ACT Exam Changes: What’s To Expect in 2025

The testing world is constantly changing, and our team at Pittsburgh Prep will keep you up to date on all things. Starting in April 2025, the ACT is rolling out significant updates to provide more flexibility and efficiency for students. These changes are designed to make testing more accessible and reflective of students’ capabilities, and to compete with the digital SAT changes as well. Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming and how it impacts you.

Section Retesting

Superscoring for Everyone

Faster Results, Fewer Questions, Shorter Time with Online Testing

1. Section Retesting

In 2025, students who have already taken the full ACT will be allowed to retake individual sections rather than the entire test. This change is intended to help students improve their scores strategically without repeating areas they’ve already mastered.

Key Facts:

Students can retake up to three sections per test day.
Retesting will only be available at computer-based testing (CBT) centers on national test dates.
All scores from retested sections will be eligible for superscoring.

This new approach saves time and money, allowing students to focus on the specific areas they want to improve.

2. Superscoring for Everyone

ACT will now include a superscoring feature for all students, combining the best scores from multiple test attempts into one composite score. Though the ACT traditionally has not been super-scored in colleges, the ACT is heavily promoting this feature for 2025. There’s evidence that colleges are increasingly accepting superscores as part of the admissions process.

Superscoring Timeline:

ACT will generate superscores using results from all tests taken since September 2016.
Students will receive an official report that highlights their highest scores across sections.

3. Faster Results, Fewer Questions, Shorter Time with Online Testing

In 2025, online testing will become the primary mode for the ACT in the U.S., reflecting a trend toward digital assessments.

What to Expect:

Students will receive results within 2-3 business days, compared to the weeks required for paper-based results.
Digital tools, such as highlighters and line readers, will be included to enhance the testing experience.
Reduced number of questions from 215 questions (with Science section) to 131 questions (without Science section)
Reduced test length from 195 minutes (with Science section) to 125 minutes overall (without Science section)
Math answer choices reduced from 5 choices to 4 choices
Science section will be OPTIONAL

Preparing for 2025

Start Early: Our recommendation is for students to take the ACT in its current format in 2024 to familiarize with the structure before retesting options become available.
Practice Online: Use the ACT’s official prep resources to get comfortable with computer-based testing tools.
Understand Superscoring: Research which colleges accept superscores and adjust your testing strategy accordingly.

For additional information, visit the official ACT enhancements page.
Contact our dedicated team today and let us know how we can help you attain your best ACT score this academic year!

Hours of Operation
Mon – Thu:	9 AM – 8 PM
Friday:	9 AM – 5 PM
Saturday:	Closed
Sunday:	10 AM – 6 PM