As the year goes on, opportunities arise to take the ACT, and more students are going after the challenge. The test consists of multiple-choice questions in math, reading, and optional science. Even though this test has been the same for decades, as of April 2025, ACT, Inc., the non-profit organization that administers the test, decided to make changes that “enhanced” the ACT. These include reducing the test by an hour, fewer questions per subject (taking the total from 215 questions to 171), and an optional science portion. Though this makes the test a lot easier in concept, students are still skeptical of these new enhancements and how they can affect their scores.
Like most people trying to get a perfect score, or a 36, Jamin Whaley, a senior at FHC, takes his studies seriously. He has taken the ACT a total of four times and will continue to take it until he gets a 36. He has spent hours studying the material and is a big advocate of the test and how it measures people’s knowledge. Whaley has so far taken the old ACT three times and the “enhanced ACT” once. He is also going to take it again in December. Students taking the enhanced ACT wonder how this new test will affect their scores. Some believe that the new cuts will make the test a lot easier, while others think that it will take some navigating, since it’s a new test. Though Whaley had some nerves going into the new test, he persisted and kept an open mind.
“I like the new ACT stuff a lot. They cut out a lot of filler questions that were not needed, and I am a fan of it. Science was always how well you can read a graph, and it was not needed,” Jamin said. “I was killed on the last test I took, though, so that may have reflected a harder test, or maybe it’s just because it’s new to me.”
The new ACT cuts and “enhancements” are designed to make the test feel well-rounded and overall more flexible, with fewer questions and more time per question. These new changes are student centered. Though these new enhancements could change one’s score for better or for worse, these changes will show a different score more than likely because of the changes to the test. Sivani Kandel, a 3rd year student at FHC, has taken the ACT a total of three times and is very familiar with the test and its type of questions/format. Even though she has not taken the new ACT yet, she will soon and has some mixed opinions on it.
“I think that the new ACT changes are a little stupid, since they got rid of the science section. I think while science is a little similar to the reading portion, it’s a good test to show how well you can read a graph,” Kandel said. “For math, most of the questions they got rid of were the easier ones, and I feel like those are still important to have because it’s a good test to see if you can grasp more basic algebra questions.”
Though there are some flaws to consider about the new ACT, if people put in the work and try hard for the test, one will see results. ACT prep is a great way to get more help and assist you with a lot of the questions on the test. Since most of the questions are quick multiple choice questions, besides the optional writing portion, making sure that one knows what strategies to use for which question is pivotal. This year, ACT prep has changed in some ways, since they have changed the test and made “enhancements”. Students don’t have to focus on some aspects and questions. Mr. Steven Le, an eight year ACT prep teacher at FHC, loves teaching about the test and the multiple choice question strategies.
“Overall, I just make students feel more comfortable taking the test,” Le said. “They have extended the time you can take it. I think it will be easier in the sense that students won’t be as stressed about time.”
Whether the new test is easier or harder for someone, the new test structure makes a difference, and can be crucial for how one performs on the test.
