The ACT science section is now officially optional. Starting in 2025, students choose whether to add science when they register, and the composite score only factors in English, Math, and Reading. This is the biggest change to the ACT in decades, and it directly affects how you prep, how you score, and where you apply.
The ACT rolled out its "enhanced" format starting April 2025 for online test-takers, with paper testing following in September 2025. The ACT science section changes are significant: the test is shorter, faster-paced, and science is no longer baked into the core experience.
The enhanced ACT 2025 core consists of three mandatory sections. English gives you 50 questions in 35 minutes, testing grammar, rhetoric, and sentence structure. Math has 45 questions in 50 minutes and now includes a built-in Desmos calculator. Reading delivers 36 questions in 40 minutes, actually giving you slightly more time per passage than the old format.
Together, these three sections take about 2 hours and 5 minutes. That is roughly one hour shorter than the legacy ACT, which clocked in at nearly 3 hours with all four sections.
If you choose to add science, you get 40 questions in 40 minutes. It is essentially the same science content as before, testing your ability to interpret data, evaluate experimental designs, and compare scientific viewpoints. The difference is that you now opt in when you register and pay an additional $4.00 fee.
Some educators have raised equity concerns about this add-on fee, arguing that even a small cost could discourage lower-income students from taking the section, which could put them at a disadvantage at schools that value science scores.
The enhanced ACT has 44 fewer questions overall compared to the legacy format. Every section got trimmed or restructured. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown:
| Section | Legacy ACT | Enhanced ACT | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 75 questions / 45 min | 50 questions / 35 min | -25 questions, -10 min |
| Math | 60 questions / 60 min | 45 questions / 50 min | -15 questions, -10 min |
| Reading | 40 questions / 35 min | 36 questions / 40 min | -4 questions, +5 min |
| Science | 40 questions / 35 min | 40 questions / 40 min (optional, +$4) | Now optional |
| Total (no Science) | 175 questions / 2 hr 20 min | 131 questions / 2 hr 5 min | -44 questions, ~1 hr shorter |
| Total (with Science) | 215 questions / 2 hr 55 min | 171 questions / 2 hr 45 min | -44 questions |
This is the question most students ask first: how does the ACT composite score work without science? The answer is straightforward, and for many students, the new calculation is actually better news than they expect.
Your ACT composite score is now the average of three sections: English, Math, and Reading (EMR). Science is no longer part of the equation. Each section is still scored on the 1-36 scale, and the composite is the rounded average of those three numbers.
This matters because science was historically many students' weakest section. The average ACT Science score in 2024 was 19.6 out of 36, and only about 6% of test-takers scored 30 or above on science. If science was pulling your composite down, it no longer can.
| Score Type | What It Includes | Science Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Composite Score | Average of English, Math, and Reading | No |
| STEM Score | Average of Math and Science | Yes |
| Section Scores | Individual scores for each section taken (1-36) | Only if you take it |
| Superscore | Highest EMR composite across test dates | No |
| ELA Score | Average of English and Reading | No |
If you do take science, the ACT generates a STEM score by averaging your Math and Science section scores. This metric exists specifically for colleges and programs that want a quick indicator of STEM readiness. You only get a STEM score if you opt into science. Without it, this line on your score report simply does not exist.
Superscoring on the enhanced ACT uses only the EMR composite. Colleges that superscore will take your highest English, Math, and Reading section scores across multiple test dates and average them. Science scores are reported separately and are not part of the superscore calculation.
Worked Example
A student scores English 28, Math 30, Reading 26, and Science 22. How does the composite change under the new system?
Enter your section scores to see how your composite changes with and without science.
The most stressful part of the ACT science optional decision is not the test itself. It is figuring out what your target colleges actually want. Policies are still evolving, but research on the top 50 colleges paints a clear picture.
A small number of schools have stated they require the ACT Science section. This list includes Georgetown University, Boston University, Pomona College, the US Naval Academy, and the US Air Force Academy. If any of these are on your list, you need to take science. No exceptions.
Several selective schools recommend but do not require the science section. Caltech, Cooper Union, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University fall into this category. "Recommended" in admissions-speak often means "we will notice if it is missing," especially for STEM applicants. If you are applying to these schools with a STEM-related major, treat "recommended" as strongly encouraged.
About 90% of the top 50 colleges leave the ACT science score as truly optional. They will evaluate your application based on the EMR composite and will not penalize you for skipping science. Many schools have not yet published formal policies, so this landscape continues to shift.
| College | ACT Science Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | Required | Requires all four ACT sections |
| Boston University | Required | Requires science for admissions review |
| Pomona College | Required | Requires science score submission |
| US Naval Academy | Required | Military academy requirement |
| US Air Force Academy | Required | Military academy requirement |
| Caltech | Recommended | Strongly recommended for STEM applicants |
| Cooper Union | Recommended | Recommended for engineering programs |
| Duke University | Recommended | Recommended but not required |
| Johns Hopkins | Recommended | Recommended, especially for STEM majors |
| Most Top 50 Schools | Optional | About 90% leave science optional |
This is the decision every ACT test-taker now faces. There is no universal right answer, but there is a clear framework for making the call. Should I take ACT science? It depends on three factors: your target schools, your scores, and your major.
Take the ACT science section if any of these apply to you:
Skip the science section if these describe your situation:
Even if no school on your current list requires science, some students take it at least once as insurance. College policies are still being formulated. If a school you later add to your list turns out to require science, you will already have a score on file. The $4 fee is minimal compared to the cost of retaking the entire ACT.
The math is simple: a high EMR composite without science beats a lower composite that was previously dragged down by a weak science score. If adding science does not help your profile, it is perfectly fine to skip it.
ACT Inc. announced these changes in July 2024, positioning the redesign as a move toward flexibility and student-centered testing. But the reasons run deeper than a press release.
Standardized testing has been under pressure for years. The SAT shortened its format. Many colleges went test-optional during and after the pandemic. ACT's response was to make the test shorter and more modular, giving students control over how much testing they want to do in one sitting. A 2-hour core test is more manageable than a 3-hour marathon, especially for students who struggle with endurance and test fatigue.
Despite its name, the ACT Science section never really tested science knowledge. It assessed data interpretation, experimental reasoning, and the ability to evaluate conflicting scientific viewpoints. You did not need to know chemistry formulas or biology vocabulary. By making it optional, ACT acknowledged that these reasoning skills are already embedded in the other sections to some degree, and that not every college-bound student needs to demonstrate them separately.
The rollout of optional science has been phased, which means different students are affected at different times depending on how and when they test.
| Date | Milestone | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| July 2024 | ACT announces enhanced format with optional science | All future test-takers |
| April 2025 | First national online test with optional science | Online test-takers in the US |
| June-July 2025 | Additional online test dates with enhanced format | Online test-takers in the US |
| September 2025 | Paper test transitions to enhanced format | Paper test-takers in the US |
| Spring 2026 | School-day and international testing transitions | School-day and international test-takers |