ACT Announces Key Enhancements in 2020

This coming year, ACT will roll out a set of key improvements to test delivery and reporting. All are designed to attract more students.

Starting in September 2020, students will be allowed to retake selected sections of the ACT exam, send superscored reports to colleges, and take a computerized ACT (in select cities). Each of these changes positions students as the primary beneficiaries, rather than colleges, who are ACT’s ultimate end-user. We’ll take a look at the impact on students preparing for the ACT below.

Single-Section Retakes

Section retakes will allow students to narrow their focus when studying for ACT – leading to more efficient prep. Because preparing for a four-hour exam with a diverse set of skills takes a lot of practice, students would commonly plateau on one or two sections while struggling to improve on others. Now, students can rest easy with scores (and skills) they are happy with and instead focus on mastering specific sections one at a time, optimizing study time. 

Superscored Reporting

Second, the ability to submit a superscored report directly to colleges helps students avoid the trouble (and cost) of sending individual score reports to each college to which they apply. More importantly, this move by ACT, backed by research after decades of internal resistance to superscoring, will likely force the hand of colleges who permit superscoring of SAT but not ACT to update their policies. These policies could phase out within a couple admissions cycles, creating a more even playing field for students who opt for ACT over SAT.

Computer-based Testing

Third, ACT’s imminent move to a computer-based test (CBT) isn’t likely to radically transform students’ ACT prep beyond budgeting time to become familiar with additional tools available digitally (e.g., a highlighter and answer elimination tool). For now at least, the CBT will essentially replicate paper-based ACTs. Most of the students we work with are perfectly comfortable taking a weighty assessment on a computer terminal, given that OAKS/Smarter Balanced tests have been administered online for years. Be on watch, however, for an eventual move to a computer-adaptive format.

Conclusion

Despite the current excitement around these enhancements, students would be wise to consider all variables before immediately signing up for the computer-based September ACT or switching their focus from SAT prep to ACT prep. While the opportunity to retake single sections is promising, it might also cause students to chase after unattainable goals with infinite retakes. Further, knowing “redos” are allowed might reduce motivation to take the first official test seriously, prolonging the testing process unnecessarily.

Finally, it’s equally wise to recall that admissions offices’ reception of these student-friendly changes is TBD. Colleges could strike back, viewing superscored ACT results achieved with section retakes as less valid measures of college readiness. But with test optional on the rise, perhaps that doesn’t matter anyway; ACT’s best approach may be keep its intermediate users happy.