In July 2024, ACT CEO Janet Godwin published news on the evolution of the ACT—a test that has historically been slow to execute test changes, but reliable in its consistency.
The test enhancements described below will apply to only the digital version of the ACT starting in April 2025, then will apply to all tests—both paper and digital—in September 2025. So the April, June, and July 2025 test dates will allow students to choose between the current paper test or the ‘enhanced’ digital test. (School-day ACT tests will not shift to the enhanced format until April 2026.)
Current Test
| Time per question | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 75 questions | 45 min | 36 sec |
| Math | 60 questions | 60 min | 60 sec |
| Reading | 40 questions | 35 min | 53 sec |
| Science | 40 questions | 35 min | 53 sec |
| 5th Test (experimental questions) | 12-28 questions | 20 min | |
| Writing | 1 essay | 40 min |
Enhanced Test
| Time per question | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 50 questions | 35 min | 42 sec |
| Math | 45 questions | 50 min | 67 sec |
| Reading | 36 questions | 40 min | 67 sec |
| Science | 40 questions | 40 min | 60 sec |
| Writing | 1 essay | 40 min |
(Students with testing accommodations can view extended time for each section on the ACT Sample Questions webpage.)
Additionally, ACT is dissolving the ‘5th test’ containing experimental items. Instead, each of the four sections will contain unscored questions.
ACT listed other structural changes as well: shorter passages in English and Reading; adding an argumentative essay to English; reducing the number of answer choices in Math from five to four, and limiting problems’ word count; and ensuring at least one Science passage features engineering and design topics.
ACT has maintained that even with these changes, the difficulty of the test will not be affected. After conducting a pilot study of a similarly adjusted format this past June, ACT claimed that student performances on the new test align closely with those on the current format (within approximately 0.1 points of the old scores).
In 2005, ACT made their Writing section optional; they’re following the same flexibility with the Science section in 2025. English, Math, and Reading—considered ‘core’ sections—will remain required components. For any test date, students will be able to choose whether they will include Science, Writing, or both.
Each of the four sections will remain on a 1-36 scoring scale, but students’ composite scores will be calculated as the average of their English, Reading, and Math scores (also known as an EMR score). Science will display as an additional section score—similar to the current reporting system for Writing scores. Students will still receive a STEM score, the average of their Math and Science (if taken) sections.
The 2023-2024 school year marked a change from ACT’s previously-consistent TIR schedule: September, April, and June tests were released rather than their typical December, April, and June. For the 2024-2025 school year, the TIR was offered in September, December, and February.
ACT has confirmed that students taking the enhanced digital test will still have the option to purchase the TIR, and that changing the look and feel of the TIR is not in their plans. But with format changes starting in April, a historically TIR date, may mean some unexpected changes.
As a side note, among the many changes College Board made with their new, digital SAT was no longer offering their equivalent to ACT’s TIR, the Question and Answer Service (QAS). But this is likely because the new SAT is section-adaptive, and we have no reason to believe the ACT is switching to an adaptive format as well.
Create a test prep timeline now so that you finish testing by the July 2025 ACT. This ensures you’ll have completed your test prep journey before the paper test changes in September 2025.
If you’re in the Class of 2027 and haven’t started ACT prep yet, plan to take the new, shorter version. We will be adding numerous weekly mock ACTs that reflect the new changes in late January, when ACT releases additional materials.
The ability to write on the Math and Science sections is invaluable to a student’s score. Scrolling up and down to read English and Reading passages is a nuisance. And, there are extremely limited practice materials available that reflect the new digital format!
ACT’s intention in making a section optional is to add flexibility. But even the Writing section is not entirely optional—many colleges use it to determine freshman English course placements. Likewise, many competitive programs will require students to submit a Science score from at least one of their test attempts in order to inform class placement and scholarship amounts.
The odds that a student’s college list of 10-12 universities where none recommend or require a Science section is incredibly low. And unfortunately, many test-optional schools may not publish updated policies until after most students have already finished testing. We shudder to think of the phone calls we will have next year where a student opted out of taking the Science section, only to find out months later they have to study and retake the test!
See our study on which universities are requiring Science scores at www.isscienceoptional.com!
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