Free Resources for ACT Instructors
VEGA AI streamlines ACT prep from course creation, adaptive practice tests to automated grading & score reporting. now fully optimized for the online ACT format. Download interactive practice tests, digital-first lesson templates, and real-time analytics, then automate grading and follow-ups in a single dashboard. Save hours of admin work, boost enrollments, and deliver measurable score gains.
2024 Legacy ACT section breakdown (paper & online)
2025 Enhanced ACT section breakdown (online April 2025; all testers Sept 2025)
Why it matters for educators
Dual formats in 2024–25. U S. programs may run both 215-question and 131-question versions depending on test date; international centers follow the legacy format until Sept 2025.
Pacing shifts. Average time per question improves from ≈42 sec (legacy English) to ≈42 sec (enhanced English) but Math shrinks from 1 min to ≈67 sec, easing time pressure.
Science optionality. In the new model, Science can be omitted; STEM-focused schools should still recommend it.
Faster score reports. Online testers receive scores in as little as two business days — an advantage when planning superscore retakes.
Online ACT Format: What’s New & How to Teach It
U.S. students have been able to choose an online ACT since February 2024, after a limited 2023 pilot expanded nationwide in 2024. (ACT)
The enhanced, shorter online test (131 questions, 2 h 05 m) debuted for National Saturday online testers on April 5 2025 and will become the standard for all paper and international administrations in September 2025. (ACT)
Paper-and-pencil dates continue through the 2025 cycle, so educators must prep both formats this academic year.
Key changes educators need to know:
Feature
Legacy (through Feb 2025 paper/online)
Enhanced (online Apr 2025; all testers Sept 2025)
Teaching tips for the digital shift:
Simulate the interface early. Use ACT’s free online sample questions to show single-question view, navigation bar, and accessibility tools.
Re-work pacing drills. Under the enhanced format, Math drops to 45 items/50 minutes—≈67 seconds per item—so adjust timers accordingly.
Leverage built-in tools. Train students on zoom, answer masking, and text-to-speech features that are unavailable on paper tests.
Coach for faster retakes. Online scores post in ~2 days, enabling rapid superscore attempts before scholarship deadlines.
Differentiate by cohort. Keep legacy practice sets for paper testers through August 2025; migrate to the 131-question blueprint for September dates.
2025-26 ACT Test Dates & Deadlines
The ACT still offers seven Saturday “national” administrations each cycle. For the 2025-26 year, U S. students can test in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. Each date has three cut-offs: regular registration, late fee, and a photo-upload/stand-by deadline (all close at 11:59 p.m. CT). Dates below come straight from ACT’s National Test-Dates page and flyer. (ACT)
Test Date
*ACT notes no New York sites for July tests.
Regular vs late fee: late registration adds $38 in 2025-26.
Photo-upload lockout: students without a photo by the deadline can’t test and must re-register.
Score-release pacing: multiple-choice scores begin posting ≈ 2 weeks after each date; full releases complete by 8 weeks.
→ Need reminders for each deadline? Download our 2025-26 ACT Test-Date Calendar (.ics) and share it with families.
ACT Superscore & Score-Release Timeline
ACT automatically creates a superscore—an average of a student’s best English, Math, Reading, and Science scores—whenever two or more full ACT test events are on file. Multiple-choice results begin posting about two weeks after each national test date, with the full score-release window stretching to eight weeks; if a student takes the optional Writing essay, composite release typically lands 5-8 weeks post-test. Beginning April 2025 (online testers) and universally by September 2025, ACT’s new enhanced exam will still superscore, but the composite will initially average just English, Math, and Reading for online administrations. (ACT)(ACT)
Best-of Sections - ACT pulls the highest subject score from any date since Sept 2016 and averages them
Automatic in MyACT - Students log in, click Calculate Superscore, and send it like any normal score report.
Formula: (Best English + Best Math + Best Reading + Best Science) ÷ 4 = round to nearest whole. (Online testers in April 2025-Aug 2025 average only English, Math, Reading.)
Batch processing means some students see scores sooner or later within the eight-week window.
+1–2 composite points from a single section gain can unlock scholarships
Faster online releases (≈ 2 days by 2025 enhancements) let tutors plan rapid retakes for score jumps
Growing college adoption: most four-year U.S. institutions now accept ACT superscores.
→ Want in‑depth Superscore details? Read the full ACT Superscore & Score Release Guide
ACT vs SAT: Which Test Fits Your Students Best?
ACT vs SAT — A Side‑by‑Side Guide for Educators
Now that both exams are fully digital, the choice between the ACT and SAT often comes down to pacing style, content emphasis, and college‑specific preferences. Use the quick comparison below to counsel families, then let VEGA AI’s diagnostic pinpoint the best‑fit test for every learner.
2 hrs 05 min core (plus optional sections)
2 hrs 14 min
Four separate sections, fixed order
Two adaptive modules per subject
Allowed for entire Math section
Calculator allowed for all Math; built‑in Desmos
Dedicated Science reasoning section (optional)
No standalone Science; quantitative passages embedded
Widely accepted; composite averaged
Section scores mixed & matched automatically
Strong time managers; comfortable with speed
Strong readers; prefer fewer but deeper questions
Run a baseline diagnostic: VEGA AI serves a 60‑minute blended mini‑test that mirrors each platform’s interface and outputs a comparison.
Look at subject strengths: Math‑heavy students often fare better on the ACT because the section is worth 50 % of the composite vs 33 % on the SAT.
Check college lists: Some regional scholarships still specify a preferred exam; verify with your students’ target schools.
Plan a focused timeline: Trying both tests typically drains study hours. Pick one primary exam, then consider a single alternate sitting only if diagnostics are neck‑and‑neck.
→ Not sure which exam fits your cohort? Compare full specs and run a free ACT-vs-SAT diagnostic
ACT Registration Guide for Schools (State & District Testing)
Schools and districts can register an entire student cohort for the ACT-no individual forms needed through State & District Testing, also known as school‑day ACT. An Authorized Signatory completes a one-time agreement, selects a testing window, uploads the student list online, and handles billing centrally. This official process streamlines group assessment and reporting for educators.
A district leader signs the online agreement and submits the school roster. Fall 2025 enrollment opens July; key deadline: August 27 2025 (calendar varies by year). (ACT)
Fall 2025 offers online or paper delivery. Districts select for each student or choose one option for all. Spring 2026 windows run across two test-event blocks. (ACT)
Districts can opt for ACT core (English, Math, Reading), with the choice to include Science, and/or Writing, especially relevant for scholarship planning. (ACT)
College-reportable scores appear in the ACT educator portal; student MyACT accounts are not needed for registration but can be created later for score viewing. (ACT)
Equity in access - all students test in school at no individual fees, making ACT more inclusive than opt‑in registration methods.
Administrative efficiency - one roster upload and invoice; no repeated student entries or payment processing.
Flexible timing & format - accommodates schools using both online and paper formats across multiple dates and allows science or writing opt‑in decisions by district.
