The ACT has undergone some big changes recently, and one of the biggest is that, for many students, the Science section is now optional. With that added flexibility comes a new question: should you take the ACT Science section? In this article, we go over who the Science section is actually optional for, what to expect from the Science section, the one key factor to think about when making your decision, and other considerations that can help you make the best choice.
Is ACT Science Optional?
Do you actually have a choice as to whether you can take the ACT Science section? Yes! After decades of being a required part of the ACT, since April 2025, the ACT Science section is now optional for students who take the ACT online. Beginning in September 2025, students who take the paper version of the ACT will also have the option of taking the Science section or not. (If you take the ACT as part of school or state-administered testing, they'll decide whether students take the Science section or not.) With the change, taking the optional ACT Science section will also cost you an extra $4 on top of the ACT's $65 fee.
How will this work on test day? At the end of the third section of the ACT (the Reading section), those who aren't taking the optional Science or Writing sections will be dismissed, while those taking one or both of the optional sections will have a short break before resuming testing.
What does this mean for the exam? The core ACT composite score will still be from 1-36, but it'll only include the English, Math, and Reading sections. Students who choose to take ACT Science will receive another score from 1-36 that won't be part of their composite score. (And if you choose to take the optional ACT Writing section, that'll be yet another score, from 2-12.)
This change is part of a series of changes the ACT underwent in Spring 2025. Other changes include shortening the total ACT test length and number of questions students will answer in each section, giving students more time to answer each question per section, and reducing the number of answer choices in Math questions from five to four.
What Is ACT Science?
Before you can make a decision as to whether to take ACT Science, you need to know what to expect from the Science section. ACT Science tests students' abilities to interpret data, analyze experiments, and think critically about scientific concepts. You actually don't need to memorize scientific facts to do well on this section which is often a big surprise to people. ACT Science is more about your skills in reading graphs, understanding trends, and making logical conclusions based on provided information.
ACT Science contains 40 questions and lasts 40 minutes. There are seven passages in the section, and they cover topics in biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth sciences. Each passage could contain graphs, charts, experiment summaries, or conflicting viewpoints from scientists. Every passage is followed by four to seven questions about it. All the information you need to answer correctly is included in the questions and visuals, so prior knowledge can be helpful but isn't required. To do well on this section, you need to be able to quickly but accurately read and understand scientific data.
Here's an example of a fairly typical ACT Science question. It comes from an official ACT practice test.
The correct answer is A.
The Key Consideration: Do Any Colleges You're Interested in Require ACT Science?
So, should you take the ACT with Science? There's one way to make this decision easy: If any of the colleges you're applying to specifically require the ACT Science section, then you should absolutely take it. Otherwise, you won't be able to apply!
However, some schools are test optional and don't require any ACT or SAT scores at all. Additionally, because the SAT has never had a Science section (although they do have graphs on some Reading and Writing questions that require similar skills), many schools were already less concerned about applicants' ACT Science scores because there was no equivalent on the SAT to compare them to. This means some or all of the colleges you're interested in may not require ACT Science scores.
You can look up schools' most up-to-date standardized testing policies on their individual websites: just search for "[school name] standardized test requirement" online. Be aware that, because this is a recent decision by ACT Inc. to make the Science section optional, many schools may not have updated their policies to specifically reference ACT Science. If you can't find the information you need online, you can contact the school's admissions office, or simply act as though they do require ACT Science.
If you have any college on your list that either requires ACT Science or isn't clear about whether they require it, we strongly recommend you take ACT Science. However, what if none of the schools you're interested in require it? If that's the case, there are other factors to consider.
4 Other Factors to Keep in Mind
As we mentioned above, whether the schools you're interested in require you to submit ACT Science should be the main factor in your decision whether to take it, but if that doesn't make the decision clear, there are other factors to consider. Below are two pros to taking the Science section and two cons to think about when you're deciding should you take the Science portion of the ACT or not.
Pro #1: Taking ACT Science Can Strengthen College Applications
A strong score on ACT Science can be a boost to your college application. Even if you’re not planning to major in a STEM field, a solid science score shows colleges that you have strong analytical and critical thinking skills—abilities that are useful in any major. If you're aiming for a science-heavy program like engineering or pre-med, a high ACT Science score can help show that you’re ready for college-level courses. Of course, this depends on the strength of your Science score. If science isn’t your strong suit and you're struggling to get an ACT Science score you're happy with on practice tests, spending extra time studying for other sections of the ACT might be a more effective strategy.
Pro #2: A Strong Science Score Can Help Offset a Weaker Score
If you've taken practice ACT tests and you're pretty confident in your Science skills but struggle in one of the other sections (Reading, Math, or English), submitting a strong Science score could help offset a lower score in one of the other sections of the exam. Remember, ACT Science scores will no longer make up the "core ACT" score of 1-36, so your score there will remain the same no matter how well you do on ACT Science, but a weaker core ACT score can appear to be less of a concern if you have a strong ACT Science, especially if you're planning on majoring in a STEM field and your ACT Math score is strong, too.
Con #1: The Test Will Be Longer
The ACT is already a long test, and adding the Science section makes it feel even longer. If you choose to take ACT Science, the ACT exam will be 40 minutes longer, for a total of 165 minutes (or 205 minutes if you also choose to take ACT Writing too.) Taking just the core ACT is 125 minutes, or just over two hours. That's a long time to be working through a high-pressure test, and many students feel burnt out by the time they get to the Science section. If that's true for you, and strategies like taking realistic practice tests to increase your test endurance skills haven't helped, that could be a reason to not take ACT Science. On the other hand, if you’re someone who can stay focused for the full test, adding Science might not be a big deal.
Con #2: You'll Need to Study More
As we mentioned above, ACT Science doesn’t require you to memorize formulas or scientific facts. However, it still takes time and practice to get comfortable with the types of questions it asks. You’ll need to be able to quickly analyze charts, understand experimental setups, and compare different scientific viewpoints. Especially if you’re not used to interpreting graphs, tables, or data-heavy passages, preparing for this section will take extra effort on top of your other ACT prep. For students who are already juggling school, extracurriculars, and other commitments, finding the time to study might feel overwhelming, so dropping the Science section may be the smart choice.
Final Verdict: Should You Take the ACT With or Without Science?
Should you take the ACT with Science? If even one of the colleges you're applying to requires it, you should take ACT Science so you can apply. If none of the schools you're interested in require or even recommend taking ACT Science, feel free to skip it. It won't add anything to your applications, and you can save yourself the time spent studying and taking the Science section.
What if some of the schools you're applying to recommend taking ACT Science or don't explicitly state their preference? Then there are other factors to consider. If you think you can score well on ACT Science, then you should take it. This is especially true if you plan on majoring in a STEM field as it'll show colleges you're prepared for upper-level science and data courses. If you don't think you'll do well on ACT Science, struggle with long tests, and/or struggle with finding time to study for the ACT, then it's likely better to skip it and save yourself the stress.
If you're still unsure of what to do, we recommend taking ACT Science just to be on the safe side and to save you from having to retake the ACT if you realize you need to submit Science scores later.
What's Next?
Have you decided to take ACT Science and want help studying for it? We have everything you need! We've compiled all of our best resources for ACT Science, from what questions you'll see to how to manage your time.
You don't need to memorize scientific facts to do well on ACT Science, but you do need to understand basic scientific concepts and calculations. Learn all the science you need to know for ACT Science here!
Not sure what ACT score to aim for? Read our in-depth guide to learn what a good ACT score is based on the schools you're applying to.
