed a failed bipartisan measure earlier in the year that would have authorized him to put similar restrictions in place.

Endorsing it, Biden said: "It’ll also give me, as president, the emergency authority to shut down the border until it could get back under control. If that bill were the law today, I’d shut down the border right now and fix it quickly.”

But with Congress frozen in place, Biden said Tuesday that he would act alone, using the same authority that former President Donald Trump once relied on to restrict immigration to the United States.

"Frankly, I would have preferred to address this issue through bipartisan legislation, because that's the only way to actually get the kind of system we have now fixed," he said. "But Republicans have left me no choice."

Biden has for months been looking for measures his administration thought would stand up in court. His administration began to soften its stance in recent weeks on what that could look like.

Senior administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the announcement said the change is meant to deter migration to the southern border. In the current fiscal year, U.S. Border Patrol has reported more than 1.5 million encounters and apprehensions.

"This action will help us gain control of our border, restore order to our process," Biden said later. "This ban will remain in place until the number of people trying to enter illegally is reduced to a level that our system can effectively manage."

Asylum will still be available to migrants who seek it through the established legal pathways, Biden said.

Republican lawmakers reacted to the anticipated announcement by asking why Biden did not take the action earlier. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that executive action by Biden would be "too little, too late" and accused him of exacerbating the problems at the border with his policies.

“The only reason he’s doing that is because the polls say that it’s the biggest issue in America. Every state’s a border state,” Johnson said on "Fox News Sunday."

The order comes as polling shows immigration is a top issue for voters in the November election and as Biden is tied with or trailing Trump in key states.

In rolling out Biden's new measures Tuesday, the White House criticized congressional Republicans for blocking bipartisan congressional legislation that would have overhauled the immigration code.

Trump used the same legal authority to enact a travel ban on Muslim-majority nations when he was president. Biden reversed it when he took office.

A senior administration officials said the new actions differ from Trump's because they apply only when encounters are unexpectedly high and they apply evenly all migrants who enter the country without permission. There are also narrow humanitarian exceptions for migrants facing acute medical emergencies and extreme threats to their safety, the official said.

Biden visited the border on the sam e day as Trump in February. He traveled to El Paso, Texas, the previous January.

Drawing a distinction with Trump in his speech Tuesday, Biden said he would not "demonize" immigrants or ban people from the country "because of their religious beliefs."

"I will never refer to immigrants as poisoning the blood of a country," he said.

Biden said he worked closely with outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on his immigration actions and hopes to continue that cooperation with incoming President Claudia Sheinbaum. He said he spoke to both on the phone this week.

He said his order is not a replacement for congressional action and legislation is still needed to pay for more asylum officers, border patrol agents and drug detection machines.

Biden's order is expected to face legal challenges.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, the Democratic negotiator on the Senate border legislation that failed twice in the upper chamber, told reporters Tuesday that Biden's executive order is a "pretty extraordinary exercise of executive power" and that it will probably be overturned in the courts. 

"My belief from the beginning has been that you need legislation in order to shut down the border absent a public health emergency, and I think that's probably what the courts will conclude."

At the White House after the president's event, Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told reporters that while the order would surely wind up in court, Biden's administration had aggressively vetted the measure.

"We were assured that they've thought it through, as to how to pass legal muster," he said.

In a statement, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., levied heavy criticism on Biden. Padilla said the order would not fix the problems at the border and would lead to migrants with legitimate asylum claims being turned away.

“By reviving Trump’s asylum ban, President Biden has undermined American values and abandoned our nation’s obligations to provide people fleeing persecution, violence, and authoritarianism with an opportunity to seek refuge in the U.S.," he said.

Contributing: Riley Beggin

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ACT Test Day

Everything you need to know for the day of the test., what to bring on test day.

Prepare for test day by knowing what to bring and what to leave at home! 

Bring This, Not That

Admission Ticket Print a copy of your admission ticket to bring to the test center. Your ticket contains important registration match information or your online launch code.

Once you have uploaded your photo , you can print your admission ticket in MyACT .

Acceptable Photo identification  Acceptable photo identificatio n is required to be admitted to the test center. You will not be admitted to test if your ID does not meet ACT requirements.

Number 2 pencil 

Bring sharpened, No. 2 pencils with good erasers (no mechanical pencils or ink pens). Do not bring any other writing instruments; you will not be allowed to use them. 

Watch or Other Timing Device You may bring a watch, timer, or stopwatch to pace yourself during testing, but it may not have an alarm. Your watch or other timing device must be removed and placed on your desk while in the test room, so that it remains visible to staff during the test. If an alarm sounds, you’ll be dismissed and your test will not be scored.

Calculator  Bring a  permitted calculator  to be used on the mathematics test only. You are not required to use a calculator at all, but if you do, it is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted.

Snacks You may bring a snack to eat outside the testing room during break.

Don't bring any of these; you can't access them:

• Textbooks, foreign language or other dictionaries, scratch paper, notes, or other aids
• Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, or correction fluid/tape
• Any electronic device, other than a permitted calculator and acceptable watch or timing device
• Reading material
• Tobacco in any form

Prohibited devices

The prohibited use of devices is in effect from the time you are admitted to your testing room until you are dismissed at the end of the test, including break times. Specifically: 

• You may not handle or access a cell phone or electronic device at any time in the testing room or during break times. This includes smart watches, fitness bands, and any other devices with recording, Wi-Fi, internet, or communication capabilities.
• All devices, including cell phones and wearable devices, must be turned off and placed out of sight.
• If you access your device or it activates or alarms in the testing room or during break times, you will be dismissed, your test will not be scored, and your phone or device may be taken away.

Calculator Policy

The ACT calculator policy is designed to ensure fairness for all examinees, avoid disturbances in the testing room, and protect the security of the test materials.

ACT recommends bringing a permitted calculator you are familiar with to be used on the mathematics test only. If you test online, a calculator is available in the test platform, but you may still bring a calculator to use. It is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted.

CAS Calculator FAQs

Acceptable Forms of ID

Current official photo id.

Must be an original, current (valid) ID issued by a city/state/federal government agency or your school.

ID must be in hard plastic card format. Paper or electronic formats are NOT acceptable.

You must use the name on your ID to register to test and the photo ID must be clearly recognizable as you.

ACT Student Identification Form with photo 

You MUST present this ACT Student Identification Form (PDF) with photo if you do not have a current official photo ID as described above. This document must be fully completed by a school official or notary public; neither may be a relative.

Unacceptable Forms of ID

You will not be admitted to test if you present any forms of ID other than those listed as acceptable. The following are examples of unacceptable identification:

• ACT ticket alone
• Birth certificate
• ChildFind ID card
• Credit, charge, bank or check cashing cards, even with photo
• Family portrait or graduation picture, even if the name is imprinted on the photo
• Fishing or hunting license
• ID issued by an employer
• ID letter that is not an official ACT identification form
• Learner's driving permit (if it doesn't include a photo)
• Temporary/replacement driver's license (if it doesn't include a photo)
• Organization membership card
• Passport or other photo ID so old that the person presenting it cannot be identified
• Personal recognition by anyone, including members of the test center staff, classmates, parents, counselors, and teachers
• Photo ID of parents
• Photo with your name embossed or printed on it by a photographer
• Photocopies or reproductions
• Photos issued by a business for promotional purposes (e.g., amusement parks)
• Police report of a stolen wallet or purse
• Printed, stamped, or photocopied signatures
• Published photo, including yearbook or newspaper
• Report card
• Social Security card
• Telephone calls to counselors, teachers, or school officials
• Traffic ticket, even with a physical description and signature
• Transcript, even with photo
• Web page with photo

How Long Does the ACT Take?

The ACT consists of four multiple-choice tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science. The four multiple-choice sections contain 215 questions and take 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete. After the mathematics test, You will be given a 15-minute break.

If you take the optional writing test you will have 40 minutes to complete the essay and will receive an additional 5-minute break before the writing portion begins. 

How Long is Each Section of the ACT?

Each section of the ACT varies in length and number of questions. The  sections are designed to measure skills that are most important for success in postsecondary education and that are acquired in secondary education. 

Here is a breakdown of each section of the ACT: 

Your scores will be based only on the number of questions that you answer correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Try to answer every question within the time limit allowed for each section. Keep in mind the optional writing test will not affect your composite score. 

What to Expect on Test Day

What time does the act start.

We know test day can be stressful, so we recommend giving yourself plenty of time. Plan to arrive at the test center no later than 8:00 a.m. As you arrive, testing staff will confirm your registration against your ID, and assign you to your designated seat in a test room. You will NOT be admitted to the test if you are late .

Plan for your Test Morning

• Dress comfortably. Consider dressing in layers, so you'll be comfortable.
• If you're unsure where your test center is located, do a practice run to see how to get there and what time you'll need to leave.
• If possible, travel to the test center on a non-test day to plan your travel time.

Arriving at the Test Center

• Testing staff will check your photo ID during check-in. Be ready to begin testing after all on-time examinees are checked in.
• Please note that ACT may visit test centers to conduct enhanced test security procedures. Testing staff may use an electronic device or paper materials to administer the test. 

During the Test

• Once you break the seal on your test booklet, or use your launch code, you cannot request a Test Date Change, even if you do not complete all your tests.
• A permitted calculator may be used on the mathematics test only. It is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted. Please refer to the ACT Calculator Policy (PDF).
• During your registration process, you will agree to the ACT Terms and Conditions, which contains detailed information about prohibited behavior. On test day, you will once again be asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions.

Taking a Break 

• A short break is scheduled after the second test. Using cell phones or any electronic devices during the break is prohibited . You may eat or drink outside the test room during the break.
• If you take the ACT with writing, you will have a five minute before the writing test to relax and sharpen your pencils.

Finishing Up 

• After the science test you should expect to take a shorter, multiple-choice test covering one of the previous subject areas. The results of the fifth test help develop future test questions and will not be reflected on your scores, so please try your best.
• If you do not want your test to be scored, you must tell a member of the testing staff before you leave the test center. If you do not, your test will be scored. 

What time does the ACT end?

If you take the ACT (no writing) you will finish around 12:35 p.m. If you take the ACT with writing you will typically finish at about 1:35 p.m.

Additional Reminders

• Please note that ACT may visit test centers to conduct enhanced test security procedures including, but not limited to, collecting images of examinees during check-in or other security activities on test day.
• Also remember that cheating hurts everyone. If you see it, report it .

Unexpected Changes

Missed your test date.

Once you have submitted your registration to ACT, by any method, it cannot be canceled. For more information see  Registration Changes .

Occasionally, a test center must cancel a test administration due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. When this occurs, the test will be rescheduled for a future date. Visit  Rescheduled Test Centers  to find out if your test center has been rescheduled and for more information about procedures.

Unexpected Registration Changes

Infrequently, ACT may be notified by the test center of a change that could unexpectedly affect your registration. We do our best to minimize the impact to your test experience, however, we may have to update your testing location or update your test format between paper and online testing to ensure your ability to test.

If a change must be made to your registration, an email will be sent to notify you.

ACT Test Security  

You’ve worked hard to prepare for the ACT, and that’s a big deal. We’re also working hard to ensure everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic achievement.  

Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center

To ensure fairness for all examinees, avoid disturbances in the testing room, and protect the security of the test materials, certain behaviors are prohibited at the test center. You will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored if you are found engaging in any of these behaviors. For more information view the  Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center section of the Terms and Conditions (PDF) .

Report Cheating

Cheating hurts everyone– if you see it, report it through the  Test Security Hotline .

Students who don't do their own work put honest students at a disadvantage. Whether it's using a cheat sheet, copying someone else's work, or sending another person to take the test, we all feel cheated when someone tries to game the system.  

Everyone deserves the chance to show what they have learned. ACT has designed its testing procedures to give everyone an equal opportunity to demonstrate your own academic achievement on a fair and equal playing field.  

If you suspect that someone is trying to take unfair advantages or encounter anything else out of the ordinary, please report it to ACT. You can make an anonymous report about test security concerns by using the Test Security Hotline .

Keep the ACT fair. Report cheating and comply with all testing rules.  

Security Measures

We regularly review preventive measures to ensure every reasonable effort is made to deter and detect potential compromises to test security, while still enabling the greatest possible access for students. Our security measures include:  

• Students upload or otherwise submit (via ACT website, mobile device, or mail) a recognizable head-and-shoulders photo of themselves when registering for the ACT  
• In addition to submitting a photo, students must provide ACT with their gender and identify the name of the high school they attend. ACT will use this information to help match the examinee’s identity throughout the testing process. 
• The student's photo is printed on the examinee roster that testing staff use to check in students on test day.  
• The photo prints on the student's ticket. In addition to their ticket, students bring and present an acceptable photo ID on test day. 
• On test day, test center staff match the name and photo on the student’s ticket, the test center roster, and the student’s photo ID to the student who arrives to take the test before granting the student admission.  
• Both before and after testing, students provide written affirmation that they are the person whose name appears on the test booklet and answer sheet which they have submitted. They also acknowledge that assuming anyone else’s identity to take the test may be a violation of law and be subject to legal penalty.  
• ACT may visit test centers to conduct additional test security measures on test day, such as collecting images of examinees during check-in and/or other security activities.  
• After tests have been scored, the student’s photo will be printed on the score report that is automatically sent to the high school attended by the student. Score integrity can then be reinforced by the people who know the students best—the teachers and counselors at their schools.  
• To deter attempts to circumvent these procedures, students (including those who hope to test on a standby basis) will be required to register their intent to test and will not be allowed to make any test center or test date changes on the day of the test.   

Why We Do This  

Our test security procedures are designed to ensure that examinees have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic achievement and skills, that examinees who do their own work are not unfairly disadvantaged by examinees who do not, and that scores reported for each examinee are valid. 

Related Information

Can Scores be Cancelled?

Terms and Conditions - Compromises/Disruptions in the Testing Process (PDF)

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Guest Essay

Trump’s Third Act? American Gangster.

By Samuel Earle

Mr. Earle is the author of “Tory Nation: How One Party Took Over.”

In recent months, Donald Trump has been trying out a new routine. At rallies and town halls across the country, he compares himself to Al Capone. “He was seriously tough, right?” Mr. Trump told a rally in Iowa in October , in an early rendition of the act. But “he was only indicted one time; I’ve been indicted four times.” (Capone was, in fact, indicted at least six times.) The implication is not just that Mr. Trump is being unfairly persecuted but also that he is four times as tough as Capone. “If you looked at him in the wrong way,” Mr. Trump explained, “he blew your brains out."

Mr. Trump’s eagerness to invoke Capone reflects an important shift in the image he wants to project to the world. In 2016, Mr. Trump played the reality TV star and businessman who would shake up politics, shock and entertain. In 2020, Mr. Trump was the strongman, desperately trying to hold on to power by whatever means possible. In 2024, Mr. Trump is in his third act: the American gangster, heir to Al Capone — besieged by the authorities, charged with countless egregious felonies but surviving and thriving nonetheless, with an air of macho invincibility.

The evidence of Mr. Trump’s mobster pivot is everywhere. He rants endlessly about his legal cases in his stump speeches. On Truth Social, he boasts about having a bigger team of lawyers “than any human being in the history of our Country, including even the late great gangster, Alphonse Capone!” His team has used his mug shot — taken after he was indicted on a charge of racketeering in August — on T-shirts, mugs, Christmas wrapping, bumper stickers, beer coolers and even NFTs. They’ve sold off parts of the blue suit he was wearing in that now-infamous photo for more than $4,000 a piece (it came with a dinner with Mr. Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort).

Commentators have long pointed out that Mr. Trump behaves like a mob boss: The way he demands loyalty from his followers, lashes out at rivals, bullies authorities and flaunts his impunity are all reminiscent of the wiseguys Americans know so well from movies and television. As a real-estate mogul in New York, he seems to have relished working with mobsters and learned their vernacular before bringing their methods into the White House: telling James Comey, “I expect loyalty”; imploring Volodymyr Zelensky, “Do us a favor”; and pressuring Georgia’s secretary of state, “Fellas, I need 11,000 votes.” But before, he downplayed the mobster act in public. Now he actively courts the comparison.

Mr. Trump’s audacious embrace of a criminal persona flies in the face of conventional wisdom. When Richard Nixon told the American public, “I am not a crook,” the underlying assumption was that voters would not want a crook in the White House. Mr. Trump is testing this assumption. It’s a canny piece of marketing. A violent mobster and a self-mythologizing millionaire, Capone sanitized his crimes by cultivating an aura of celebrity and bravery, grounded in distrust of the state and a narrative of unfair persecution. The public lapped it up. “Everybody sympathizes with him,” Vanity Fair noted of Capone in 1931, as the authorities closed in on him. “Al has made murder a popular amusement.” In similar fashion, Mr. Trump tries to turn his indictments into amusement, inviting his supporters to play along. “They’re not after me, they’re after you — I’m just standing in the way!” he says, a line that greets visitors to his website, as well.

Mr. Trump clearly hopes that his Al Capone act will offer at least some cover from the four indictments he faces. And there is a twisted logic to what he is doing: By adopting the guise of the gangster, he is able to recast his lawbreaking as vigilante justice — a subversive attempt to preserve order and peace — and transform himself into a folk hero. Partly thanks to this framing, it seems unlikely that a criminal conviction will topple his candidacy: not only because Mr. Trump has already taken so many other scandals in his stride but also because, as Capone shows, the convicted criminal can be as much an American icon as the cowboy and the frontiersman. In this campaign, Mr. Trump’s mug shot is his message — and the repeated references to Al Capone are there for anyone who needs it spelled out.

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