ACT Test Changes in April 2025: What Students Need to Know

SAT
Written By

Navigating the 2025 ACT Changes:

Everything students need to know.

In 2024, the ACT announced they would be making a series of “enhancements” to the test in the year to come. These changes go into effect for digital test-takers in April 2025. Students opting for paper tests will see the new version of the ACT beginning in September. School-issued state and district daytime testing will begin offering the updated ACT in spring 2026. 

Staying on top of test updates is the best way to know how to target your study efforts so that you’re as prepared as possible when test day rolls around.

Enhanced ACT Test Breakdown

This new version of the ACT is referred to as the “Enhanced ACT”. While certain aspects of the test, such as structure and timing, are going to change, some key factors will stay the same. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of which elements will be affected by the enhancements and which remain unchanged:

What’s Affected?

ACT Test Changes: Individual Sections

The old version of the ACT had four main individual sections: the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections, with an optional additional Writing section.

  • Science Section — Test-takers now have the ability to choose to take the ACT with or without the Science section. The now optional Science section will also not factor into the composite score if taken. Previously, the Science section was taken by all students as part of the core test and its score was included in composite calculations. The Science section will still include 40 questions, but students will now have 40 minutes to answer them compared to 35 minutes on the old test. 

  • Math Section — For every question on the Math section, students will have four answer choices to choose from, down from five on the old version of the ACT. The updated Math section will be 50 minutes long, reduced from 60 minutes. 

  • English and Reading Sections— In both the English and Reading sections, some passages will have a reduced length. The time limits for both the English and Reading sections have also changed: English has decreased from 45 minutes to 35 minutes, while Reading has increased from 35 minutes to 40 minutes.

ACT Test Changes: Overall Test

In addition to tweaks to individual sections of the test, there will also be several changes to the test as a whole that students should be aware of.

  • Question Total — The core test now consists of the English, Mathematics, and Reading sections. The total number of questions for these sections has dropped from 175 to 131. The English, Math, and Reading sections will have 50, 45, and 36 questions each, respectively. 

  • Test Length — The old ACT could take up to 195 minutes to complete. Now, students opting to take the enhanced core test will be finished testing in just 125 minutes  —  a test length reduction of over an hour. If students choose to add on the optional Science section, they will have 165 minutes to complete their test. This means students who choose to take English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science will still be done up to 30 minutes sooner than they would have on the old test. 

  • Timing — With these adjustments in question totals per section and test length, students will also have more time to answer each question. The ACT estimates that students will have around 42 seconds per question in the Reading section, and about 67 seconds for each question in both the Math and English sections. Students taking the optional Science section will have about 60 seconds to complete each question.

  • Composite Score Calculation — Composite scores will now be calculated by averaging the three sections of the enhanced core test. Test-takers who take the optional Science section will get an additional, standalone science score.  

What’s Unaffected?

  • Scoring Scale — The ACT will still operate on a 1-36 point scale, with 36 being the highest possible score. Test-takers will receive scores on this scale for each individual section they choose to take, as well as a composite score based on the averaged scores of the core test.

  • Writing Section — The writing section will still be optional, have a testing length of 40 minutes, and be scored on a scale of 2-12 points. All of these factors remain unchanged from the old version of the ACT.

  • Existing Test Scores — The previous version of the ACT calculated composite score by averaging the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections. Your existing scores calculated from tests taken before the enhanced ACT goes into effect will not change or undergo new calculations. You will still be able to send colleges your existing test scores. 

  • Multiple Formats -—The ACT will still be offered in both digital and paper formats. Be mindful that the rollout of the enhanced ACT differs by format  — paper test-takers won’t see these enhancements until September 2025, while digital users will take the new test in April.

  • Predictive Capabilities  — The ACT claims that the test’s predictive capabilities in forecasting college success and academic outcomes in first-year college courses will be unaffected by these enhancements. 

What’s Behind the Change?

The forthcoming ACT changes aim to incorporate feedback from educators and students to create an enhanced test-taking experience. According to the ACTs website, these adjustments are meant to help the test better conform to the needs of modern students with an emphasis on flexibility. In a statement about the impact of the changes for students, Janet Godwin, the CEO of ACT, wrote, “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.” 

The ACT reports that in a sample of over 7,600 students, the test enhancements were associated with improved completion rates for Reading and Science. They claim that the enhanced ACT increases students’ ability to demonstrate their skills to colleges. Addressing the choice to reduce the test length and give students more time to answer each question, Godwin stated, “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.”

Benefits to Students

These ACT test changes offer several benefits that students can look forward to. The potential advantages of the enhanced ACT for test-takers include:

  • Shorter Testing Time  —  In just over two hours, test-takers can get a composite score based on their performance on the three core sections that they can send to colleges. Previously, the ACT was known as an especially long college readiness exam, capping out at over 3 hours. The length of the enhanced ACT is now on par with the SAT, which is also just over two hours long.

  • Streamlined Sections  —  Changes to the individual ACT sections have been designed to provide a streamlined testing experience. With fewer questions and more time to answer each one, the goal of the enhanced test is to allow students to zero in on their subject knowledge in every section they choose to take and perform at their best. 

  • Optional Science  —  The now optional science section is a game-changer for the ACT. One of the major advantages of the SAT over the ACT has always been that it doesn’t have a specific science section, making it a popular choice for students going into non-STEM fields and those with stronger humanities subject knowledge. The ACT has now positioned itself as a more appealing option for these students. At the same time, students who do want to go into STEM or showcase their aptitude for science can still opt-in for the ACT’s Science section and get a separate score dedicated to assessing this knowledge.

Tips for Preparing for a New Test

Preparing to take any college readiness exam can be daunting. When new changes are being rolled out in the middle of testing season, it can add to the already stressful test-taking experience. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make transitioning to the new test easier, and to prepare yourself for success.

Familiarize Yourself with the Changes

The best place to start is right here, learning about all of the proposed enhancements that will go into effect in April. Knowing key details like section length and timing can help you enter the testing center prepared. Additionally, understanding these ACT test changes can help guide your decisions about which format of the ACT you will take.

Take Practice Tests

Look for practice tests based on the enhanced ACT. Don’t rely on outdated versions. You may have to adjust your test-taking strategies based on certain enhancements, such as changes to passage length, answer choices, or time per question. Getting used to the enhanced ACT may take a few tries, so give yourself plenty of time to prepare at home. It’s better to find out what you need to work on in the weeks or months leading up to your test day so you can use that time to develop new strategies for success. 

Customize the Test

The ACT is now more customizable than ever. Decide what version of the ACT aligns best with your knowledge base and future college plans. For example, if you are applying to STEM programs or want to highlight your science acumen to degree programs, you should take the optional Science section.

 If you’re looking into a writing-intensive program, or if some of the colleges you’re applying to want to see a writing score, you should add the optional Writing section to your test. If you don’t feel the Science or Writing sections are necessary, you can take just the core enhanced ACT and be done in just about two hours.

Work with an ACT Prep Program

Once you figure out what version of the test is right for you and when you’ll be taking it, you can create a study plan to prepare yourself for the actual test. Enlisting the support of an experienced test prep program can be an excellent addition to any study plan, and getting ready for the enhanced ACT is no exception. 

Ivy Bound offers ACT prep programs that are personalized to each student’s individual needs. Ivy Bound tutors are dedicated to helping students utilize their knowledge base fully and showcase their highest potential on test day. ACT prep with Ivy Bound provides students with proven strategies, tailored support, and targeted review tactics to support optimal test performance. 

Get in touch with an Ivy Bound academic advisor today to learn more about our test prep options and how they can help prepare you for the upcoming ACT test changes.

Final Takeaways

The upcoming changes to the ACT in April 2025 present both challenges and opportunities for students. Staying informed and adapting your preparation strategy is crucial. At Ivy Bound, we're committed to helping students navigate these updates with confidence.​

By leveraging these resources, you can approach the revised ACT with a strategic edge. Stay proactive, and remember that with the right support, success is within reach.

Next

How Schools Guide Students to the Right SAT/ACT Path