Test Info: ACT CLASSIC vs. NEW ACT

ACT CLASSIC

  • Availability:

  • Present – July 2025

  • Superscore:

  • Average of all four sections
  •  

  • Format:

  • paper and pencil only

  • Duration:

  • 175 minutes (just short of 3 hours), not including breaks or writing

  • English:

  • 45 minutes / 75 questions

  • (36 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 60 minutes / 60 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • REQUIRED

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

NEW ACT

  • Availability:

  • April 2025 onwards

  • Superscore:

  • Average of Math, English, and Reading ONLY regardless of whether or not science was taken

  • Format:

  • online only: April – September

  • both formats available: September onwards

  • Duration:

  • 125 minutes (just over 2 hours), not including breaks, science, or writing

  • 165 minutes (2:45) with science

  • English:

  • 35 minutes / 50 questions

  • (42 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 50 minutes / 45 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 40 minutes / 36 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • OPTIONAL

  • 40 minutes / 40 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

ACT CLASSIC

  • Availability:

  • Present – September 2025

  • Superscore:

  • Average of all four sections
  •  

  • Format:

  • paper and pencil only

  • Duration:

  • 175 minutes (just short of 3 hours), not including breaks or writing

  • English:

  • 45 minutes / 75 questions

  • (36 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 60 minutes / 60 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • REQUIRED

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

NEW ACT

  • Availability:

  • April 2025 onwards

  • Superscore:

  • Average of Math, English, and Reading ONLY regardless of whether or not science was taken

  • Format:

  • online only: April – September

  • both formats available: September onwards

  • Duration:

  • 125 minutes (just over 2 hours), not including breaks, science, or writing

  • 165 minutes (2:45) with science

  • English:

  • 35 minutes / 50 questions

  • (42 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 50 minutes / 45 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 40 minutes / 36 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • OPTIONAL

  • 40 minutes / 40 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

ACT CLASSIC

  • Availability:

  • Present – September 2025

  • Superscore:

  • Average of all four sections

  • Format:

  • paper and pencil only

  • Duration:

  • 175 minutes (just short of 3 hours), not including breaks or writing

  • English:

  • 45 minutes / 75 questions

  • (36 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 60 minutes / 60 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • REQUIRED

  • 35 minutes / 40 questions

  • (52.5 seconds/question)

NEW ACT

  • Availability:

  • April 2025 onwards

  • Superscore:

  • Average of Math, English, and Reading ONLY regardless of whether or not science was taken

  • Format:

  • online only: April – September

  • both formats available: September onwards

  • Duration:

  • 125 minutes (just over 2 hours), not including breaks, science, or writing

  • 165 minutes (2:45) with science

  • English:

  • 35 minutes / 50 questions

  • (42 seconds/question)

  • Math:

  • 50 minutes / 45 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Reading:

  • 40 minutes / 36 questions

  • (67 seconds/question)

  • Science:

  • OPTIONAL

  • 40 minutes / 40 questions

  • (60 seconds/question)

What does that mean for students?

In general, unless there is some very special circumstance, we recommend that class of 2026 students who have already taken the ACT should sign up for ACT classic in April, June, July, and September. We have more practice material and more information about that exam; notably, no scaling charts have been released for the new version of the ACT.

ACT scaling charts reflect the distribution of performance, so making the test easier (giving more time per question without, presumably, changing content) doesn’t necessarily benefit students who have been prepping for the test as it is. In fact, it’s likely to raise the population median and might comparatively depress higher performers’ scores.

And what about science – will it continue to matter?

The short answer is we don’t know yet; it remains to be seen how optional science really is. Many competitive colleges and universities prefer to see students attempt all possible sections of a test. For that reason, we advise students to elect to take the optional writing section, even though it doesn’t contribute to the ACT composite score. Science may serve to distinguish between groups of students if most ambitious students take it; on the other hand, if it falls out of wide usage, it may cease to matter.