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Quick Answer: Is Science Optional on the ACT?
TL;DR / Quick Takeaway: With the release of the Enhanced ACT, the ACT Science section has become optional. This means you can now decide whether or not you will pay for and take the ACT Science section of the ACT. Because ACT Science is optional, it is not figured into your composite score. If you choose to take ACT Science, you’ll receive a separate scaled score from 1-36, which is reported separately on your score report.
Should You Take the ACT Science Optional Section? Pros and Cons
To help you decide whether taking the ACT Science optional section is right for you, we’ve put together a list of pros and cons to consider. Check them out below.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Can potentially help secure admission to elite schools | Makes the ACT test longer |
| Helps showcase STEM skills on college applications | Students cannot hide or delete a poor ACT Science score |
| Helps students stand out from other college applicants (with a high score) | Taking the ACT Science requires extra study and prep time |
| Can create eligibility for certain scholarships that require or prefer an ACT Science score | Costs extra to take |
What is the ACT Science Section?
The ACT Science section is an optional exam section on the Enhanced ACT as of 2025. That means students are not required to complete the Science section as part of the standard Enhanced ACT test.
On the Enhanced ACT, the ACT Science optional section is 40 minutes long with 40 multiple-choice questions total. Note that 34 questions are scored and 6 are not.
ACT Science tests your critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and data analysis skills. You’ll read and interpret ACT Science passages that describe scientific experiments, compare scientific arguments in text-based passages, and interpret data from graphs, scatter plots, and data tables. At least one passage on the Science exam will cover an engineering and design topic.
If you take ACT Science, your score on that section won’t be factored into your overall composite score. Instead, you’ll receive a separate Science section score (reported on a scale from 1-36), as well as a STEM score that averages your ACT Math score with your Science score (also reported on a scale from 1-36). While ACT Science is optional, you can’t delete or hide your Science score after you’ve taken the exam. It’ll be sent to the colleges you select along with your composite score report.
Adding the optional ACT Science section at exam registration costs an additional on top of the you’ll pay for standard exam registration.
Here’s a quick overview of what’s covered on ACT Science:
| ACT Science Section | What’s On It |
|---|---|
| Section length | 40 minutes |
| # of questions | 40 questions |
| # of reading passages | 6 to 7 |
| What’s tested | Critical thinking Scientific reasoning Data analysis |
| Question types | Interpretation of data Scientific investigation Evaluating scientific arguments and models |
| Reading passage types | Data representation Research summaries Conflicting viewpoints |
| Scoring | On a scale from 1-36; not included in composite ACT score |
| Registration Cost | to add optional Science |
Is Science Optional on the ACT? And Why?
ACT Science was made optional as part of a larger overhaul of the ACT. The exam-makers wanted to make the ACT more accessible by providing a shorter, more flexible testing format and experience. Making ACT Science an optional section was part of that.
With ACT Science now optional, students get to choose whether they want to take it based on their strengths and goals. Those who don’t take it get the benefit of a shorter exam with fewer questions without any impact on their composite score. Those who do take it can use their scores to boost their admissions chances, expand their scholarship options, and show off their STEM skills.
What to Consider Before Taking ACT Science
Taking ACT Science adds additional time, cost, and risk onto the exam. These factors are worth considering before you commit to taking this optional section of the ACT.
When you take ACT Science, it adds an additional 40 minutes of testing time onto an exam that already lasts for 2 hours and 5 minutes. There are 40 questions on ACT Science, which gives you about a minute per question. It’s worth considering whether you have the endurance to push through another fast-paced 40 minutes of exam time while performing your best.
While it may not sound like much, the fee for adding Science onto the ACT is . That’s total for the ACT with Science. This additional cost may be an additional consideration for students trying to budget for other college entrance exam fees and college application fees.
Before registering, check whether your target colleges, programs, or scholarships require or recommend ACT Science. Taking the Science portion of the ACT may be worthwhile if a college, program, or scholarship requires or recommends it, or if you’re applying to a highly competitive school where a top Science score may help you stand out during the admissions process.
Who Should Take ACT Science?
You can look at your academic strengths and college admissions goals to decide if you should take ACT Science.
If you have a strong interest in science and perform well in science classes in school, you might be a good fit for taking ACT Science. Even if you aren’t sure what you want to major in, if you think there’s a chance you might choose something science-related, having good ACT Science may help you get into programs at certain universities.
The answer is even more straightforward if you’re applying to colleges or majors that require ACT Science scores. At those programs, you’ll have to take the ACT Science section to be considered for admission.
For the schools that don’t require ACT Science scores, do some research about other students that have been accepted in the past. Did most of them take ACT Science? What was their average ACT Science score? Do you think you can score above average? If you answer “yes” to those questions, taking the ACT Science section might make you a more competitive applicant.
Additionally, taking ACT Science might be a good idea if you’re applying for STEM-focused scholarships. Some scholarships may require ACT Science scores or some other evidence of your science skills in order to qualify. You can check each scholarship’s application requirements to find out more.
And finally: if you’re still unsure about taking ACT Science, you can take a practice ACT with the Science section and see how you score before you commit.
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