The ACT’s most unique feature compared to other college aptitude exams is the presence of a science section.
However, starting in spring 2025 for online ACT exams and 2026 for school-issued ACT exams, the science section will be optional.
In addition, the reformatted ACT features a shorter time frame and fewer questions and answer choices in the math section. Students still have the option to take the written or digital ACT.
The science section of the ACT was originally included to measure scientific reasoning and reading of graphs. According to CHS chemistry teacher Sara Harris, it offered a more balanced examination of a student’s abilities compared to the SAT.
The writing section, now an optional ACT section, was removed from the required section list in 2005 due to many colleges not requiring an essay score to apply. Applicants to colleges requiring an essay score continue to have the option, as well as the science section.
According to ACT CEO Janet Godwin, the optional science section allows students to showcase necessary scores to colleges and increases flexibility. Students can highlight scores of sections aligned with their education goals.
The ACT science section could be beneficial in providing an additional area to test a student’s proficiency.
“I found the science section to be straightforward,” Coppell High School senior Rakshithaa Ramesh said. “I also felt that this section gave me the opportunity to put my science knowledge to use.”
These changes have also been included to present students with a more manageable test experience due to many colleges gradually re-requiring the submission of college test scores after COVID-19.
Some think that the revamped exam does not fully assess a student’s capabilities.
“I don’t like the change because there’s so much to science,” Harris said. “There’s not just chemistry, there’s not just physics – there’s biology, there’s physical science and then there’s environmental science. That’s a really big area to leave optional.”
This change also makes the ACT less unique.
“I feel that with the science section being optional now, the ACT has lost its individuality,” Ramesh said. “I gravitated towards the ACT because of the science section. It being optional makes the ACT and the SAT practically the same.”
College preparation programs, such as Karen Dillard College Prep Coppell (KD), remain committed to helping students better adapt to this change and plan accordingly.
According to KD CEOs Karen Dillard and David Dillard, their curriculum will be adjusted to reflect the revised ACT format.
The science section still remains important for students pursuing specific career pathways.
“I would like to pursue science in the future, specifically neuroscience or public health on the pre-medicine track,” Coppell High School sophomore Ishani Tamma said. “Taking the science section even though it is no longer required will show colleges that l am committed to this field of study.”
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