For many students, taking the ACT and SAT exams can be extremely stressful. Even after countless hours of studying, almost no one feels truly prepared. After all, there is a lot at stake. What most students today don’t know is that there were recent big changes to the two exams that could potentially have negative effects. What are these changes, and how can you be prepared for them?
The ACT and SAT exams provide colleges in the US with a general benchmark on how ready you are for college courses. They both assess your skills as a student and can affect your admissions to colleges. Although the tests are similar, there are some key differences. According to an article on the College Board Website, “Both test what you’re learning in school, the same knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college and career. Most colleges in the U.S.—including those that require tests and those that are test optional—accept scores from either exam for admissions decisions, course placement, financial aid, scholarships, and other purposes.” While the ACT focuses more on material taught in a school curriculum, the SAT focuses more on your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Most schools take both scores into consideration to determine if your scores align with their school, and one test may be more important than another depending on the school.
Starting in September 2025, the ACT organization made some major changes to its exam. The most notable differences are fewer questions, shortened test time, more time per question, and the biggest of all, the science section is completely optional. From the ACT website, “Whether you’re aiming for a faster finish, more time to think, or a format that fits your strengths, the enhanced ACT is built to meet you where you are… the updates come together to create a smarter, more personalized path forward.” They add that with a shorter test time, you spend less time in the test room and more time on the rest of your day. The writing and science sections are now optional, which allows students to decide which sections will best show their strengths. The test is still offered in both paper-and-pencil and digital forms.
Even though the SAT changes took effect in 2024, many aren’t aware of some of them. The biggest change is that the test is fully digital and is no longer offered in a pencil-and-paper option. According to College Board, “‘We made the transition to a digital SAT in response to what students and educators were telling us. Students do a lot of their learning and testing digitally these days. Our goal was to provide a testing experience that is more relevant to today’s students and is less stressful for students to take and easier for educators to administer,’ said Priscilla Rodriguez, senior vice president of College Readiness Assessments at College Board.” As a result of that major change, the test now takes around two hours to complete, whereas the paper-and-pencil version took roughly three hours. It provides a shorter test day for students as well as teachers and proctors, since materials don’t have to be transported and sorted. Some smaller changes include a wider range of devices you can take the test on, and you can now bring an approved calculator separate from the one provided digitally. The test is unique to only you, making it just about impossible to cheat. Along with your results, the College Board will also provide future career insights based on your strengths. Even with these differences, the test will still be held to the 1600-point scale, connect you to scholarships, and measure your knowledge and college readiness.
It seems that the main goal between the two is to make the test faster and easier for students. With more time on the questions with less to do, it allows students to better focus on that one skill.
Even with these positive updates, some are concerned about the negative effect they could have. Students are worried that since there are fewer questions, there are fewer opportunities to prove themselves. In other words, each question has a bigger impact than it normally would, meaning if a student is weak in that subject, it could possibly cause their score to not accurately reflect their strengths. Another notable point is that students are concerned that it will make it harder for them and other applicants to stand out. From an opinion piece from Inside Higher Ed, “Similarly, an easier test makes it harder for applicants to stand out in a competitive field. This puts more pressure on students to earn top scores while making those scores less helpful for the students who earn them.” This means that students will be more blended together instead of some standing out like they would with the old exam.
Some students are very excited about these changes. With more time per question, they get to focus more on each question. On the other hand, students are also worried that it will be hard for them and their scores to stand out. Practicing with the new study materials and practice tests for the new test can give you a good idea of what you can expect.
