Big changes are coming to the ACT college entrance test. Here's what to expect

Some major changes are coming to the ACT test.

The college entrance exam is getting shorter and the science portion will become optional.

ACT CEO Janet Godwin announced the changes in a blog post , saying the move offers more flexibility to students and makes the test more manageable.

“English, reading, and math remain as the core sections of the ACT test that will result in a college-reportable score. Like the writing section, science will be offered as an additional section. This means students can choose to take the ACT, the ACT plus science, the ACT plus writing, or the ACT plus science and writing. With this flexibility, students can focus on their strengths and showcase their abilities in the best possible way,” Godwin said.

The exam length has also been reduced by a third, depending on the version of the test students choose to take. The core portion of the test will become two hours long, rather than the previous 3 hours.

The exam will be cut down with shorter passages in the English and reading sections and fewer questions per section. The test has been reduced by 44 questions overall, giving students more time to answer questions more thoughtfully, Godwin said.

“This change is designed to make the testing experience more manageable for students, enabling them to perform at their best without the fatigue that often accompanies longer exams,” said Godwin.

The changes come after ACT scores hit a 30-year low in the U.S. last fall. Scores had been dropping in recent years but the trend grew worse during the pandemic.

The changes will take effect for national online testing in spring 2025 and for school-day testing in spring 2026.

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