The ACT committee has announced changes to its test that will impact students as early as spring. Test developers said the exam, which is mandatory for all high school students in Kentucky, will include one less required section: science.
Amanda Ellis is vice president of student access and success at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. She said the test will be different, but there is no need to worry.
“I know some people initially expressed concern about science not being a required subject, but if you look at what we use, at least in Kentucky, we see that we use the ACT score for scholarship opportunities and placement decisions and class assignment decisions. Some schools may have used the science score, but English, reading or math scores are usually used for class assignment,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the change puts the science portion on the same level as the writing portion, which has been optional since 2005. She said the change was made to help students avoid potential test fatigue.
In addition to changing the science portion of the ACT, the remaining required sections will contain fewer questions and shorter readings.
“In reading and English, there will be shorter reading passages and fewer questions so students have more time to think about their answers. For those who have taken the ACT – I have – sometimes it feels like you’re going on rapid-fire mode with the longer passages and the tight time frame. I think they’re trying to take into account students’ processing time and give them a chance to think about their questions a little more,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the changes will not affect current college students. The new versions of the test will be introduced online this spring and on paper next year.
Most universities in Kentucky do not require the ACT for the application process, but they do use the test to award scholarships.
