ACT Enhancements

Beginning in April 2025, students who choose to take the ACT online will see an updated format that’s shorter and lets you choose whether to include the science section, allowing for greater flexibility while maintaining the accuracy and reliability colleges rely on. These changes will also apply to the paper-pencil test starting in September 2025. The Composite score will now focus on English, math, and reading, while science scores will be reported separately for those who take it.

These updates ensure colleges can continue making informed admission and scholarship decisions, making your results even more relevant as students take the next steps toward higher education. 

ACT Enhancements PDF

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What's Changing

• Reduced the number of questions overall (44 fewer)

• Reduced the test length. Students can receive their college-reportable Composite score after 125 minutes of testing, rather than up to 195.

• More time per question.

• Reduced the number of answer choices in math questions from five to four.

• Students can now choose to take the ACT National test with or without the science section. State and district customers will choose whether to include the science section with the ACT test for their students.

What's Not Changing

• The ACT scale will remain 1-36 with no changes to ACT benchmarks or state-specific achievement standards.

• Scores from tests taken prior to the rollout of the new Composite score will not change.

• Ability to predict success in first-year college credit-bearing courses will not change.

• Both paper-and-pencil course will continue to be available

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When do these enhancements take effect: 

The changes are expected to take effect starting with the April 2025 test for examinees who choose to test online. The paper test will reflect the enhancements starting in September 2025. Schools and districts will have these options starting in spring 2026.

 

Will ACT Still provide a Superscore? 

Yes.

What if the students still want to take the science section (or writing)?

If a student decides to take the ACT test with science or writing (or both) added, they will remain in the room quietly while others are dismissed. There will be a short break to allow them to get up and stretch their legs, after which they will return to their seat. If a student is taking science, they will need their test booklet and answer sheet. If a student is taking writing, the test administrator will collect their booklet and provide them with writing materials. Both science and writing will be 40 minutes and will be given in the same room. The tests will consist of:

• Science: 40-minute section with 40 questions (around one minute per item) 

• Writing: 40-minute section with one writing prompt 

 

Following the 40-minute session, there will be a short break with materials collection. Anyone who is only taking science in addition to English, math, and reading, and anyone who completed writing, should now be done, and will be dismissed following document collection. Anyone who is taking writing in the second additional 40-minute section will have a short break before beginning the writing portion.  

 

Who should take the science section? 

Students planning to major in science or a STEM field or take science courses in college should consider taking the science section since those who have math and science scores will still receive a STEM score.

 

Is the ACT Composite Score changing? 

Yes. The new ACT Composite score will be calculated using your English, math, and reading scores and will not include the science score. 

 

How will ACT Superscoring work? 

Starting in April 2025, students who choose to take the online ACT test will have their ACT Superscore calculated using the new method incorporating English, math, and reading. For everyone else, this change will happen in September 2025. We'll still show your highest scores for each subject with the test date, but the Composite score will be based on the new English, math and reading calculation.