The New Digital ACT: What You Need to Know

The ACT has announced significant changes to its testing format, offering students the option to take the exam digitally. This shift will eventually make the test permanently shorter and slower-paced. Here are the key highlights of these changes:

Upcoming Changes:

• April 2025: Students can opt for the new version of the digital ACT on national test dates.
• The digital test will be shorter and will exclude the science section from the composite score.
• The science section will be optional
• April 2025 to September 2025: Students will have the choice between the new digital test and the current paper version of the test.
• September 2025: Both the digital and paper versions will transition to the newer format
• The ACT will continue to offer both digital and paper formats of the new test

What Isn’t Changing?

• The scoring scale will remain the same, ranging from 1 to 36.
• The writing (essay) section will remain optional.
• The core content of the exam will remain substantially unchanged.
• Older practice tests will still be useful for preparing for the new exam format.

Should You Take the New Version in 2025 or Stick with the Old One?

I recommend taking practice exams for both versions to compare your scores. Keep in mind that shorter and slower doesn't necessarily lead to a higher score for everyone. Each question is likely to carry more weight, which could disadvantage students prone to careless errors. A practice digital test should be released sometime this year, which will help you determine which format suits you better.