The ACT is Enhanced, Your Prep Doesn't Need to Be

Just because a test is changing doesn't mean you need to do something totally new.

Enhanced doesn’t always mean new. Students will still stare out the window even in a new ACT. Photo by zehua chen on Unsplash

The ACT is now Enhanced!

Well, the ACT got shifted for its computer version beginning in April. The test is now shorter on every section. Plus, the Science section is now completely optional, just like the Essay. Also, once the new test is fully rolled out in September, students taking the weekend tests can choose whether they will take the test on Paper or “Online.” The Online version is the same as the Paper one, just taken on a computer rather than a test booklet.

If you are thinking that doesn’t sound very “Enhanced,” I won’t blame you. Functionally, the ACT a student takes in the 2025-2026 school year isn’t really different than the one students took in 2023-2024. The question types are exactly the same, and the order of sections is the same. Really, it’s just a little faster.

The actual question for any student taking the “Enhanced” ACT is: How do I prepare for the test?

The same way as always. Take Practice Tests, assess your progress, and improve your weaknesses. When a test changes, people on this side of things (test prep, admissions, counseling, etc.) get really focused on the changes themselves. Of course, any student taking the new test really just needs to know what they will be facing. No one cares what anyone had to do taking the test months or years before.

Here’s the breakdown for the new ACT:

• English Section–50 Questions in 35 minutes

• Mathematics–45 Questions in 50 minutes

• Reading–36 Questions in 40 minutes

• Science–40 Questions in 40 minutes

That’s what you will be facing if you take the ACT from September until they decide to change it again. And since the test has the same sections, with similar kinds of questions, you can also use the current Practice Materials from the ACT. The ACT themselves encourage this. You can take their Practice Tests on their website, then just adjust some timing.

You can use any ACT Practice Materials from any reputable company, as long as you keep that new format in mind. So what if the ACT is “Enhanced” or not. Your job is to be ready to take the test you have to take.

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