The ACT is changing in 2025. The new “enhanced ACT” is an updated version of the exam that adds more choice and flexibility for test-takers. It allows students to pick which sections matter to them, making it a more tailored and less daunting experience.
Why does this matter? Because it gives students more control over how they show their skills—and it could impact how they prepare, how they test, and how they stand out in the college admissions process.
In short, if you’re planning to take the ACT in 2025 or later, you need to understand these changes now.
The Enhanced ACT introduces a smarter, more flexible approach to testing. It’s built to match how students learn today—and it gives them more control over their experience.
The Enhanced ACT introduces structural and delivery changes designed to reduce stress while maintaining rigor.
Here’s a quick comparison to help you see how the two versions differ in terms of section requirements and delivery method:
Each section has been tightened and refined. The questions are designed to measure understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving rather than rewarding sheer memorization.
Despite these changes, several core elements of the ACT remain unchanged.
The Enhanced ACT reflects broader shifts in education and assessment.
These changes aim to make the ACT more student-centered without compromising its role in college admissions.
The Enhanced ACT introduces a more flexible scoring structure.
For example:
This system allows students to highlight strengths instead of being weighed down by sections that may not matter for their intended major.
Regular ACT English: The traditional test focused heavily on grammar, punctuation, and usage, making up roughly 55% of the questions. Another 32% tested production of writing (organization, unity, and cohesion) while about 13% targeted knowledge of language (style, tone, and vocabulary).
Total: 45 minutes, 75 questions.
Enhanced ACT English: The new version is shorter and more balanced. It still evaluates grammar and usage, but gives more weight to production of writing and knowledge of language, making these sections roughly equal in focus. Students have less total time but must be just as sharp across both areas.
Total: 35 minutes, 50 questions (plus ~10 field-test questions not scored).
Regular ACT Math: The traditional test covered algebra, geometry, and some trigonometry, with an emphasis on procedural fluency and problem-solving. Students had to work quickly to complete all questions.
Total: 60 minutes, 60 questions.
Enhanced ACT Math: The new version is slightly shorter and focuses more on applying math to real-world scenarios. It still covers algebra, geometry, functions, and statistics/probability, but includes more context-driven questions.Total: 50 minutes, 45 questions (plus ~4 field-test questions not scored).
Regular ACT Reading: The traditional test featured four passages (literary narrative, social science, humanities, and natural science) with ten questions per passage. It emphasized comprehension, inference, and reasoning under tight time constraints.
Total: 35 minutes, 40 questions.
Enhanced ACT Reading: The updated version allows more time per passage by slightly reducing the number of questions. It still emphasizes comprehension and inference, but also encourages deeper analysis and synthesis of ideas across the text.Total: 40 minutes, 36 questions (plus ~9 field-test questions not scored).
Regular ACT Science: This section required students to answer 40 questions in 35 minutes. It tested critical thinking, data interpretation, experimental design, and the evaluation of scientific models — not specific scientific knowledge.
Total: 35 minutes, 40 questions.
Enhanced ACT Science: Science is now an optional section. The format and focus remain largely the same — interpreting data and analyzing experiments — but students have more time, making it a better fit for those applying to science-focused programs.
Total (if taken): 40 minutes, 40 questions (plus ~6 field-test questions not scored).
Here’s a quick overview of the difference in each section:
The enhanced ACT doesn’t just change how the test looks, but also how it changes how students prepare and perform. Here’s how it affects students and tutors:
This new approach makes the ACT more student-friendly, performance-driven, and better aligned with modern college admissions priorities.
The enhanced ACT may be more flexible, but it still requires thoughtful, focused preparation. Here’s how students can approach the updated format with confidence and clarity:
When it comes to digital test prep, EdisonOS stands out as a complete and intelligent solution tailored for modern learners. Whether you're studying at home or on the go, EdisonOS helps you ace the online ACT with tools designed for the Enhanced ACT format.
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The launch of the enhanced ACT is reshaping how students, tutors, and colleges think about standardized testing. Its goal was to give students more control and make the test more relevant — but its early rollout has been met with a mix of optimism, skepticism, and confusion.
With the ability to pick sections that matter and an overall shorter test, students can focus on their strengths and reduce fatigue. The optional Science section and increased time per question have been popular changes, allowing test‑takers to work more methodically. In theory, this creates a better experience for students and a more tailored measure for admissions.
Although the ACT claimed a successful launch, student and industry feedback told a different story. ACT announced that over 16,000 students participated in the first Enhanced ACT on April 5, 2025, describing it as a “vote of confidence” for its new format.
However, many test‑takers faced serious technical issues:
Tutors and prep companies responded with skepticism. PM Tutoring openly recommended avoiding the digital version until its glitches were resolved, advising students to “take the paper format as long as it’s offered” because its scaling is better understood. Other tutoring firms echoed the sentiment, urging students to “stay away from the digital ACT for a few months” until the test’s kinks were worked out.
Even in the college admissions space, reactions have been mixed. Some admissions teams view the new version as too streamlined and have expressed skepticism about its ability to measure proficiency reliably, especially with fewer questions and embedded field test items making scaling more volatile.
Meanwhile, students are grappling with confusion about which version to take and uncertainty about how colleges will accept the new scores.
The enhanced ACT marks a new chapter in standardized testing — one that promises more choice, a sharper focus, and a test better aligned with the way students learn today.
But its early rollout has been met with both optimism and skepticism. Technical glitches, harder questions, and uncertainty about how colleges will interpret the new scores have left many students and families questioning their next move.
The good news is that this doesn’t have to be a roadblock. By focusing preparation on the sections that matter, practicing with official or trusted materials, and staying alert to evolving college policies, students can approach this new version of the test with clarity and confidence.
As the ACT refines its format and more guidance emerges, those who adapt quickly and intentionally will be well-positioned to make the most of the changes.
In the end, the enhanced ACT is more than just a test — it’s an opportunity for students to showcase their strengths in a more personalized, flexible way. Stay informed, stay prepared, and trust that with the right approach, you can make this new version of the ACT work to your advantage.
Tutors Edge by EdisonOS
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