The ACT Science Section Is Now Optional – Here's What That Actually Means for Your Student

The ACT just made its biggest structural change in decades – and most families don't fully understand it yet.

Starting in April 2025 for digital test-takers and September 2025 for paper, the ACT Science section is officially optional. The composite score now averages only three sections: English, Math, and Reading. Science, when taken, is reported separately on a 1–36 scale and costs an additional $4.00.

On the surface, this sounds like a straightforward simplification. One less section, a shorter test, less stress. But the reality is more nuanced than the headline suggests, and families making decisions without complete information risk putting their students at a disadvantage.

What Actually Changed

The Enhanced ACT is a meaningfully different test. Beyond making Science optional, ACT trimmed 44 questions from the exam and cut 75 minutes from total testing time (when Science is excluded). Students now get roughly 20-22% more time per question compared to the old format, which has historically been one of the ACT's biggest pain points. The "speed test" reputation that kept some students away may no longer apply.

Here's the catch: ACT didn't cut questions evenly. The reductions appear to have come disproportionately from easier items, based on early analysis. Fewer questions means each one carries more weight, and with fewer "gimme" questions in the mix, mistakes are more costly. A shorter test is not necessarily an easier test.

The composite score calculation has also changed in a way that matters strategically. Under the old format, a student who scored 32 in English, 31 in Math, 33 in Reading, but 26 in Science would see their composite dragged down to a 30 or 31. Under the new structure, that same student earns a 32 composite – because Science no longer factors into the calculation. For students whose Science scores have historically underperformed their other sections, this is a significant shift.

Over the years, we've seen many students have their composite dragged down by the Science section. In fact, many students have specifically chosen not to take the ACT at all because they believed they were weak in science and assumed the section would tank their score. That assumption was often wrong. Realistically, the Science section is often considered one of the more coachable sections with the right strategies – it tests data interpretation far more than science knowledge. But making it optional certainly simplifies the decision for most families.

The "Optional" Problem

If the ACT says Science is optional, why is there even a debate?

Because "optional for test-takers" does not mean "optional for admissions committees." Colleges retain the right to require, recommend, or consider Science scores regardless of what the ACT designates. We saw this exact dynamic play out over the past decade with the ACT Writing section, which was optional since 2005. For years, students paid for the Writing section and sat through an extra 40 minutes because selective colleges required or recommended it – even though the ACT itself called it optional.

The same pattern is emerging with Science, and the data is still settling.Current data is mixed, and different research groups are reporting varying interpretations of college policies. Edison Prep surveyed over 250 universities for Fall 2026 admissions and found that approximately 95% (per one recent survey) have discontinued their Science requirement. Their research identified only four institutions that currently mandate or strongly prefer it: Georgetown, Boston University, Pomona, and Duke. The requirement collapsed rapidly – what Edison Prep described as happening "in approximately 10 days" once the first schools dropped it, compared to a decade-long phase-out for the essay section.

But the picture isn't unanimous. North Avenue Education conducted their own survey of 223 universities and found that approximately 30% (in a separate survey) said Science would be required or strongly recommended. Schools like Yale, Dartmouth, Northeastern, Carnegie Mellon, and others either require all four sections or recommend including Science.

The discrepancy between these surveys is itself the problem. Different methodologies, different sample sizes, and different interpretations of what "recommended" means are creating contradictory guidance at exactly the moment families need clarity.

Which Colleges Still Want Science?

Compass Education Group maintains a live tracker of 250+ college ACT Science policies (last updated March 2026) that families should bookmark. Based on current data, here's the landscape:

Confirmed requirements or strong preferences:

• Georgetown University

• Boston University

• Pomona College

• Duke University

• Marquette University

• MIT (signaled they will require or recommend)

• Rutgers (signaled they will require or recommend)

Program-specific requirements:

• George Washington University requires Science for students applying to their B.A./M.D. program but not for other applicants

This is the pattern to watch. Even at schools that don't require Science across the board, specific programs – particularly in STEM, pre-med, and engineering – may treat it differently. Families building a college list need to check not just the school's general policy but the policy for their student's intended program.

The Strategic Framework

After reviewing the data and watching how independent educational consultants are advising families, a clear decision framework has emerged.

Take Science if:

• Any school on the student's list requires or recommends it

• The student is applying to STEM, pre-med, engineering, or science-heavy programs

• Science is a strength that reinforces the student's academic narrative

• The college list isn't finalized (keeping options open matters)

• Practice tests show Science scores at or above the student's other section scores

Skip Science if:

• Every school on the finalized college list has confirmed Science is not required

• The student is pursuing humanities or social science programs exclusively

• Science consistently drags down practice test performance

• Test fatigue is a documented concern, and the student performs better with a shorter exam

The "take it once" approach is emerging as the default recommendation among admissions professionals, and it's the one I'd endorse for most families. Include Science on at least one official test administration. If the score is strong, you have it in your back pocket. If it's weak, it doesn't affect the composite, and you can skip it on subsequent sittings. This hedging strategy costs $4 and 40 minutes – a small price for optionality.

Why This Matters Beyond the Score Report

The decision to include or exclude Science sends a signal, whether colleges explicitly acknowledge it or not. A student applying to a biomedical engineering program who skips the ACT Science section raises an obvious question. A student applying to an English literature program who skips it raises none.

Context matters. The Science section – despite its name – has always been more of a data interpretation and scientific reasoning assessment than a test of science knowledge. It measures a student's ability to read graphs, analyze experimental designs, and draw conclusions from conflicting data sets. Those are skills that matter in virtually every field, which is part of why some admissions professionals argue it remains valuable even when not required.

For families weighing this decision, the question isn't just "will a college penalize my student for skipping it?" It's "does including it strengthen my student's application?" Those are different questions with different answers depending on the student.

The Bigger Picture: ACT vs. SAT

These changes are happening against a backdrop of intensifying competition between the ACT and SAT. The SAT went fully digital in March 2024 and has never included a dedicated Science section. By making Science optional, the ACT has effectively brought its core structure closer to the SAT's, eliminating one of the key differentiators between the two tests.

The ACT's recent acquisition by private equity firm Nexus Capital Management – shifting from nonprofit to for-profit status – has raised questions about whether these changes are student-centered or revenue-driven. It's a fair concern. That said, I'll give credit where it's due: the new ownership has done far more outreach to the test prep community than was previously allowed. They've partnered with the National Test Prep Association to let members license official tests, which gives tutors and counselors better tools to prepare students. That kind of collaboration didn't exist under the old structure.

Still, the complexity is real. Before the Enhanced ACT launched, we saw a number of students switch from the ACT to the SAT – mostly because the SAT was shorter and already fully digital. The SAT's single-format simplicity has real appeal when the alternative requires navigating optional sections, format choices, and conflicting college policies.

There's also the digital question. Even though the ACT now offers a digital option, I don't believe they've gotten all the bugs out of the system yet – much like the SAT had its own issues when it first went digital. For most families, we typically recommend sticking with the paper ACT until the digital platform matures.

For students who haven't yet committed to either test, my recommendation remains the same as always: take a practice test of each under realistic conditions and compare. The "which test" question is more personalized than ever.

What Families Should Do Right Now

1. Check your student's college list. Look up each school's ACT Science policy – not just the general admissions page, but the specific program or department. Compass Education Group's tracker is the most comprehensive public resource available.

2. Take a practice test under the new format. The Enhanced ACT feels different. More time per question changes pacing strategy. Students who prepared under the old format need to recalibrate.

3. Include Science on the first official sitting. The $4 and 40 minutes are worth the insurance. You can always drop it later; you can't retroactively add it.

4. Don't assume "optional" means "irrelevant." Colleges are still updating policies. A school that doesn't require Science today might recommend it next cycle. Having the score protects against policy shifts.

5. Factor in your student's strengths. If Science is a top-scoring section, skipping it leaves value on the table – even if the composite doesn't change, a strong Science score on the report reinforces a STEM-focused application.

6. Work with a counselor who's tracking this in real time. College policies on ACT Science are still evolving. Guidance from six months ago may already be outdated. This is not a set-it-and-forget-it decision.

JRA Educational Consulting and Score At The Top work together to give families a complete advantage – from ACT preparation and test strategy to admissions counseling and school placement. If your student is navigating the new ACT format and building a college list, our team can help you make strategic decisions grounded in current data. Learn more at JRA Consulting and Score At The Top.