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The New ACT is Here: Fewer questions, more time—but it still moves fast.
The ACT has entered a new phase. As of September 2025, the Enhanced ACT launches in digital and paper format, offering a shorter test with more time per question, and an optional Science section.
Only English, Math, and Reading will now count toward your Composite score. The Essay section remains optional, and most colleges don’t require it—but it’s always smart to check with your target schools. As for the Science section, while it’s now optional, we recommend taking it to keep all admissions doors open.
Format
The Enhanced ACT features fewer questions and more time per question, but it still moves quickly and requires sharp focus. You’ll tackle grammar and editing, algebra and geometry, and reading passages that span fiction to science. Optional sections for Science and Writing offer additional insights into your skills. And remember: there’s no penalty for guessing, so keep moving!


The new ACT will also debut some changes to questions in most ACT sections. In the table below, we highlight the test enhancements.
| ACT Section | Proposed Changes |
|---|---|
| English |
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| Math |
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| Reading |
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| Science (optional) |
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| Writing (optional) |
No planned changes. |
One of the major changes coming to the ACT is that the overall testing time will be reduced. The test duration for the enhanced ACT will be reduced from 175 minutes to 155 minutes for the base test (including writing and science). These changes include 5 questions (questions 5–9) per section for some question types. The new ACT is also reducing the number of math question answer choices from five to four. This means that each student will have more time to think through each question and fewer distractions from the testing time clock. The table below features a breakdown of the proposed future sections of the ACT. Please note that the listed test questions in each section are rounded and are included in the total exam questions count.
| ACT Section | Number of Questions/tasks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| English | 50 questions (10 field test) | 35 minutes – 42 seconds per question |
| Math | 45 questions (5 field test) | 50 minutes – 67 seconds per question |
| Reading | 38 questions (3 field test) | 40 minutes – 87 seconds per question |
| Science (optional) | 40 questions (4 field test) | 40 minutes – 60 seconds per question |
| Writing (optional) | 1 task | 40 minutes |
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Total testing time: National ACT (English, reading, and math) = 125 minutes + Optional science OR writing |
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Section = 165 minutes + Optional science AND writing sections = 205 minutes |