°µÍøTVTest Enhancements

°µÍøTVEnhancements: Supporting Your Path to College Success

°µÍøTVis committed to evolving with students' needs, making testing more accessible and supportive of your college journey. 

Beginning in April 2025, students testing in the Unites States who choose to take the °µÍøTVonline will see an updated format that’s shorter and lets you choose whether to include the science section, allowing for greater flexibility while maintaining the accuracy and reliability colleges rely on. These changes will also apply to the paper-pencil test starting in September 2025. The Composite score will now focus on English, math, and reading, while science scores will be reported separately for those who take it.
 

Test Number of questions Minutes per test
English 50 35
Mathematics 45 50
Reading 36 40
Science 
(Student Choice)		 40 40
Writing
(Student Choice)		 1 40

These updates ensure colleges can continue making informed admission and scholarship decisions, making your results even more relevant as students take the next steps toward higher education. 

What's Changing

  • Reduced the number of questions overall (44 fewer)
  • Reduced the test length. Students can receive their college-reportable Composite score after 125 minutes of testing, rather than up to 195.
  • More time per question.
  • Reduced the number of answer choices in math questions from five to four.
  • Students can now choose to take the °µÍøTVNational test with or without the science section. State and district customers will choose whether to include the science section with the °µÍøTVtest for their students.

What's Not Changing

  • The °µÍøTVscale will remain 1-36 with no changes to °µÍøTVbenchmarks or state-specific achievement standards.
  • Scores from tests taken prior to the rollout of the new Composite score will not change.
  • Ability to predict success in first-year college credit-bearing courses will not change.
  • Both paper-and-pencil and online tests will continue to be available.
Learn More About °µÍøTVEnhancements

Learn about the upcoming Enhancements to the °µÍøTVTest

Enhancements Timeline

April 2025

°µÍøTVNational Online Only

September 2025

  • °µÍøTVNational Paper & International
  • Updated Composite Score for All °µÍøTVTests

Spring 2026

State & District Spring 2026 Testing

Let’s Dive Into Some Details

We’ve put together a short summary video to give visual guidance to some of the more technical updates, so students know what to expect on test day. 

Want to take a deeper dive? . 

Sign up to stay informed about the latest details on °µÍøTVtest updates!

Do you want to be notified as more details become available and registration opens for the April through July 2025 test dates? Fill out the form and we’ll email you to keep you informed.  

Why are these enhancements happening?

°µÍøTVis committed to continuous improvement, alignment to assessment industry best practices, and innovation to make the °µÍøTVtest primed for student success and college admission. 

 
  • °µÍøTVwants students to show up with their best self on test day, creating more opportunities for college admission, scholarships, and more. 
  • °µÍøTVwants students to have the flexibility and choice to determine how they will test. 
  • °µÍøTVwants students to demonstrate their true capabilities and potential, always.  
  • °µÍøTVwants students to tailor their testing experience to fit their future goals and highlight their strengths.  


Learn more about the °µÍøTVtest enhancements in this blog post from °µÍøTVCEO Janet Godwin. She writes about how °µÍøTVis evolving to meet the needs of our students by providing students with choice, flexibility, and accessibility. Get the scoop on what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and what that means for you. 

°µÍøTVTest Enhancements FAQs

The enhancements will start with the April 2025 test for examinees who choose to test online. The paper test will reflect the enhancements starting in September 2025. Schools and districts will have these options starting in spring 2026.

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Yes!

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... receiving these same benefits? 

Yes. The enhancements will become available based on the timeline above regardless of accommodation status.  

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°µÍøTVis committed to providing a high-quality science section for anyone who chooses to take it.

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Students planning to major in science or a STEM field or take science courses in college should consider taking the science section since those who have math and science scores will still receive a STEM score.

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That depends. On the ACT, students have the flexibility to choose whether to take science or writing, and whether to take the test using pencil and paper or online. These choices affect your test day experience.  Let’s break it down!

  • If students take just the English, math and reading subjects, the testing time, not including the transition period between sections, is two hours and five minutes. The tests will go like this:
    • English: 35-minute section with 50 questions (around 42 seconds per item) 
    • Math: 50-minute section with 45 items (around one minute and seven seconds per item) 
    • Reading: 40-minute section with 36 items (around one minute and seven seconds per item) 

There will be a short transition period between each of these sections. Once these three sections are completed, there will be a dismissal, and anyone who has not chosen to add either science or writing will have their materials collected and will be dismissed. 

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If a student decides to take the °µÍøTVtest with science or writing (or both) added, they will remain in the room quietly while others are dismissed. There will be a short break to allow them to get up and stretch their legs, after which they will return to their seat. If a student is taking science, they will need their test booklet and answer sheet. If a student is taking writing, the test administrator will collect their booklet and provide them with writing materials. Both science and writing will be 40 minutes and will be given in the same room. The tests will consist of:

  • Science: 40-minute section with 40 questions (around one minute per item) 
  • Writing: 40-minute section with one writing prompt 

 

Following the 40-minute session, there will be a short break with materials collection. Anyone who is only taking science in addition to English, math, and reading, and anyone who completed writing, should now be done, and will be dismissed following document collection. Anyone who is taking writing in the second additional 40-minute section will have a short break before beginning the writing portion.  

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Yes. The new °µÍøTVComposite score will be calculated using your English, math, and reading scores. 

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No.

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Test Number of Questions Timing (Standard Time) Reporting Categories
English 50 35

Production of Writing (38-43%)

Knowledge of Language (18-23%)

Conventions of Standard English (38-43%)

Field test, embedded (20%)
Mathematics 45 50

Preparing for higher math (80%)

  • Number & Quantity (10-12%)
  • Algebra (17-20%)
  • Functions (17-20%)
  • Geometry (17-20%)
  • Statistics & Probability (12-15%)

Integrating essential skills (20%)

Modeling (>=20%)

Field test, embedded (9%)
Reading 36 40

Key ideas and details (44-52%)

Craft and structure (26-33%)

Integration of knowledge and ideas (19-26%)

Field test, embedded (25%)
Science 40 40

Interpretation of data (36-47%)

Scientific investigation (17-31%)

Evaluation of Models, inferences, and experimental results (22-36%)

Field test, embedded (15%)
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The °µÍøTVFee Waiver will support the full flexibility of offerings. Eligible students can register for any option once registration for these new options becomes available.

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...and the °µÍøTVtest without science? 

Yes. For full pricing details, visit /content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration/fees.html

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For a full-length practice online test that incorporates the enhancements made to the ACT, visit the bottom of this page. However, current practice tests and available °µÍøTVtest prep materials are still great for preparing because there has been no significant change in the types of knowledge and skills measured by the °µÍøTVtest with the enhancements.

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No. The °µÍøTVwill remain a linear test, with all students having the same chance to show their best selves from the beginning to the end of the test session.

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Starting in April 2025, students who choose to take the online °µÍøTVtest will have their °µÍøTVSuperscore calculated using the new method incorporating English, math, and reading. For everyone else, this change will happen in September 2025. We'll still show your highest scores for each subject with the test date, but the Composite score will be based on the new English, math and reading calculation.

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No. Scores will still be delivered within the regular two-to eight-week window. Some examinees who participate in special studies conducted by °µÍøTVwill be made aware of adjustments to their scoring timeframe and will opt in during registration.

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Starting with the April 2025 test event, testers who take this updated version of the national test will no longer take Test 5 (also known as the fifth test). 

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