The ACT a student sits today is not the test described in guides written before 2025. The science section is now optional, the test is roughly a third shorter, and the Composite score is calculated differently. Anyone preparing from older material is preparing for the wrong exam.
The Composite no longer includes science
The ACT Composite is now the average of English, maths and reading only. Science is reported as a standalone score for students who choose to take it, and those students also receive a STEM score combining science and maths. Writing, as before, is optional and produces both a writing score and an ELA score alongside English and reading.
ACT designed the section scores on the enhanced test to be interchangeable with the old ones, and says the new Composite can be used in place of the old. In practice two students with identical work may see slightly different Composites under the two calculations, because one of them no longer has science pulling the average in either direction.
Shorter, with more time per question
| Section | Legacy items / time | Enhanced items / time |
|---|---|---|
| English | 75 / 45 min | 50 / 35 min |
| Maths | 60 / 60 min | 45 / 50 min |
| Reading | 40 / 35 min | 36 / 40 min |
| Science (optional) | 40 / 35 min | 40 / 40 min |
| Writing (optional) | 1 / 40 min | 1 / 40 min |
| Core administration | 215 / 175 min | 131 / 125 min |
Enhanced counts include embedded field-test items that earn no score. The headline is in the last row: fewer questions, less time overall, and more time per question than before. Reading in particular went from 35 minutes for 40 questions to 40 minutes for 36. A student who used to run out of time on reading is in a different test now.
When it changed, and for whom
Online national testing moved to the enhanced format in April 2025; paper testing followed in September 2025. The updated Composite applies to national and international testing and to students testing through state and district contracts.
Should a student still take science?
It no longer affects the Composite, so the question is what else it buys. Taking all five sections yields five section scores plus STEM and ELA — the fullest picture, and the one to choose if a science or engineering programme is the target or if a scholarship asks for a STEM score. For a student applying to humanities programmes who is strong in English and reading, the shorter core administration is a legitimate choice rather than a corner cut.