The New ACT and What to Expect

By now, many students have heard that the ACT is changing with their slow roll out of the “new ACT” starting in 2025. However, the ACT hasn’t released many details until recently. Read on to learn how each part of the ACT will be changed in this newest iteration of the old familiar test.

English:

The biggest change in the English section is in the wording of the questions. The old ACT often lacked what is called a question stem. In other words, there were no questions, merely a list of options. Students had to read lengthy directions at the beginning of the test to understand that picking any given option would replace the underlined part of the sentence with the option selected. The new ACT will have a question stem for every question instead of just a list of answers. Consequently, the ACT anticipates that students will be better able to understand the task at hand.

In addition, the new English section will have only 50 questions instead of 75 and will only take 35 minutes to complete instead of 45.

Math:

On the current version of the ACT, one of the more interesting parts of the math is that each question has five answer options. On most other multiple choice standardized tests and on the other sections of the ACT there are only four options. The New ACT math will be adjusted to reflect this standard with one of the incorrect answer options or “foils” eliminated so that there are only four answer options from which to choose.

In addition, the math test is being cut from 60 questions to 45 and from 60 minutes to 50, giving students slightly more time to think through each question.

Reading:

 
While initial reports claimed that ACT might change the length of the reading passages, this has not happened, instead, each of the four passages will have nine questions instead of ten. In addition, 40 minutes will be allotted to finish the 36 questions where the old ACT only allowed for 35 minutes to finish 40 questions.

Science:

The big shake up with the science is that it will be optional! Since most other standardized tests do not test scientific thinking in its own separate section, the ACT has decided that this section will not be required. How colleges react to this is yet to be seen. Some may require it for all students or for no students. Others may require it for certain majors or programs. The science score will not impact the student’s cumulative ACT score under the new format.

In addition, the New ACT has decided to allow for five extra minutes on the science section, granting students more time for the critical thinking it requires.

Takeaways:

The ACT is adapting to reduce the length of the test while still giveing students more time to think about questions and to bring their testing format into line with generally accepted educational practices.

Students can see and practice the new format with the practice tests found here:
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-changes/online-testing/sample-questions.html




How Should I Study for my Standardized Test?



We don’t get this question a lot. It’s quite unfortunate. A lot of students think that since they know how to study for a test in school, they therefore know how to study for their standardized tests. However, these two types of test are very different, and so studying varies. Students should be asking how to study for standardized tests!

Students will often try to study for a standardized test in one of two ways:

1. Memorize:
Students will rely on good memorization skills a lot in school. Quite often, school tests are just a matter of remembering facts or math formulas. However, on standardized tests, there isn’t a whole lot that can be memorized. Standardized tests force students to think in new and creative ways, taking old pieces of knowledge and applying them in unique situations. Simply memorizing a math formula won’t help if you can’t understand a story problem and figure out which formula to use and a new way of using it.

2. A million practice questions:
Students tend to quickly realize that memorization won’t help very much on the ACT and SAT and they move on to doing copious amounts of practice questions. This isn’t a bad thing! However, those practice questions need to be done in the right way. Simply doing the questions, marking the wrong ones, and moving on to the next set is going to ingrain bad habits and won’t lead to learning.

So then how should students practice to see the best results?

Practicing on accurate materials is just the first step! Students who want to improve need to realize that doing a practice test is only the beginning of the learning process. The part that really helps students do better in the future comes after the practice test. Instead of merely marking the wrong questions, calculating a score, and moving on, students need to engage with the questions they missed.

Some students will merely read the explanation for the question they missed, think “oh, that’s how you do it” and leave it at that. That may help a bit, but the best value comes from truly wrestling with questions. Before you look at the explanation, go back and try to figure out the question yourself. Ask yourself why you got it wrong. Was it a simple mistake? Why did you make that simple mistake? If you don’t know why, then you can’t avoid that same mistake in the future! Were you distracted? Did you misread the question or the answer? Did you make a small calculation error? How can you ensure those things don’t happen in the future?

Or was it not a simple mistake? Is there something bigger going on? Did you lack key knowledge to answer the question? Could you not think your way through a puzzling math question? If that’s the case, come back to that question often. Plan on solving it once a week for a few weeks until it feels comfortable. Go find more questions like that one and do them over and over as well. Through this process you will get better!

So what are you waiting for? Go get started! Even just a few practice questions each day can help, though including full length practices every week or two is going to be best. Make sure you check out our resources tab to find all the ACT and SAT practice resources you need!

Changes to the ACT in 2025

In response to the shorter, digital version of the SAT, the ACT announced that they too will be modifying their test.  The two major problems students have with the ACT are (1) it takes too long to complete a full test and (2) they often do not have enough time to answer all the questions.  These changes will tackle these concerns, making the ACT much more competitive with the SAT. 

Here is what we know for sure about the new ACT:

  • The ACT will be about an hour shorter (2 hours of testing instead of 3) thanks to making the sections shorter and making the Science section optional.
  • Composite scores (still given from 1-36 points) will be an average of just the English, Math, and Reading sections.
  • Students will have more time per question.
  • The ACT will continue to offer both paper and digital versions of the test.
  • According to ACT, the changes “will roll out starting with National online testing in spring 2025 and then for school-day testing in spring 2026.”

What do we need to find out about the new ACT?

  • What is the precise design of the updated ACT test?  If it is consistent with the format of the test used in a research study in June of this year, it will likely have these parameters:
    • English:  35 minutes, 50 questions, 5 or 10 questions on each passage
    • Math:  50 minutes, 45 questions
    • Reading:  40 minutes, 36 questions, 9 questions on each passage
    • Optional Science:  45 minutes, 36 questions
  • What sort of ACT practice materials will be provided?  When the SAT changed its format, it made four brand new SAT practice tests available to students prior to the first administered test.  Since the ACT does not routinely make significant updates to its structure, it is unclear how much material they will make available prior to the first test. 
  • When will the switch for the national paper ACTs take place?  The announcement from ACT does not make this clear, only referring to the national online testing.  The switch to the newer format on the national paper tests won’t happen before February of 2025, but it could happen sometime during 2025 or even early 2026.  We will have to wait and see. 
  • How will colleges use ACT scores?  Our best guess is that the ACT composite score with just the English, Math, and Reading sections will be sufficient.  However, students who want to demonstrate their competency for science-related majors may be well-served by doing the ACT science. 

What should students do about the new ACT? 

  • Rising seniors in the class of 2025 do not need to do anything.  These changes will go into effect after college applications have been submitted. 
  • Rising juniors in the class of 2026 may want to try the paper ACT before it goes away; they can also try the updated ACT when it is convenient do so.  When the SAT changed to its digital format, many students took advantage of trying both the paper SAT before it went away and the newer digital SAT.  It is highly likely that colleges will accept scores from either the newer ACT or the current ACT.  When students prepare for the new ACT, they will likely be able to use existing practice materials; they can try working through them at a slightly slower pace to reflect the more generous time constraints on the new ACT. 
  • Underclassmen—classes of 2027 and later—may want to wait to begin focused preparation on the ACT until there is more information available.  If a highly motivated sophomore wants to take the longer ACT before it goes away, they might go ahead and give it a try. 

Please reach out to us with questions you may have about these major changes to the ACT and how they affect your testing plans.    

General ACT and SAT Test-Taking Tips

  1. Schedule your test well in advance, and try to select a site that is connected to a high school. Sites that are not connected to high schools have less accountability to the students and tend to be more likely to cancel tests at the last moment. Taking the test at your high school is generally best. If your school isn’t a testing center, consider asking the administration why that is.
  2. Make sure to read your emails! The ACT and SAT will both email you occasionally with important information. It might be a reminder to upload your picture (which you can’t take the ACT without). It might be an update to your testing location (so you show up at the right place). It might be the notification to set up your SAT prior to arriving at your test center (you can’t do it once you arrive). Many students ignore these emails and then have big problems on test day.
  3. Have a regular schedule for practice and tutoring. Having a scheduled time in your week to practice or meet with a tutor will provide better results than intermittent or random practice squeezed into any free spot.
  4. Practice like you play. When doing practice at home, make sure you are giving it your all and treating it like test day. Practicing while lounging on the couch, eating a snack, and intermittently texting a friend will be far less effective than sitting at a desk or table, timing yourself, and focusing without interruption.
  5. Practice what you’re good at too. A lot of students make the mistake of only focusing on their weaknesses. It is often easy to improve what you’re already good at, so don’t forget to put effort into each section of your test.
  6. Don’t cut yourself slack. It’s very tempting to ignore small mistakes. “Oh, it was just a silly slip up” is easy to say. Small mistakes lead to wrong answers, just like big mistakes do, so treat a small mistake just as seriously as a big one. Identify why that small mistake happened and work towards eliminating what caused it.
  7. Sleep. High school students generally need over 8 hours of sleep each night. Just because you can exist on less doesn’t mean that is ideal. Best brain function occurs when students are well rested the week or two prior to the test. Start practicing healthy sleep habits today.

Old ACT vs. Digital SAT: Which One is Better for Me?

With the Digital SAT upon us, conventional advice about which test on which to focus has gone out the window. Students find themselves unsure as to which test is best for them. With colleges accepting either test, which one is best for you? Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between the tests. Take a look at our info-graphic, and then read below to help decide which test is best for you or your student!

English, Reading, and Writing

On the ACT you’ll see a long English section that tests grammar, mechanics, and composition skills. There will also be a reading comprehension section later on in the test that requires that students read four long passages and answer 10 questions about each of them. On the Digital SAT these two sections have been combined into modules that cover both reading and writing. The reading passages are far shorter (max 150 words each) but the writing questions overlap many concepts covered on the ACT. The relative brevity of the passages on the SAT gives students with shorter focus periods a better chance at showing their skills. However, the constantly changing topics may be distracting.

Math

The ACT math tends to cover a wide range of topics from elementary school up through introductory pre-calculus. Students will need a broad understanding of many topics and the ability to do math quickly in order to do well on the ACT. The ACT focuses on testing simple concepts in diverse settings. The SAT covers fewer subjects, but does so more in depth. Students must have a much deeper understanding of algebra and linear geometry to succeed on the SAT.

Timing

The SAT, in general, is a deep, narrow test. The test expects students to have a thorough understanding of fewer concepts compared to the ACT which expects a shallower understanding of more concepts. For this reason, the ACT expects students to think quickly and adroitly while the SAT grants more time for deep thinking. Most students can expect to run out of time on at least one section of the ACT, while on the SAT this is less of a concern.

Adaptiveness

The SAT is now adaptive; the ACT is not. Depending on how a student does on the first reading and writing module and the first math module of the SAT, their second modules may be easier or harder. Consequently, the SAT can be shorter than the ACT and still collect a large amount of information on a student’s skills. It also means that students sitting next to one another will have different tests, thus reducing the risk of cheating.

Students who prefer the ACT

Students who prefer the ACT tend to be big readers and quick thinkers. Students who read a lot in their free time (or who did in the past) tend to have an advantage in terms of speed and skill on the ACT. In addition, students who are good with data and scientific concepts will have an advantage on the science portion of the ACT. Students who receive extended time or other accommodations often prefer the ACT as well.

Students who prefer the SAT

Students who are strong in math (especially Algebra) tend to do well on the SAT. Students who prefer to have more time to think deeply about concepts, wording, and nuance also tend to prefer the SAT. Students with a shorter attention span, will often prefer the shorter passages and more direct wording of the questions on the reading and writing portion of the SAT.

The Long and the Short of It

If by now it isn’t obvious which test you should focus on, consider taking one of each to compare. Nothing beats the real-world experience of giving it a try.  If you’re having a hard time making a decision based on your scores and skills, please reach out: we’re always happy to help!

PSAT, ACT, and SAT Planning for High School Juniors

High school juniors in the United States have a very interesting year of testing options ahead of them. There are a total of four major tests that students will have the opportunity to take: the Digital PSAT, the Paper SAT, the ACT, and the Digital SAT. Who should focus on which of these different types of tests?

Digital PSAT: Administered in the month of October through a student’s high school. Students who are trying to earn National Merit recognition should prepare for this exam. National Merit recognition generally applies to students who score in the 95th percentile or above, and National Merit Scholarships usually go to students who score above the 99th percentile. For students who do not think that a National Merit award is in reach, taking the Digital PSAT is still an excellent way to try the adaptive, digital format they will find on the Digital SAT. Scores for the Digital PSAT will be back in November, so students will have plenty of time to review their PSAT results to prepare for the Digital SAT in the spring.

Paper SAT: Administered in August, October, November, and December of 2023. After these administrations, the current paper SAT will be retired and replaced with a Digital SAT. For students who want to take advantage of the expansive body of existing practice tests and review books, taking the paper SAT before it goes away is a good idea. Results from the paper SAT will still be fully utilized by colleges, so students would have nothing to lose by giving the paper SAT a try before they no longer have the opportunity to do so.

ACT: Administered throughout 2023-2024. In general, students who are faster test takers like the ACT. This is a good test to take if you have taken through Algebra 2 and a bit of pre-calculus. The ACT covers more math material than the Digital SAT: logarithms, matrices, hyperbolas/ellipses, and combinations/permutations. It also has a broader array of grammar concepts than does the Digital SAT: wordiness, idioms, diction, and sentence placement. Fortunately, students who want to take the ACT can use many excellent books and practice tests to prepare for this well-established test.

Digital SAT: Administered in the United States beginning in March, 2024 and continuing thereafter. The Digital SAT will be offered on national test dates, and many schools will offer it during the school day given the relatively short amount of time that taking the Digital SAT requires. Students will have their Digital PSAT results back in November of 2023 so they can evaluate whether the Digital SAT is a good fit for them. There is a great deal of overlap in the content between the ACT and Digital SAT, so if students wish to switch from one test to the other, it should be fairly seamless.

Please contact us if we can advise you as to the best testing plan for this upcoming school year.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

With the prevalence of internet accessibility increasing across the board, one key skill in education is diminishing: the ability to figure it out. It may be true that students no longer need to memorize key facts because they can always look them up, but being able to puzzle through things is essential to many jobs. After all, what happens when something can’t be looked up? What kind of world would we have if we didn’t have people who were willing to figure out new things? This ability to figure things out starts very young. Remember the toy where the small child has to match the shape of the block to the shape of the hole? Somewhere along the line, though, many children and young adults begin to expect less work in figuring things out. They’re given fewer puzzles to solve and more things to memorize. They stop looking at learning as a puzzle solving and start simply asking for answers (from a teacher or Google) if they don’t know.

The result is that by the time students get to the ACT and SAT in high school they often have very weak concentration and critical thinking skills. They view math as a set of memorized steps, not a puzzle to be worked through. They view reading as something to do only to gain facts, not as something that requires critical thinking. This leads to poor results and to many students struggling to develop skills that have long lain dormant.  

One key part of ACT and SAT tutoring is strengthening these weak skills. Students will often become frustrated when they say “I don’t know how to do this problem” and instead of explaining the steps a tutor starts asking them questions. But this is how these skills are built. Instead of explaining and having students memorize every type of question that could be on the test (an impossibility), asking the students questions and assisting them in breaking the question down and solving the puzzle on their own will enable them to figure things out on test day when a tutor isn’t there to explain things. Nine times out of ten, when a student claims they don’t know how to do the problem, they actually already have all the math or reading skills they need to solve the problem, they just don’t realize what type of math they need to use or where to focus their reading. Developing critical thinking skills leads to much batter results. Besides tutoring, students can develop their critical thinking skills in several ways.

Here are some every day suggestions for strengthening this key skill.

  1. Hypothesize before looking things up:
    Let’s say you need to know the date for some key historical event for a school assignemnt. Before hopping on the internet or grabbing a text book, try to figure out at least a range of time that even could have happened in. Make a game of it to see how close to the correct answer you can get by using all the information you have already in your mind. For example, if I needed to know the date of the moon landing, I might go through a thought process like this: I know the moon landing was during the Cold War and the Cold War was after World War II but before the 90s, so it’s probably between the 50s and 90s. I remember back to a TV show I where the characters watched the moon landing. The TV was black and white and their clothes seemed bright. There were also a lot of hippies as characters. Maybe the moon landing was in the late 60s or the 70s. Only once I have thought through all of this and come up with a hypothesis do I look up the answer: the moon landing was in 1969.
  2. Do puzzles regularly:
    Sign up for a daily word or number puzzle. Maybe it’s a Sudoku. Maybe it’s a mini crossword puzzle. Make it something you can do most days, but that you can’t look up the answer to. Don’t let yourself give up quickly! If you need to, put it down for a few hours and then come back to it later. Work through feelings of frustration and focus on how much easier it gets over time! Try to be okay with not figuring it out if you puzzle on it for a good amount of time and can’t crack it.
  3. Ask specific questions:
    If you’re stumped on something at school or in anything you’re working on, focus on asking really specific questions. More specific questions force you to think about the problem a lot more before getting help and will avoid the helper just giving you the answer without making you think. Avoid saying things like “I don’t understand this thing” or “I don’t know how to do this” and try instead to say things like “what is the relationship between these two things- I don’t think I fully grasp that” or “If I’ve already done steps one and two, what should I consider to get to step four.” Once you’re comfortable with that try asking yourself those questions before asking other people.

Developing the skills needed to figure things out is difficult, but it’s well worth the effort and will pay off in many ways beyond just standardized tests. Keep working on those skills and let us know if you’d like any guidance along the way.

Michal Strawn