Just six months after the launch of the digital SAT in the U.S., the ACT has announced significant changes to its college admissions exam to give students more choice and flexibility when demonstrating their readiness for life beyond high school, testing officials say.
Similar to the SAT, the test is going to be shorter. Its length is reduced by up to one-third, depending on the version the students take, ACT CEO Janet Godwin wrote on the nonprofit’s website. This means the test will take around two hours instead of three.
“These enhancements are just the beginning, and we are eager to continue revolutionizing how we prepare learners for future challenges and opportunities,” Godwin wrote.
A more inclusive ACT
The slimmed-down test results from shorter passages in the reading and English sections and fewer questions in each section, for a total of 44.
These changes come after the ACT reported historic declines in college readiness benchmarks last fall. More than four in 10 seniors met none of the benchmarks and 70% fell short of the readiness benchmarks for math.
“The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career,” Godwin wrote at the time.
Flexibility has also been added. Students can choose whether to take the science portion while English, reading and math remain the core sections of the test. “With this flexibility, students can focus on their strengths and showcase their abilities in the best possible way,” Godwin wrote.
These changes will roll out with the national online test in the spring of 2025 and with school-day testing in the spring of 2026. The ACT composite score—the average of the English, math and reading scores—will continue to be reported on the same 1-36 scale.
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