Major Changes Being Made To ACT College Admissions Exam

Science is also being removed from the ACT's core section and it will instead become an option that students can opt out of taking.

Major changes are coming to the ACT college admissions exam.

The changes include shortening the length of the core test down from three hours to two. There will be shorter passages on the Reading and English portions as well as fewer questions in each section totaling to 44 fewer questions in all. Thus aims to give students more time to answer each question thoughtfully.

Science is also being removed from the ACT’s core section and it will instead become an option that students can opt out of taking. That leaves English, Reading and Math as the portions that will result in a college-reportable composite score ranging from 1-36. Students who do take the Science section will receive a standalone score for that portion.

The changes are set to begin with national online tests in spring of 2025 and be rolled out for school-day testing in spring of 2026.