Understanding the Pros and Cons of the new Enhanced ACT

Recently the ACT had a major overhaul! The test is now officially called the Enhanced ACT. I’ll attempt to break down the changes, so you will have a better understanding of how best to prepare for this new version.

The ACT is now shorter in time and with fewer questions. English has 25 fewer questions and is 10 min shorter. Math has 15 fewer questions and is 10 min shorter. Reading has 4 fewer questions and is 5 min longer. Science has the same number of questions and is 5 min longer.

The new composite is a combined score of only the English, math and reading sections. The science section is now optional, but if taken will be included in the STEM score which is comprised of the math and science scores.

The passages in the English and reading sections are shorter to make the test more manageable and less time consuming. The math section will now have 4 answers instead of 5 which should make it easier to narrow your choices.

Most of the changes I feel will benefit students, but the one new item that is a bit frustrating is that the ACT has embedded what they call “field questions” in each section of the Enhanced ACT. These are questions that do not count towards the student’s score but are used by the ACT to determine possible questions on future tests. There is no way to know which questions these are, so your student may be spending precious time on questions that won’t count towards their final score. There are 10 field questions in the English section, 4 in the math, 9 in the reading and 6 in the science portion. Students should do their best on each question, approaching the test as if each question counts equally.

When deciding whether to take the optional science portion, you should look at what is best for your student. First, do any schools where your student is applying require the science section? Some schools may not require the science portion but may look more favorably on those who did take the full ACT. Where college admission is highly competitive, including the science section can strengthen your application.

Lastly, now that the ACT can be taken digitally online, as well as the traditional paper and pencil method, which is the right choice? The best answer is one that best fits your students learning style. It’s not a time to experiment. Your student needs to be as confident and comfortable as possible. There is the chance that online tests make it easy to click answers and move on, leading to a possible overinflated confidence on how well the student performed. Students also need to know how to navigate the digital test tools such as flagging questions to review and using the built-in calculator. Many students now use digital devises for most assignments, which could make the online test their most natural option. Taking the test with a traditional paper and pencil method may be better at helping your child to concentrate and be a less distracting option. Whether your child is taking the digital or paper/pencil method of the ACT, it is very important to find the best location for your students test day. You want a place that has a clean, comfortable and well-run environment with a professional staff. Ask friends about their experiences to find the right place to schedule your child’s test. Years ago, my daughter took a test that was thrown out because of the countless security errors the staff made during that exam. Not all testing sites are equal. Getting recommendations from those who have had positive experiences on testing day can make a big difference for your student.

We hope we can help your child reach their ACT goal score! We love supporting our students with ACT prep and then cheering them on as they approach testing day!