Here’s what You Need to know.
There are two fundamental changes being made to the ACT that the folks behind the exam hope will meet the needs of future students and educators, and do a better job of highlighting students’ strengths.
The science exam is now optional.
Students will now have the option to take the science section. The science section joins the already-optional writing section, while English, reading, and math remain as the core sections of the exam. The test-makers hope this choice gives students the opportunity to focus solely on the core subjects. There are now four test combinations to choose from:
- ACT
- ACT + Science
- ACT + Writing
- ACT + Science + Writing
The test is shorter.
The core test will now take two hours to complete instead of three, having been reduced by roughly 1/3 in length. To achieve this reduction, they’ve made the passages shorter in the English and reading sections, and limited the number of questions per section to 44.
While the composite score for the ACT will now be the average of just the English, reading, and math, the scoring scale remains the same. The composite scores, the writing section, and the science section scores will each continue to use the 1-36 scale.
When can I expect these changes?
- Starting in April 2025, students who take the test online will have the choice in sections, the shorter test, and more time to respond to each question.
- Beginning with the September 2025 test, all students –regardless of them taking it online or on paper– will see these changes.