Now that the Enhanced ACT has been out for a few months, we’re beginning to see how the changes play out in real testing conditions: what’s working, what’s not, and how students can use these updates to their advantage.
The ACT’s overhaul is its first major update in years, designed in response to student and educator feedback to better reflect college readiness and reduce testing fatigue. The new format mirrors some of the College Board’s recent SAT changes, offering a more flexible, less time-intensive testing experience.
But here’s what people often overlook: these updates don’t just make the ACT shorter. They change how you should prepare, pace, and strategize.
Format: Two Testing Options
Unlike the new SAT, which is exclusively digital (unless you receive approval for special accommodations), the Enhanced ACT still offers both paper and digital formats—no special approval needed. Students can choose their preferred format when registering.
That flexibility is a big deal. Some students process information more comfortably on paper, while others perform better digitally with tools like highlighting and answer elimination. If you’re unsure which suits you best, consider taking a practice test in both formats to see where you feel more in control.
The Enhanced ACT now includes 171 questions in about 2 hours and 45 minutes (instead of the previous 215 in roughly the same amount of time), giving students more time per question. Considering that the ACT tests whether you can arrive at the correct answer in the time allotted, more time to answer amounts to a calmer testing experience where careless errors are less likely to make it all the way through to your final answer. Students who used to lose points to “silly mistakes” often find they can think more clearly under the new pacing.
If you opt out of the now-optional Science section, you’ll see an even shorter test: 131 questions in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. However, since many colleges are still interested in students’ ability to distill and interpret science-based passages and require a Science score for admissions purposes, we recommend keeping it unless you’ve confirmed otherwise with every school on your college list. Keep in mind that their testing policy can change year-to-year. Just because they don’t require it now doesn’t mean they also won’t next year!
Section-Specific Updates
Let’s break down the new timing, question counts, and percent change in time per question:
Section: English
Legacy ACT: 75 questions in 45 minutes
Enhanced ACT: 50 questions in 35 minutes
% Change in Time per Question: +17%
Section: Math
Legacy ACT: 60 questions in 60 minutes
Enhanced ACT: 45 questions in 50 minutes
% Change in Time per Question: +11%
Section: Reading
Legacy ACT: 40 questions in 35 minutes
Enhanced ACT: 36 questions in 40 minutes
% Change in Time per Question: +27%
Section: Science
Legacy ACT: 40 questions in 35 minutes
Enhanced ACT: 40 questions in 40 minutes
% Change in Time per Question: +14%
For students who used to run out of time, this is a huge opportunity to close the gap. Here’s where strategy comes in: because each section has fewer questions, each one counts more toward your score. A single missed question in Math or English now carries more weight, making consistent accuracy more important than ever. It is important to focus on deep comprehension and precision, particularly in English and Reading.
In addition to the overall number of questions, the Math section now offers four answer choices instead of five. While this might seem like a small adjustment, it has significant strategic implications. Statistically, your odds of guessing correctly rise from 20% to 25%, but the reduced number of distractors also means that each wrong answer choice is more carefully constructed. Students can no longer rely on quickly eliminating two or three “obvious” outliers—options tend to be closer in logic or computation. However, the change helps reduce decision fatigue and is consistent with other sections on the exam.
These changes were first implemented in April 2025 on national, online test dates, and the paper versions followed in September 2025. For students taking the test during the school day or outside of the US, the online and paper versions will reflect these changes in Spring 2026, though a finalized date has not yet been set.
Field Test Questions
Each section now includes a handful of unscored “field test” questions embedded throughout the test. Typically, there are ten unscored questions in English (40 are scored), four in Math (41 are scored), nine in Reading (27 are scored), and six in Science (34 are scored). You won’t know which ones they are. For English, Reading, and Science, this means that an entire passage will consist of field test questions.
That’s intentional. ACT uses these to test question fairness and difficulty for future exams across modalities. For you, it means one thing: treat every question as if it counts. Overanalyzing what’s “real” wastes time and focus.
Scoring
The biggest scoring shift is that the Science section no longer factors into your composite. The composite and superscore now average just English, Math, and Reading. If you choose to take Science, then, in addition to the composite, you will receive a STEM score that averages Math and Science. When self-reporting your ACT score on the Common App, you are asked to input your highest composite score and your highest scores by subject. It is important to double-check school-specific requirements. Some schools that require the Science section of the ACT, like Boston University, will recalculate the composite score to include the Science section.
Because the ACT now averages three sections instead of four, rounding works slightly differently:
- Scores ending in .33 round down
- Scores ending in .66 round up
So while a 30 on the Legacy ACT equals a 30 on the Enhanced version (per ACT’s concordance), your composite could swing more easily by a point, meaning that precision in every section matters a little more than before.
Takeaway: How to Prep Smarter for the Enhanced ACT
The Enhanced ACT isn’t necessarily easier—it’s just different. Students who used to rely on speed now need to build focus and consistency. Students who struggled with pacing might finally have the room to show what they really know.
Here’s how to adjust your prep:
- Focus on understanding the content before practicing timing.
- Simulate the new timing in practice tests to build realistic pacing.
- Don’t skip Science unless you have a confirmed list of schools that won’t consider it.
- Experiment with digital vs. paper to find your comfort zone early.
- Use updated materials. Older ACT books won’t reflect the new pacing or scoring.
The transition to the enhanced format has brought changes that can make it challenging for students to prepare. You can rest assured that our tutoring team is well-versed in the nuances of the new test and ready to help you achieve your dream score! To get started working with one of our seasoned test prep tutors, contact our office by emailing contact@gecollegeprep.com or calling 888-917-PREP (7737).
