Starting in 2015, students who take the ACT will face a more complex essay question and will receive new scores for English language arts and the combined fields of science and mathematics.
The ACT exam will retain its total scoring scale of 1 to 36 and its format of assessing achievement in English, math, reading and science, with an optional essay.
The new indicators will provide more insight by assessing student performance and predicted readiness levels in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), career readiness, English language arts and text complexity.
The current ACT essay prompt states an issue -- for example, community curfews for high school students -- gives two points of view and asks students to take a position and support it with specifics. The new version will ask students to evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue and generate their own analysis based on reasoning, knowledge and experience, the organization announced in June.
The ACT is evolving as its rival the SAT college admissions test also undergoes a major redesign that will debut in 2016. Among the SAT changes announced earlier this year are a sharper focus on critical-thinking, an emphasis on real-world problems, a new scoring system, and an overhaul of its essay section.
All in all, the SAT will remain a test of aptitude, whereas the ACT is more a test of achievement. Neither is more difficult or legitimate, but some students may be better-suited for one or the other.
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Spot on observations.
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