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Key Changes
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Snapshot of ACT Changes
Important Reminders
Curious about the upcoming changes to the ACT? This post covers everything you need to know. Learn about the shift to a shorter test, the optional science section, and how these updates will impact your test-taking strategy, test-day experience, and how tests are scored. Whether you're preparing for college admissions or just staying informed, this guide will get you quickly up to speed on what's changing, and what's not, as the new ACT rolls out in 2025.
Big news for college-bound students: ACT.org has announced significant changes to the ACT test, following in the tracks of a recent overhaul of the SAT by the College Board. The SAT went fully digital and was shortened by a third, and now the ACT is making its own adjustments.
Starting in spring 2025 for national online testing and spring 2026 for school-day testing, the ACT will undergo two major changes:
Currently, the ACT consists of four sections: English, reading, math, and science. The Composite Score is the average of these four sections. With the new changes, the science test will become optional, similar to the existing optional writing test.
The ACT will also be shortened by about one-third, reducing the test time from 3 hours to approximately 2 hours. This change aims to make the test more manageable and less fatiguing for students.
All of this means that after the changes students will have a shorter overall test and also more time per question, slowing the pace of the ACT, known for its stringent time constraints, and bringing the ACT more on par with the SAT in this regard.
The table below captures all the key changes you can expect based on the ACT's recent announcements.
Before | After | |
---|---|---|
Required Tests | English, reading, math, science | English, reading, math |
Optional Tests | Writing | Writing, science |
Length of Test Session | ~3 hours | ~2 hours |
Time Per Question | Less time per question | More time per question |
Scoring | Composite Score based on average of English, reading, math, science scores Scale from 1–to–36 | Composite Score based on average of English, reading, math scores Scale from 1–to–36 |
Format | Option to take pen and paper ACT -OR- digital ACT Paper and digital versions are the same | No change |
Test Registration Fees | ACT without writing: $69 ACT with writing: $94 | ACT without writing and without science: may cost less |
The new ACT format will roll out in two phases:
Have more questions about the ACT? Check out these resources from our Crimson experts:
What Is the ACT? Key Insights for College Admissions
Take the ACT? 6 Important Reasons Why You Should
What Is a Good ACT Score for Top Universities in 2024?
How Many Times Can You Take the ACT? Tips for Retakes, Score Reporting, Scheduling, and More
Free Online Mini-ACT Practice Test
Have more questions about college admissions? Our Crimson experts have the answers.
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Changes to the ACT are coming, but now you're ahead of the game. Designed to make the ACT more flexible and less stressful, the changes will also put the ACT on a more comparable footing, format-wise, with its rival standardized test the SAT.
Be sure to consider the anticipated ACT changes and implementation timeline as you craft and adjust your own test prep strategy, and stay tuned for more updates.
When you're ready to find out more about online ACT tutoring or what ACT score range to aim for, the Crimson network is here for you!
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