Changes to the ACT

A new, shorter version of the ACT is rolling out in 2025. Here’s what to expect.

Many aspects of the classic ACT are not changing:

• The content of the new ACT remains tied to knowledge and skills students learn in high school.
• The new ACT is still scored on a scale of 36.
• Assessments continue to take place in schools and test centers as before.
• Students who are approved for 50% and 100% accommodations continue to receive them.
• The online version of the test is linear, rather than adaptive.
• Students continue to have the option to take the exam either on paper or online. CEO Janet Godwin says that when demand for paper testing dries up, ACT will go fully digital.

Other aspects of the new ACT are different:

Section changes 

• Both the English and the reading sections feature shorter passages.
• The science section of the new ACT is optional. 
• The composite score of the new ACT is the average of the English, reading, and math scores

Length and timing 

• The new exam is shorter–about two hours, as compared to approximately three hours on the classic ACT.
• The new test contains 44 fewer questions than the classic ACT.
• Students have between 6-14 additional seconds per question, so the pace may feel slower.

Digital-specific test information

• ACT does allow students to bring their own devices—at least, not for now. ACT has discussed a move toward allowing students to bring their own devices in the future, but has yet to make this possible. This may raise concerns as to whether test centers will have sufficient numbers of devices for students registered for the digital exam.
• A built-in calculator application is available on the new exam, though it appears that this is simply a scientific calculator. Students are still be able to bring their own graphing calculators to the test.
• Sample new ACT questions and a full, new digital practice test without a scoring scale have been released. You can find them here.

Timeline

April 2025:

The 2-hour version of the exam went live starting with national online testing in the US.

September 2025:

The changes will affect international and paper test-takers.

April 2026:

School-day testing will shift to the new version. However, ACT believes many states and districts will still require Science.

What does this mean for the Class of 2025?

This class should not be affected by the changes, since they’ll need to complete their testing before the changes to the ACT come into effect. They should continue or begin test prep with the current formats.

What does this mean for the Class of 2026?

Here are possible test prep paths:

• Focus on the SAT
• Take the current ACT & plan to finish testing by December of junior year
• Consider waiting to take the new ACT at the end of junior year as an add-on to previous ACT or SAT testing.

What does this mean for the Class of 2027?

There will be a lot more details, and we’re sure some changes, to the testing landscape by the time the Class of 2027 is ready for standardized test taking. For now, the Class of 2027 should focus on their GPA, extracurricular activities, and community engagement. The earliest we recommend students take ACT/SAT diagnostic tests is in the spring of their sophomore year.

Common myths about the ACT timeline

As facts about the upcoming new ACT trickle through the internet, so does misinformation. So, fact or fiction? Learn the truth about five common myths about the new ACT in our blog.

The ACT Roadmap

Our experts have crafted a few options for testing timelines to help you navigate this upcoming shift in testing formats with minimal disruption to your test prep process. See the roadmap here.

Inside the First Administration of the New Digital ACT

After months of buildup from ACT, the first administration of the new, shorter digital ACT finally happened. So how did it go? Was it a breeze or more challenging than ever? Find the scoop on the April digital ACT here.

Structure & Content of the new ACT

Ever since ACT announced that major changes will be coming to the test in 2025, our experts have been hard at work searching out official information about the new exam. So far, ACT has released only limited information, but here are the tentative section-specific changes that they’ve announced. 

Section-specific changes 

English

• 50 total items, 10 experimental
• 35 minutes
• Reduced passage length

Math

• 45 total items, 4 experimental
• 50 minutes
• Choices A–D rather than A–E

Reading

• 36 total items, 9 experimental 
• 40 minutes
• Some passages reduced in length

Science (Optional)

• 40 items, 6 experimental
• 40 minutes
• Increased number of items requiring background knowledge

Blogs

Our experts have been hard at work crafting comprehensive blogs to separate fact from fiction and ensure that you have access to accurate, up-to-date information. Check out the blogs below for more on the latest ACT news. 

• 5 Myths about the New ACT—Deconstructed  | The ACT has announced major changes to test format and scoring. Myths about the new ACT abound—but here are the facts.
• The New ACT Roadmap | Struggling to craft your ACT testing timeline? Our experts offer some options to help you navigate the changes to the exam!
• The Digital ACT Practice Test Is Here | A digital ACT practice test has finally arrived! Here’s what to expect on the new exam, and how to access the practice test.
• Inside the First Administration of the New Digital ACT | Here’s the scoop on the April digital ACT.