Updated January 21, 2026
ACT Changes: New Format, Scoring & Prep Tips Explained
Taking the ACT is a big part of the college application process for many students.
Even if you’re applying to a test-optional school, an ACT score can be a way to help your application stand out, to qualify for merit-based financial aid, or to place into more advanced classes.
Now that the ACT has announced sweeping changes coming to the test through 2026, students are understandably worried that confusion about what they need to know could affect their test performance.
We’re here to demystify the new ACT format and help you know what to expect if you’re testing next year.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Jump to section:
How is the ACT changing?
How is each section of the ACT changing?
How are the optional ACT sections scored?
Should I do the optional ACT sections?
Is the ACT going digital?
When are all these changes happening?
How should I study for the new ACT?
Next steps
How is the ACT Changing?
Here’s a roundup of the changes to the ACT.
- The test has gotten shorter, with fewer questions and more time per question.
- There are shorter passages on the English and Reading sections, and there are fewer questions about each passage.
- The Science section is now optional.
- On the Math section, you’ll see four answer choices per question (down from 5 in the old format).
- Students now have a digital testing option.
And here’s what’s not changing from the current version of the test.
- Students can still take the ACT on paper if they prefer.
- The digital ACT is not be adaptive (unlike the new digital SAT).
- The ACT is still be scored on a 1-36 scale.
Now let’s go more deeply into what each of these changes will mean for test-takers.
How is each section of the ACT changing?
First, let’s take a look at how exactly each section of the ACT is changing.
| Section | Old Number of Questions | New Number of Questions | Old Time Allowed | New Time Allowed |
| English | 75 | 50 (40 scored) | 40 minutes | 35 minutes |
| Math | 60 | 45 (41 scored) | 60 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Reading | 40 | 36 (27 scored) | 35 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Science (now optional) | 40 | 40 (34 scored) | 35 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Essay (optional) | 1 prompt | 1 prompt | 40 minutes | 40 minutes |
You’ll notice that almost every section has fewer questions on the new ACT.
The English section on the “old” ACT had 75 questions in just 40 minutes, meaning you got only 32 seconds per question. But on the new ACT, with just 50 Reading questions to do in 35 minutes, you get an average of 86 seconds per question – more than twice as much.
As you can see, not all the questions on the new ACT actually count towards your score. That’s because the new ACT now includes “field test questions.”
That’s the term for questions that the ACT writers are trying on each exam to see which ones they might want to include on a future ACT. Field test questions do not count towards your score.
You don’t need to worry about figuring out which questions are field tests (it’s better not to waste your precious time on that during the ACT!). Just focus on answering as many questions as you can correctly.
The Science and Essay sections – which are both optional on the new ACT – are the only sections where the number of questions hasn’t changed. But you get an extra 5 minutes on the Science section to answer the same number of questions as before.
Among other ACT changes, the Reading and English passages are shorter on the new ACT, and there are fewer questions per passage.
The Reading section has gone down to 9 questions per passage (compared to 10 on the previous version of the ACT), and the English section has dropped to just 10 (compared to 15 on the previous version).
Other than the change in the number of questions and time allowance, the biggest change on the new ACT is that the Science section is now optional.
How are the optional ACT sections scored?
Out of the 5 sections on the ACT, one – the Essay section – was already optional. On the new test, the Science section is going optional as well.
That means that there are now 4 different ways you could take the ACT:
- The standard ACT, including Reading, Writing, and Math. (Everyone does these three sections first, even if you’re also taking Science and/or Writing.)
- The ACT Plus Science
- The ACT Plus Writing
- The ACT Plus Science and Writing
Regardless of which testing format you choose, your composite score will still be on a 1-36 scale.
If you choose to take the Writing section, you’ll get a Writing score on a 2-12 scale, plus an overall “English Language Arts” (ELA) score. Your ELA score is on a 1-36 scale and includes your scores for the Writing, Reading, and English sections. If you don’t take the Writing section, then your score report will not include the ELA score.
If you choose to take the optional Science section, you’ll get a Science score on a 1-36 scale. You’ll also get an overall STEM score, which is the average of your Science and Math scores and is also on a 1-36 scale. If you don’t take the Science section, then your score report will not include a STEM score.
No matter how you take the test, if you’re having trouble getting up to your goal ACT score, you might consider test-prep tutoring. An experienced tutor can help you make your test prep plan and master tricky ACT content, as well as learn valuable test-taking strategies.
Give us a call for a free consultation on whether tutoring could be a good option for you.
Should I take the optional ACT sections?
You might want to take the Writing and/or Science sections if:
- You’re applying for a STEM or writing-based major.
- You’re applying to highly competitive schools and want to stand out in the college admissions process.
- Any colleges on your list require one or both of these sections.
- You know you’re strong in writing or science and that these sections are a chance for you to shine.
You may not need to take the Writing and/or Science sections if:
- You’re not planning to apply to competitive colleges, so you don’t need as much of an edge in the college application process.
- You know that one or both of these are challenging areas for you where you won’t boost your score.
It will take some time for institutions to update their college admissions requirements. Right now, very few colleges require ACT Writing for students submitting an ACT score. Does that mean that they’ll see the ACT Science section as truly optional, too? Maybe, maybe not.
Until colleges have had time to adjust to the new ACT, it’s not a bad idea to take the optional Science section to be on the safe side. But always make sure to check the latest guidelines from the college admissions offices at any schools you’re applying to. If in doubt, give them a call and ask what their current requirements are.
One thing that should not be a dealbreaker in taking the optional ACT sections is cost. It costs $4 extra to take the ACT with the Science section and $25 extra to take the Writing section.
If that would make it hard for you to take the Writing and Science sections (or if the $68 registration fee is a barrier to the ACT as a whole), you can apply for a fee waiver to make the test accessible. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply here.
Is the ACT Going Digital?
Yes and no.
Students have the option to take the ACT in a digital format at some (not all) testing locations. You won’t be able to test on your own device (unlike for the digital version of the SAT); instead, you’ll use a computer at the testing center.
There might be perks to digital testing for some students.
For example, the software used for the digital version includes magnification and color contrast tools that could be helpful for students with accessibility needs. (Check the ACT website if you need more accommodations for the test.)
But you can still take the paper version of the test if you prefer. Many students prefer paper testing, and it’s offered at all testing locations.
One important thing to know about the online version of the test is that the ACT is not shifting to an adaptive format.
Again, this is a difference from the SAT’s new online testing experience, in which the level of the questions that you’ll see on the second half of each test section depends on how you did in the first half. On the ACT, all test-takers will see the same questions throughout the whole test.
So there’s no advantage to choosing digital or paper testing – you should take the test in the format you’re most comfortable with.
When Are All These Changes Happening?
The changes to the ACT are being phased in between April 2025 and Spring 2026.
As of early 2026, the new ACT applies to all international and national test dates, both on paper and digitally. All students taking the test on a Saturday test will now see the new ACT format.
By spring 2026, the changes will apply to school-day testing as well.
How Should I Study for the New ACT?
It’s understandably nerve-racking to study for a new testing format that few people have seen before. Here are some tips to tailor your studying to the new ACT.
- If you choose the digital format, take digital practice tests to get used to a digital testing experience.
- Keep in mind that it will take a while for test prep resources to be updated for the new test. The fastest to update will likely be the ACT’s own resources, so you may want to start with those rather than third-party options.
- Remember that a lot of your studying won’t need to change. The ACT is changing, but the rules of math and English grammar aren’t! ACT also hasn’t announced major changes to the actual content that will be on the test, and since time pressure on the test is being reduced, the test is likely to get easier for most students.
- You’ll probably need to adapt your test-taking strategies more than your conceptual studying. Most of our guide to making your ACT prep plan will still be applicable.
Next Steps
No matter when and how you’re taking the ACT, you’ll want to be as prepared as you can be to help you reach your goal score.
We’ve been working with students preparing for the ACT for over two decades, and many of our tutors achieved perfect scores on the ACT themselves. Our students often see their scores go up by several points over just a few months of tutoring.
Learn more about our programs here, and get in touch with our team for a free consultation on the right option for you.
Related ACT Posts
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- Your ACT Score Calculator
- The 11 Best ACT Prep Books
- The 15 Best ACT Tutoring Services
- ACT Scoring: Your Complete Guide
- ACT English: Everything You Need to Know
- ACT Math: Everything You Need to Know
- ACT Reading: Everything You Need to Know
- The ACT Science Section: Everything You Need to Know
Ro
Rosamond graduated summa cum laude from Princeton. During college, she worked as a peer tutor for Italian, French, Greek, and academic writing. Since graduation, she’s continued to tutor students of all ages in French, Italian, Latin, English, and math, some of them for several years. She’s currently a graduate student studying the relationship between religion and secular law, and she works as a freelance journalist and translator.