What Is the Enhanced ACT? 4 Misconceptions (and Truths)

Truth: The enhanced ACT still tests the same core standards.

There’s been speculation that certain standards would be removed or new, harder content might appear on the test. That’s not the case.

“All of the same standards are there,” Pope says. “What’s changed is proportionality—some standards are emphasized more, others a bit less. But you’re not going to see anything disappear or new content like calculus show up.”

The test content has been rebalanced, not overhauled. Educators can expect a familiar structure, with foundational skills still represented across all sections.

Truth: The full range of difficulty levels is still present.

Some educators worry that the ACT reduced the number of questions by cutting off the “easy” ones at the beginning of the math section. Gehring explained why that’s not true.

“There’s still a curve of difficulty,” says Gehring. “You’ll still see those easier, foundational questions—the ones aligned with lower-numbered readiness standards—show up in the enhanced ACT. The test wasn’t just trimmed from the front.”

The Math section continues to feature a gradual increase in question difficulty from start to finish. The reduction in total questions was made proportionally across the test, not just by eliminating early or later sections.

Truth: The scoring remains norm-referenced, so difficulty is relative.

Some assume the enhanced ACT will be easier due to shorter passages and more time per question. Others argue it will be harder, since each question will carry more weight.

In reality, neither is exactly true.

“What it means is that the enhanced ACT test and its scoring curve are calibrated the same way as the former version of the test,” Gehring says. “The test still differentiates between student ability levels in the same way. A 30 on Math is still a 30 on Math, from test to test.”

Because the ACT is norm-referenced, scores are scaled relative to the performance of other test takers. So while the experience may feel different, schools can expect score distributions to remain consistent overall.

4 Misconceptions (and Truths) About the Enhanced ACT

Misconception #1: The content of the test is radically different.

Truth: The enhanced ACT still tests the same core standards.

Misconception #2: The easier math questions are gone.

Truth: The full range of difficulty levels is still present.

Misconception #3: The test will be easier (or harder).

Truth: The scoring remains norm-referenced, so difficulty is relative.

Misconception #4: Paper and pencil testing will be going away.

Truth: The ACT will continue offering both digital and paper options.

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