ACT Changes: What Students Need to Know
If you’ve heard that the ACT is changing, you’re not imagining things. With news about updates to testing formats and the rollout of the digital ACT, many students and parents are wondering: Does this change how we should prepare?
The short answer is “not much,” but it will be important for our students to know what’s new so they’re ready on test day.
Old ACT vs. New ACT: What’s Actually Different?
Overall, it’s a much shorter test (in terms of number of questions and total duration). Oh, and they made the science section optional. Here’s a closer look at each section…
English Section
New ACT:
• 50 questions (25 fewer questions than before)
• 35 minutes
• ~42 seconds/question (~6 seconds more per question)
Math Section
New ACT:
• 45 questions (15 fewer questions than before)
• 50 minutes
• ~67 seconds per question (~7 seconds more per question)
Reading Section
New ACT:
• 36 questions (4 fewer questions than before)
• 40 minutes
• ~67 seconds per question (~15 seconds more per question)
Science Section (Now Optional!)
New ACT:
• Science is optional and if taken, it will NOT count towards the composite score (only towards STEM score)
• 40 questions
• 40 minutes (slightly more time to finish)
What These ACT Changes Mean for Preparation
Overall, the ACT got a bit shorter, but the skills have remained the same. Every section gives the student more time per question, so if you have been practicing for the old ACT version, you’ve simply been over-preparing for this trimmed down version. Aside from potentially bypassing the science section, we haven’t changed what our prep should focus on:
Strong reading comprehension
Clear grammar fundamentals
Sharpening all necessary math skills
Smart test-taking strategies
One thing to keep in mind: They may have shortened the test, but they mainly dropped the easier questions that most students were answering correctly. So you may not be in the test room for as much time overall, but each question will give you a decent challenge.
Bottom Line
Yes, the ACT is shorter.
Yes, students get more time per question.
Yes, science is now optional.
But the heart of the ACT hasn’t changed — and neither has our ability to prepare our students to succeed on it. If you’re wondering how these changes affect you student, we’re happy to talk it through and build a plan that fits your strengths and goals.
