Explainer: What We Know So Far About the Recently Announced ACT Updates

Last month we learned that the ACT is introducing a shorter digital ACT with fewer items, more time per question, and an optional Science section. More details have emerged regarding the timing of the test and ACT’s longer-term plans.

Timing the rollout

ACT, Inc.’s CEO, Janet Godwin, announced that the shorter digital test “will roll out starting with National online testing in spring 2025,” and we have since learned that the target date for the inaugural administration is the April 2025 test. The language on the ACT website states, “Starting in April 2025” domestic students “who choose to test online” will take the shorter test. Three test administrations later, in September 2025, “all students testing on a Saturday, either online or on paper,” both domestic and international, will take the shorter test with Science as an optional add-on. From the September test date onward, the official ACT composite score will exclude the optional Science section. In the spring of 2026, schools, districts, and states who offer school day testing, in paper or digital form, will shift to the new truncated format.

Availability to take the shortened test will likely be a challenge in the short term

The ACT website states that students “who choose to test online” will be able to access the shorter test with optional Science, but availability will be limited to the handful of test centers currently offering digital testing: not all students will be able to exercise this choice. At present, if a student attempts to register for a computer-based test on ACT.org they will get a popup stating: “The online ACT is now available in limited areas [...] Online testing is currently being piloted in limited locations and may not be available in your area when you search for a test center with your zip code.”

I searched from my zip code in Atlanta and found that the nearest paper ACT test for the October administration is 2 miles away and the average distance to the first 10 eligible test centers is 8.5 miles. Searching for a digital test in October, the nearest test center is 12 miles away and the average distance to the first 10 eligible test centers is 48.2 miles. And this is before there is any real demand for digital testing. Once students are seeking out these coveted spots for a shorter computer-based test, availability will be in short supply. For this reason, it may be wise for students to assume they will take the paper ACT in its current form until the changes are rolled out broadly to both paper and digital tests on the September 2025 test date.

Paper testing is coming to its eventual end

It’s a matter of time before the ACT follows the lead of the SAT and eliminates paper testing as an option for students. Inside Higher Ed reported that Godwin is delaying the migration of the ACT to a completely digital format due to ongoing demand for paper-testing, and “as soon as demand for that dries up, she said, the company will move to fully digital.” This indicates a reversal from Godwin’s previously held position that, “we will always have an option for paper,” but it indicates a return to her predecessor Marten Roorda’s commitment to migrating all tests to a digital format.

The new test will not be adaptive

While Marten Roorda had promised back in 2016 to move all ACT assessments to a digital, adaptive form, the updated ACT, at least for now, is sticking with a non-adaptive testing format. This is addressed in the FAQ section of the official ACT website, ending the speculation that Godwin’s announcement of “other enhancements to modernize the test” might include a shift to adaptive testing.

The ability to test on your own devices is key to transitioning to digital testing

If it intends to move away from paper-based testing, the ACT, Inc. needs to find a way to allow students to test on their own laptops and tablets and follow the lead of the College Board. In international markets, where paper-based ACT testing was eliminated in 2019 and students cannot use their own devices, students continue to struggle to gain access to digital ACTs. Available test centers with adequate capacity are in short supply a full five years after the transition. This has pushed many international students towards the SAT.

At the annual conference for the International College Admissions Counselors Association in Ontario in July, multiple counselors from around the world spoke of their students’ challenges in securing ACT testing spots. Citing issues such as the test administration burden of the ACT, the complications to host testing, and the inflexibility of registration rules for host schools, counselors made comments such as “there is no way forward for the ACT in the international market.” The ACT, Inc. cannot afford to make the same mistakes in the domestic market and must find a way to lessen the burden on schools and test centers as it shifts towards digital testing.

Continuity of content and other benefits to students

The ACT test writers have made it clear that while the test timing and format is changing, the tested content will remain the same. The official ACT website notes in the FAQs that "there has been no significant change in the types of knowledge and skills measured by the ACT test with the enhancements.” This means students can continue to use current preparation materials and practice tests to study for the shortened test. The website does note there will be slight tweaks to the test material, such as the shift from 5 answer choices on the Math section down to 4, which should save students time. Additionally, the changes might save students money. The official site states that the shortened ACT without Science “will be available at a lower cost. Pricing will be updated when registration opens for the April through July tests.”

Looking ahead

In the near term, the ACT, Inc. will release more detailed information regarding the shortened, digital test scheduled to arrive this spring. The official ACT site states that “new test prep options, including a full-length practice test, will be available by early 2025.” As we learn more about the format, timing, and availability of the new test, and are able to analyze new testing materials, we will provide you with regular and timely updates.

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