ACT as Compared with the SAT

There is more time pressure on the ACT. The ACT problems are less tricky and more like school work than the SAT. The current version of the Math SAT covers topics useful in college, but not taught much in high school.

ACT Getting Harder

The ACT has gotten harder in recent years, particularly the math section. However, the curve has gotten correspondingly easier, that is you can miss several questions and still get a good score.

New ACT

Starting in September 2025, there will be a new version of the ACT. The Science section will be optional and will not be part of the cumulative score. Each section will be shorter and probably will contain harder questions. There are apparently no changes in content of the exam. The exam will still NOT be semi-adaptive like the current version of the SAT. It seems like the ACT is trying to make some aspects more like the SAT, which has regained market share recently.