What Changed on the ACT in 2025–2026?
The ACT underwent its most significant redesign in decades beginning in 2025. If you're preparing to take the test — or helping a student who is — here's a clear, comprehensive overview of what changed and why it matters.
The Test Is Shorter
The core ACT now takes approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes of testing time, down from nearly 3 hours under the classic format. The question count dropped sharply:
- English: 50 questions in 35 minutes (was 75 in 45)
- Math: 45 questions in 50 minutes (was 60 in 60)
- Reading: 36 questions in 40 minutes (was 40 in 35)
Despite the shorter total time, students get 18–27% more time per question. The biggest gain is in Reading, where time per question increased from about 53 seconds to 67 seconds.
Science Is Now Optional
This is the single biggest structural change. Science, previously a mandatory fourth section that counted toward the Composite, is now an optional 40-minute add-on.
The transition happened in two phases:
- April 2025: Science became optional for national Saturday online test-takers
- September 2025: Science became optional for all national Saturday test-takers (online and paper)
Students who take Science receive a standalone Science score (1–36) and a STEM composite (average of Math + Science). This is recommended for students pursuing engineering, pre-med, computer science, or other STEM fields. The add-on costs just $4.
Writing Remains Optional
ACT Writing has been optional for years, and that hasn't changed. It's a 40-minute argumentative essay scored 2–12 and reported separately from the Composite. Very few colleges require it — read our guide on whether to take ACT Writing.
New Composite Scoring
The Composite score is now the average of three sections: English, Math, and Reading. Science is no longer part of the calculation. This means each core section carries more weight — a strong or weak performance in any one area has a larger impact on your Composite than before.
Math Changes
The Math section saw two notable changes:
- Answer choices reduced from 5 to 4 — simplifying elimination but increasing the weight of each question
- Content shifted toward more advanced algebra, coordinate geometry, and trigonometry, with fewer basic arithmetic "warm-up" problems
With only 45 questions (down from 60), each question accounts for a larger share of your scaled score. Accuracy matters more than ever.
No More Experimental Section
The classic ACT had a dedicated 20-minute experimental section for field-testing future questions. This has been eliminated. Instead, unscored field-test items are embedded within the scored sections — 5 in English, 4 in Math, and 9 in Reading. Of the 131 core questions you'll see, only 113 count toward your score: 45 in English, 41 in Math, and 27 in Reading. Students cannot identify which questions are unscored, so every question should be answered with full effort.
What This Means for Students
The Enhanced ACT rewards accuracy over speed. With fewer questions and more time, careless errors are costlier. Students should:
- Prepare with current materials that reflect the Enhanced format (4 math choices, shorter sections)
- Focus on accuracy and careful reading rather than rushing
- Decide whether to take optional Science based on their intended major
- Check with target colleges about their specific testing policies and any superscore limitations