ACT · March 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Is the ACT Getting Harder in 2026?
By Makon AI Team · Updated July 15, 2026
No evidence shows that the ACT score scale is simply getting harder in 2026. The enhanced ACT is shorter, offers more time per item, and calculates the Composite from English, Math, and Reading rather than including Science. Some students will find the new balance easier and others will notice different weak spots, but ACT conducted linking research so that a score such as 25 is intended to remain comparable across legacy and enhanced forms.
“The test changed” and “the score became harder to earn” are not the same claim.
What actually changed
ACT's enhancement FAQ describes the current blueprint. The rollout reached national online testing first, then national paper and international testing, with state and district changes following in 2026.
| Change | What students experience | What it means for preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer questions and shorter overall testing | Less total endurance demand | Use current-format tests for pacing |
| More time per question | Slightly less time pressure per item | Accuracy still matters; the section remains timed |
| Composite uses English, Math, Reading | Science no longer affects Composite | Do not average four sections for a 2026 Composite |
| Science optional in enhanced administrations | Students may have a shorter testing experience | Check whether a program wants Science or a STEM score |
| Reporting-category proportions rebalanced | Some skills may appear more or less often | Use current blueprints, not only old category percentages |
ACT says the tested concepts and skills remain broadly consistent even though some question structures and proportions changed.
How ACT keeps forms comparable
If one test form happens to contain a more difficult set of questions, ACT does not simply award lower 1–36 scores to everyone. Raw correct-answer totals are converted to scale scores through form-specific scoring and equating processes.
The enhanced test also underwent a linking study. ACT's higher-education guidance reports that enhanced scores are designed to remain reliable and comparable with legacy scores. That is why colleges can read a current 28 without inventing a “new ACT 28” category.
This does not mean every form feels identical. It means score interpretation is maintained despite controlled differences in form difficulty.
Why students may think it is harder
They practiced the wrong format
A student who completes only a legacy four-section practice exam may bring the wrong timing habits and Composite calculation to a 2026 administration. Current official material removes that mismatch.
A changed content balance hits a personal weakness
If a current Math form includes a greater share of questions from a student's weak reporting category, the test can feel harder even when the scale functions as intended. Personal difficulty is not proof of system-wide score inflation or deflation.
Online testing adds operational friction
Scrolling, highlighting, using an on-screen interface, or switching between a testing platform and approved calculator tools can consume attention. Students should practice in the delivery mode they selected when possible.
Social media samples are biased
Students who had a surprising experience are more likely to post “that Reading section was impossible.” They also see different forms and may compare remembered questions inaccurately. A collection of reactions cannot establish whether the scale changed.
Run a fair old-versus-new comparison
Do not compare raw percentages from two different forms. Compare scale scores using the conversion instructions supplied with each official test.
Example:
- Take a released legacy form under its original timing and calculate its official section scores.
- Take a current enhanced practice form under current timing.
- Compare English, Math, and Reading scale scores—not total raw questions or total minutes.
- Repeat with another fresh form before drawing a conclusion.
If a student earns 27 Math on both formats but feels calmer on the enhanced form, the experience changed more than the reported achievement. If current Math repeatedly falls to 23 while untimed accuracy is also lower, investigate the categories being missed.
See what skills the ACT tests to map those misses to the published standards.
Does shorter mean easier?
Not necessarily. Fewer questions reduce fatigue and more time per item can help pacing, but each scored question may represent a slightly larger share of the raw total. A careless error still matters. The content is still designed to distinguish performance across the full score range.
Students should therefore avoid both extremes:
- “It is shorter, so I do not need to prepare.”
- “The redesign must be harder, so old target scores are useless.”
The useful response is to learn the current ACT format, take a fresh official baseline, and adjust time management to the actual section rather than a remembered legacy pace.
Bottom line
The ACT is different in 2026, but it is not simply “getting harder.” The blueprint is shorter and somewhat rebalanced; the 1–36 scales are linked for comparability. If your current practice score falls, diagnose format familiarity, content categories, and delivery mode before blaming the calendar year.