College professors, administrators, admission officers, and other higher education leaders expect students to arrive at college ready and able to write, as it is among the most critical skills for college success. Knowing when writing is a weakness for a student and when additional instruction or support is needed is essential for advancing students on the path to success in college. Research has also shown that the amount of writing a student does for a course is linked to a student's level of engagement with that course and has a positive impact on measures of critical thinking. This paper presents the results of a small-scale validity study examining relationships between new Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Essay scores and first-semester grades in English and writing courses, as well as first-year grade point average (FYGPA) in college. The sample includes more than 4,500 first-year students across 10 four-year institutions. Results show that there is a positive relationship between the three SAT Essay score dimensions and both first-semester English and writing course grades and FYGPA. These findings provide support for institutions using or considering the use of SAT Essay scores for admission, placement, or advising.