Colleges that Require the ACT Writing Test

If you're trying to decide whether you should take the ACT with Writing or just the regular ACT, the list below can help. It includes all of the colleges and universities in the 50 United States that require the ACT writing section. Realize, however, that there are hundreds of colleges that "recommend" the ACT Plus Writing even if they don't require it. Unless you know that the schools to which you are applying don't care about the writing section, it may be wise to spend the extra half an hour and $16.00 to take the ACT Plus Writing.

The schools that require the ACT Writing Test range from elite Ivy League schools to small unaccredited colleges that you probably haven't heard of. I've listed the schools by state.

The schools on the list were identified using ACT's search tool. Colleges change their requirements frequently, so be sure to double-check with the schools for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

You can click on a school's name to get more information including acceptance rates and typical ACT and SAT scores for admitted students.

Note that the number of colleges requiring the ACT with Writing has gone done by a couple dozen schools after the SAT dropped the required writing section from its exam in March of 2016. Some schools had required the ACT Writing Test to put the SAT and ACT on equal footing--students taking either exam would need to take the writing test. Now that writing is optional for the SAT, many schools have decided to make it optional for both exams.

Alabama

Auburn University
University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa ('Bama, UA, Alabama)

Alaska

None

Arizona

None

Arkansas

None

California

California Institute of Technology
Chapman University
Claremont McKenna College
Golden State Baptist College
Harvey Mudd College
Occidental College
Patten University
Scripps College
Soka University of America
Stanford University
University of California at Berkeley (Berkeley)
University of California at Davis (UC Davis)
University of California at Irvine (UC Irvine)
University of California at Los Angelos (UCLA)
University of California at Merced (UCM)
University of California at Riverside (UCR)
University of California at San Diego (UCSD)
University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)
University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC)
University of La Verne
University of San Diego
Westmont College
Whittier College

Colorado

None

Connecticut

Coast Guard Academy (USCGA)
University of Connecticut at Storrs (UConn)
Yale University

Delaware

Delaware State University
University of Delaware (UD)

District of Columbia

Gallaudet University

Florida

Florida A&M (FAMU)
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
Florida International University (FIU)
Florida State University
Trinity Baptist College
University of Central Florida (UCF)
University of Miami
University of North Florida
University of South Florida at Tampa
University of West Florida

Georgia

Berry College
Emory University
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
Life University
Morris Brown College

Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Idaho

None

Illinois

Morthland College
Northwestern University
Principia College
St. Joseph College Seminary
VanderCook College of Music

Indiana

Fairhaven College
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW)
Indiana University East
University of Evansville

Iowa

None

Kansas

None

Kentucky

Louisville Bible College

Louisiana

None

Maine

None

Maryland

Towson University
Washington Adventist University

Massachusetts

Atlantic Union College
Babson College
Boston College
Brandeis University
Emerson College
Gordon College
Harvard University
Northeastern University
Olin College of Engineering
Springfield College
Suffolk University
Wellesley College (photo tour)

Michigan

College for Creative Studies
Michigan State University
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Minnesota

Martin Luther College
University of Minnesota, Morris
University of Minnesota, Rochester

Mississippi

None

Missouri

College of the Ozarks
Evangel University
Urshan College

Montana

University of Montana-Western

Nebraska

None

Nevada

None

New Hampshire

Dartmouth College
UNH, University of New Hampshire (Durham)

New Jersey

Caldwell College
Princeton University
Seton Hall University

New Mexico

None

New York

Concordia College
Five Towns College
Fordham University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)
LIM College
List College (Jewish Theological Seminary of America)
Maritime College (SUNY)
Molloy College
Old Westbury (SUNY)
Pratt Institute
Siena College
Stony Brook University (SUNY)
Syracuse University
University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)
Vassar College
West Point (United States Military Academy)

North Carolina

Duke University
Elizabeth City State University
Elon University
Fayetteville State University
Mars Hill University
North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
Queens University of Charlotte
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA)
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW)
Western Carolina University
Winston-Salem State University

North Dakota

None

Ohio

Case Western Reserve University
God’s Bible School and College
Lake Erie College
University of Toledo

Oklahoma

None

Oregon

Oregon State University
Portland State University
Western Oregon University (WOU)

Pennsylvania

Arcadia University
Delaware Valley College
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Muhlenberg College
University of Pittsburgh (Pitt)
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Villanova University
York College of Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Brown University
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

South Carolina

Clemson University
University of South Carolina at Columbia (USC)
Wofford College

South Dakota

None

Tennessee

Vanderbilt University

Texas

Hardin-Simmons University
Midwestern State University
Paul Quinn College
Southwest School of Art
St. Edward's University
Stephen F. Austin State University
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M at College Station
Texas State University
University of Dallas
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
University of St. Thomas
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)

Utah

None

Vermont

Saint Michael's College

Virginia

University of Virginia at Charlottesville
Washington and Lee University

Washington

University of Washington Tacoma

West Virginia

West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University

Wisconsin

None

Wyoming

Wyoming Catholic College