The SAT went through some big changes in the past few years, becoming digital, adaptive and shorter and now major changes are coming to the ACT.
The ACT will be shorter
According to a new statement released by the ACT, the test will be changing in two fundamental ways. First, it will be approximately one-third shorter, so that the new core test will run about 2 hours rather than the previous 3 hours. In order to shorten the test passages on the reading and English section will be reduced and there will be 44 fewer questions.
The Science section will no longer be required
In addition, English, reading and math will remain as required sections but the science section, which has always been a required section of the test will now become optional like the optional writing section. Janet Goodwin, CEO of the ACT, explains,
English, reading, and math remain as the core sections of the ACT test that will result in a college-reportable score. Like the writing section, science will be offered as an additional section.
This means students can choose to take the ACT, the ACT plus science, the ACT plus writing, or the ACT plus science and writing. With this flexibility, students can focus on their strengths and showcase their abilities in the best possible way. The Composite score will be the average of the English, reading, and math scores.
janet godwin, ceo of the act
These changes will become effective starting with National online testing in spring 2025 and then for school-day testing in spring 2026. The score totals will still be reported on the 1-36 scale. But unlike the SAT, this new ACT is not adaptive.
What will these changes mean on the actual test?
Students will have significanly more time per question on every section of the test. The ACT was long known as a test where a students ability to work quickly could have an impact on their score. There will be less time pressure now.
According to Dr. Jed Applerouth, founder and president of Applerouth Testing, in the June pilot ACT,
…the English section shaved off 25 questions and 10 minutes, while the Math section decreased by 15 questions and 10 minutes. The Reading section dropped only 4 questions and added 5 minutes, while the Science section maintained its 40 questions and added five minutes.
These changes will make the ACT a significantly less time-pressured assessment especially on the Reading and Science sections where students will have 27% and 29% more time per question respectively.
Dr. Jed Applerouth
In explaining why these changes are necessary Goodwin explains,
These changes to the ACT test reflect our commitment to continually evolving to meet the needs of learners and underscore our legacy of innovation that has been at the core of ACT’s mission since 1959.
Janet Godwin, Ceo ACT
Finally, the ACT says there will be addition modernizing features, but what those will be is unclear.
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