Navigating the Enhanced ACT: What Your Student Needs to Know
At WayForward College Consulting, we believe in giving families clear, actionable guidance through every step of the college journey. The recent ACT changes are creating waves of uncertainty, but with the right approach, your student can turn these shifts into strategic advantages.
The ACT Landscape Is Changing: Here's Your Roadmap
The Enhanced ACT is here, bringing significant changes to test structure, timing, and strategy. As we prepare students for our summer test prep program, I'm sharing these insights to help your family navigate these waters with confidence.
1. Paper vs. Digital: Why Your Choice Matters
The ACT is offering both paper and digital formats—but they're not created equal. The digital interface continues to present challenges: clunky calculator functions, highlight tools that disappear between questions, and navigation issues that can disrupt your student's flow.
WayForward Recommendation: Unless circumstances require digital testing, opt for the traditional pencil-and-paper format. The familiarity and reliability of paper testing gives students one less variable to manage on test day.
2. Two Tests, One Score Scale: Know Which Version You're Taking
During this transition period (through August 2025), students will encounter one of two formats:
Legacy ACT: Still used for paper testing and school-day administrations
Enhanced ACT: Currently offered only in digital format
By September 2025, the Enhanced ACT will become standard for all Saturday testing dates (both paper and digital). School-day testing will continue using the legacy version through spring 2026.
WayForward Recommendation: Mark your calendar and verify your test format. This seemingly small detail can significantly impact how your student prepares.
3. Science Now Optional: Strategic Decisions Required
Perhaps the most significant change: the science section is now optional on the Enhanced ACT. While some elite institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford) have already indicated they won't require it, many colleges remain silent about their expectations.
WayForward Recommendation: In the absence of clear guidance from your student's target schools, include the science section. This preserves options and prevents potential application hurdles later. Remember: you can always choose not to submit this section, but you can't add it retrospectively.
4. The Time-Question Equation: Don't Be Misled
At first glance, the Enhanced ACT's math seems promising: about 20% more time per question and 40% fewer questions overall (if skipping science). However, my students report that the new questions demand more complex reasoning and multi-step solutions. The extra time often just compensates for increased question difficulty. They have frequently reported that the ACT pacing is much more challenging than the SAT.
WayForward Recommendation: Don't underestimate preparation needs based on reduced question counts. Focus instead on developing flexible problem-solving skills and maintaining consistent pacing through more challenging material.
5. Scoring Shifts: Subtle But Significant
The familiar 1-36 scale remains, but early data suggests students at the lower scoring ranges may see slightly lower results on the Enhanced ACT. For mid-to-high performers, scores should remain relatively consistent between versions.
WayForward Recommendation: For students who typically struggle with standardized tests, consider additional targeted preparation focused on the Enhanced ACT's particular demands.
6. Score Volatility: Plan for Multiple Attempts
With fewer questions determining each section score, individual answers carry more weight. This mathematical reality means scores may fluctuate more between testing attempts—even when performance feels subjectively similar.
WayForward Recommendation: Build a testing timeline that includes multiple opportunities. At WayForward, we typically recommend 2-3 testing dates for most students, carefully spaced to allow for focused preparation between attempts.
7. Superscoring Changes: September 2025 and Beyond
Beginning September 2025, ACT Superscores will only include English, Math, and Reading—even if your student took the science section in previous attempts.
WayForward Recommendation: Keep complete score reports for all test dates. If science is a strength for your student, consider submitting complete test records alongside superscores for schools that welcome this approach.
8. No More Strategic Skipping: Every Question Counts
The Enhanced ACT embeds unscored experimental questions throughout each section. Unfortunately, there's no way to identify which ones "don't count"—including entire reading passages.
WayForward Recommendation: Prepare students to approach every question with equal attention. Time-management strategies must now prioritize consistent pacing rather than selective engagement.
9. Section-Specific Changes: New Approaches Needed
Each section brings nuanced changes that demand adjusted approaches:
English: Shorter passages, elimination of idiom questions, more editing-focused items
Math: Four answer choices instead of five, fewer extremely easy or difficult problems
Reading: Some passages include visual information and data interpretation
Science: Optional but structurally similar to the legacy version
WayForward Recommendation: These changes favor students with strong reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and flexible thinking. Our summer prep program will incorporate these shifts with targeted section-specific strategies.
10. ACT vs. SAT: The Fundamental Decision
Even with these changes, the essential differences between the ACT and SAT remain. Your student might prefer:
The ACT if they:
Process information quickly and efficiently
Prefer direct questions over multi-layered problems
Have strong memory for mathematical concepts and formulas
Excel in reading comprehension and data interpretation
Benefit from the science section's unique format (if included)
The SAT if they:
Appreciate more time per question
Thrive on deeper exploration of fewer mathematical concepts
Enjoy puzzle-like problem-solving
Handle dense, short reading passages effectively
Prefer math with provided formulas and reference information
WayForward Recommendation: Uncertain which test aligns with your student's strengths? Our diagnostic assessment compares performance across both formats, revealing natural preferences and highlighting opportunities for growth.
Your WayForward Action Plan
As your partner in college planning, here's what I recommend during this transition period:
Verify test details: Confirm whether your student's administration uses the legacy or enhanced format
Choose paper when possible: Avoid unnecessary technical complications
Include science for now: Keep options open until college policies solidify
Plan multiple test dates: Build a timeline with 2-3 attempts
Update preparation materials: Ensure all resources reflect the current format
Identify complementary strengths: Determine whether ACT or SAT better showcases your student's abilities
The Enhanced ACT represents both challenge and opportunity. With thoughtful preparation and strategic planning, your student can navigate these changes successfully—and we're here to help every step of the way.
Ready to create a customized testing plan for your student? The WayForward summer test prep program begins soon. Contact us to secure your spot and turn these ACT changes into your student's competitive advantage.
