Worried about the new writing section of the SATs? Anecdotal evidence suggests that there's considerable angst among the collegebound crowd over the new, longer test's requirement to produce a fully crafted argument in 25 minutes flat. But before you get too frazzled, check to see how the colleges that interest you will use the writing section. At least for now, many won't.

"It's simple. Don't stress out about these new scores," says Jim Rawlins, assistant director for marketing and recruitment at the University of Washington. His school and many others around the country, according to a Kaplan survey, won't consider the writing scores in their admissions decisions, at least until they know more about how well the scores predict future success. "We're not in a hurry to use them because they just aren't considered useful indicators yet." Even if your schools do plan to consider the results in making admissions or placement decisions, remember that the essay itself accounts for only 25 percent of the writing section score and one ninth of the final score.

Of course, in such cases, a great essay may make a big difference.

"The short essay will represent the student's ability to think logically, to prepare ideas in draft form, and to demonstrate written communication skills," Ann Wright, vice president for enrollment at Rice University, tells U.S. News. She says her admissions department plans to download actual SAT writing samples for candidates who fall at the margins and compare them with application essays, which may be honed by the students or heavily "edited" by parents. What counts to the test scorers is not your grammar or spelling or even your factual accuracy but your ability to take a stand and prove your point with specific examples.

The long and short of testing hasn't changed: Study hard for the SAT, but remember it's only part of the package that colleges consider.

Read Alex Kingsbury's previous columns:

Shelling out the bucks the smart way
Admissions and online courses
The benefits of attending college fairs
Improving your chances of acceptance
Making an early move
Acing Test Prep 101
Shaking the homesick blues
Avoiding senioritis
Visiting campuses