The Enhanced ACT® in 2026: A Complete Guide for Parents

Read time: 15 min  ·  Last updated: May 20, 2026

The ACT® is now the enhanced ACT®. Since fall 2025, the "enhanced" version of the test has been the standard version your child will take. The old ACT® — three hours, 215 questions, mandatory science — is no longer being administered. If you've been hearing about ACT® changes in 2026 and trying to understand what your child is actually walking into on test day, then this is the guide for you.

I'm a tutor who has worked with students through every version of this transition: the old paper test, the new format on paper, and now the Digital ACT® on screen. Here's what's actually changed, what hasn't, and what your family needs to know about the new Digital ACT® format in 2026.

What the Enhanced ACT® Actually Is

The enhanced ACT® is a shorter version of the test. The structure looks like this:

Without the optional science section, the test runs about 2 hours and 5 minutes. With science, 2 hours and 40 minutes. Compared to the legacy ACT® at 2 hours and 55 minutes — plus a separate experimental section — the enhanced ACT® has dropped from 215 questions to 131 (or 171 with science). The enhanced ACT will have its experimental section spread throughout the normal passages, so students can no longer tell which questions are experimental. The experimental section is not something you need to know, except insofar as it does not exist anymore.

The reduced amount of overall time is the highly reported change, but it isn't the most important one. The more meaningful shift is the time per question. The legacy ACT® gave students about 49 seconds per question on average. The enhanced format gives roughly 58 seconds. That's an 18% increase in time per question — which matters when most students struggle with pacing. The real solution to "pacing issues" is going to be practicing in the right way, but more on that later. The ACT enhancements help pacing at least a little.

What "Enhanced" Actually Means in Practice

ACT Inc. uses the word "enhanced" to describe the new test format. That's basically marketing language. Here's what it actually means for your student.

• The test is shorter. Fewer questions, less time on the clock.
• The Math section has four answer choices, not five. Biiig change. With five choices, a guess had a 20% chance of being right. With four choices, the probability of guessing correctly becomes 25%. Process of elimination strategies (which dovetail with guessing) are also even more effective.
• Reading passages are shorter. Students spend less time hunting through the text and more time on actual comprehension questions.
• The Science section is optional. Students decide at registration whether to include it. I'll come back to it below. For now, TL;DR: the science section doesn't test science for the most part.
• The Writing section is optional too. It always was. Now it's optional in the same registration flow as Science. Almost nobody needs to take the writing.
• Concepts tested have not changed. This is the part most parents miss in the noise. The ACT® Org has been very clear about this since as early as 2015 and as recently as 2026.

The ACT is testing the same skills, content, and conceptual frameworks (e.g. use algebra to solve geometry). A student who took the 2023 ACT® would get the same score on the 2026 ACT®. Some questions may look slightly different, but the test is the same.

This last point is important for parents. Since the changes have been announced, there has been a wave of test prep content saying "everything is new, panic, start over." That's not true. The changes are real, but they're minor format changes. The content has not changed. Old test prep material is still valid. Practice tests and test prep material from as far back as 1998 is still just as useful as content published in 2026.

Is the ACT® Science Section Worth Taking Now That It's Optional?

This is the question I get asked most often by parents in 2026. The answer is nuanced. But the TL;DR is you should take the science section if any of the colleges your child is applying to requires it.

Don't know if your student's prospective colleges will require the science section? Parents need to plan with their child what score they actually need based on which college the student wants to attend. There's a lot more to that topic, so please read through my guide on What ACT Score Does Your Child Actually Need? if you don't have a specific score in mind. Every decision regarding studying for the ACT follows from that.

Your child should take Science if any of the following apply:

• Your child is applying to selective colleges (top 50 nationally or top 25 liberal arts). Most of these schools either require Science or strongly recommend it, and submitting a composite without Science can read as an attempt to hide a weakness.
• Your child intends to major in a STEM field — engineering, computer science, biology, pre-med, physics, etc. STEM admissions readers routinely require the Science score.
• Your child is competing for merit scholarships at programs that specifically require ACT® Science (some honors colleges and named scholarships do).
• Your child is a strong science student. If Science is going to raise the composite, taking it is free upside (though not by much).

You can skip Science if:

• Your child is applying primarily to less selective schools that have stated they treat Science as optional.
• Your child is a humanities-focused applicant whose Science score would drag down a composite that's otherwise strong in English and Reading.
• Test-day stamina is a real concern and the additional 35 minutes of testing meaningfully threatens performance on the required sections. Even though Science is always the last section, the perception that there are 4 sections rather than 3 can impact performance.

Keep in mind Science is the easiest section to improve. Because there's almost no actual science on the Science section. It's mostly learning how to read charts and graphs in time.

As of 2026, few schools actually require the ACT Science section. For a list of each school's science test stance, check out Compass's Guide.

The SAT still tests Science, by the way. The SAT does NOT have a dedicated Science section, nor does it have outside science knowledge questions, which comprise 1 of 40 science questions on the ACT. But the SAT does test science by interspersing charts and graphs throughout the math and English/reading sections.

For more information on how to think through ACT scores, see How Colleges Use ACT® Scores in Admissions.

Digital vs. Paper: Which Should Your Child Take?

The Digital ACT® is the default in 2026, but paper is still available at most U.S. test centers. International students no longer have a paper option — outside the U.S., the Digital ACT® is the only version offered.

Here's how to think about the choice.

The digital interface includes some real advantages:

• An on-screen timer with a five-minute warning (and the option to hide it if it makes your child anxious)
• Question flagging — students can mark questions to return to and jump back instantly
• An index that shows which questions are answered, unanswered, or flagged
• Color contrast and display adjustments for students who find on-screen reading uncomfortable
• A built-in Desmos graphing calculator on the Math section (students can also bring their own approved calculator)
• Highlighting tools for the Reading and Science passages
• Scratch paper provided at the test center (collected at the end)

Paper still makes sense for some students:

• Students who annotate heavily and find on-screen highlighting awkward
• Students with eye fatigue or visual processing difficulties that make extended screen time harder than paper
• Students who have done all their prep on paper and don't want to introduce a new variable in the final weeks before a test

Is the paper test offered at every US test location?

No. You have to sign up on the ACT's website and choose digital or paper test. Your child can swap between digital and paper if a seat is available on the given test date at the test center.

You also need to be aware if the testing center is "BYOD" — bring your own device. Some locations are, some aren't. You will select on the registration screen whether or not to bring your own device.

If your child chooses to bring their own device, make sure you read this page on preparing your device before test day.

Section-by-Section: What's on Each Part of the Enhanced ACT®

The following four sections always appear in exactly the same order.

English — 35 minutes, 50 questions

The English section tests grammar, rhetoric, sentence structure, and light reading comprehension. Students see passages with underlined portions and have to choose the best version of each underlined segment, or the best edit to the passage as a whole. On the new enhanced ACT, the cuts to question count came from the most repetitive items. Students should not see the same comma rule, for example, tested 12 times on a single test the way they often did on the older version.

For a deeper breakdown of what's tested and how to study it, see The ACT® English Section: Complete Guide.

Math — 50 minutes, 45 questions, four answer choices

Math tests algebra, geometry, basic trigonometry, functions, probability, and a small number of advanced topics that rarely appear more than once per test. The shift from five answer choices to four is somewhat meaningful — while there was always at least one obviously wrong answer choice, the reduction in number of questions makes guessing more efficient, makes process-of-elimination more powerful, and slightly reduces test anxiety on harder questions.

The on-screen calculator is a Desmos graphing calculator. This move equalizes access to technology — most students did not have the money to buy a $100 graphing calculator. And there are several questions that can be solved easily by using a graphing calculator.

See: Math calculator tricks.

For the full breakdown, see The ACT® Math Section: Complete Guide.

Reading — 40 minutes, 36 questions

Four passages, drawn from the same content areas as the legacy test: literary narrative, social science, humanities, and natural science. Passages are shorter than they used to be, and the question-to-passage ratio has dropped.

The natural science passage tends to be the most accessible to students because that passage tends to be the most straightforward with the most number of detail questions.

The literary narrative is often where students struggle, not only because students have trouble with the more nebulous main idea questions, but also because the ACT structures the question order in a way that purposely confuses even the best readers.

Therefore, strategy carries more weight on the Reading section than on any other part of the ACT®. A student who reads well but doesn't have the right strategy can struggle on this section. A student who reads moderately well but has the right approach can see a lot of improvement.

See The ACT® Reading Section: Complete Guide for more information.

Science (optional) — 40 minutes, 40 questions

The Science section is mostly data interpretation — charts, graphs, tables, and short experimental descriptions. It's not actually science. Outside science knowledge questions appear on only 1–2 questions per test, and the knowledge required is pretty basic (whether something is a solution, the freezing point of water, etc.). The digital format might make this section easier for some students because charts and graphs render at higher resolution on screen than they did in the old paper booklets.

But as with the rest of the ACT, so on the Science section: not much has really changed.

If your child is taking the Science section, see The ACT® Science Section: Complete Guide.

Writing (optional) — 40 minutes, 1 prompt

TL;DR: Skip the writing section.

Writing asks students to analyze a prompt, take a position, and engage with at least one other perspective the prompt provides. Two graders score it on a 1–6 scale; the scores are added for a final 2–12. Writing scores are reported separately and don't affect the composite score (e.g. the score out of 36).

Students applying to schools that don't require Writing should skip it. The added 40 minutes of testing isn't worth it for a score most colleges won't look at. The following three schools either require ACT Writing or say something along the lines of "students who submit ACT scores should also submit Writing scores":

• Martin Luther College
• Montana Western
• Montana Bible College is alleged to require the ACT writing section, though they do not publish any information on the Internet saying so.

Service academies such as West Point and the US Naval Academy do not require the ACT Writing.

Additionally, the SAT has discontinued the Essay as of 2021, except in school districts that require it on school day testing.

What Hasn't Changed (and Why That Matters for Prep)

The skills tested are the same. The grammar rules on the English section are the same rules they were in 2019 and 1999. The math concepts are the same. The reading strategies are the same. The science approach is the same.

This matters because the 96+ previously released ACT® tests are still the gold standard. You can truncate the sections if you want, but I would recommend against that. Instead, refer to my article Can You Self-Study for the ACT®? What a Complete Curriculum Actually Looks Like. This will help you and your child understand how to conserve the official Enhanced ACTs.

For the official enhanced-format experience, the Official ACT® Prep Guide 2025–2026 contains four practice tests built around the new structure, and the ACT® Org offers one free digital practice test on its website. These are the best materials.

There are a number of good books to use. For most students, the 2025–2026 guide will be more than sufficient. It's often called the red book because it is red. For more information on the best books to use, see my article Reviewing Test Prep Books for the ACT.

Test Day Logistics for the Digital ACT®

The 2025–2026 testing year offers seven national test dates: September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. Registration runs through ACT® Inc.'s website.

On test day, students at U.S. centers can take the test on paper or digitally; the choice is made at registration and can be changed up until the late registration deadline for a fee if there is space available at the test center. Internationally, only digital is offered.

Students should arrive at the test center no later than 8:00 a.m. Without Writing and Science, the test wraps up around 11:00 a.m. The actual end time depends on the proctor.

Most are good, but no matter what the ACT org says, more than a lot of them err on the side of taking too long to explain directions and inadvertently giving kids longer than allowed on breaks. In any case, your child will be done a little after 11.

With both Science and Writing, the test ends closer to 12:30 p.m. Arrival logistics, ID requirements, and approved calculator policies are unchanged from previous years.

For a full pre-test-day checklist, see What to Bring on ACT® Test Day.

How to Prepare for the Digital ACT®

A complete preparation plan covers four things: content review, format-specific practice, full-length timed tests, and a feedback loop on actual mistakes. This last bit is crucial. Students can convince themselves that they understand their mistakes. Without an experienced tutor, it's hard for students to realize the depth of their knowledge on a given topic.

The content review for the new enhanced test is the same as it has always been. Grammar rules, English language rhetoric, math concepts, using one domain of math to solve another (e.g. given algebra, solve geometry), reading strategies, and the science approach. None of that has changed at all.

The format-specific practice is the new piece. Students should spend time in the digital interface: using the on-screen tools, building scrolling efficiency, getting comfortable with the question flagging and review features. While this format is different from pencil and paper prep, most students don't struggle using technology in this way.

Full-length timed practice is what builds endurance and identifies pacing issues. Two to four full-length tests in the final month before a test date is the right range for most students. Taking three full-length practice tests has always worked out well for me.

The feedback loop is where the actual score gains come from. Feedback loop here means looking at every wrong answer and figuring out why the student got it wrong. Ask your child to explain to you why he or she got a certain answer choice wrong. More often than not, they'll say oh I figured it out. I'll get it right next time. The real learning happens when you gently guide them to explain it to you. What is the question asking? What are we solving for? What does x mean? A student who takes practice tests but doesn't review their mistakes plateaus. I see it all the time because it is the cornerstone of being a college test prep tutor and working with students.

ACT® My Answer Key (formerly Test Information Release) is the most powerful tool most parents don't know about. It's the actual test answers your child took. The "ACT My Answer Key" is maybe 1/10th as effective as private tutoring. But in any case, it's cool to see. See ACT® My Answer Key: The Study Tool Most Parents Don't Know About for how to use it. But really the most powerful tool is working with a tutor who understands your child's learning style and helps them learn how to learn.

If you'd like a custom plan built from your child's actual diagnostic or score report, the free consultation includes a Precision Point Map: a week-by-week study plan targeting the specific weaknesses showing up in their results.

What This Means for Your Family

The Digital ACT® is shorter, more flexible, and easier to navigate than the test most parents took. It tests the same material in a somewhat condensed format, with optional sections that let students focus where they're strongest. For most families, the changes are net positive but not by much.

If you'd like help thinking through any of this for your child specifically — what format to take, whether to include Science, what their score report is actually telling you, or how to build a study plan from their current baseline — book a free consultation. I'll review your child's situation and tell you exactly what's worth focusing on between now and their test date.

The test has changed. The path to a good score has not.