Breaking News: ACT Will Allow Students to Retake Individual Sections

ACT officials announced on Oct. 8 that students will be able to retake individual sections of the five-part ACT test starting Sept. 2020.

In the past, students had to take all sections of the test at once to improve their score. Due to this change, students will now be able to target specific sections of the test to improve their scores. 

Senior Kara Auvray took the test on Sept. 14, where all students taking the test were given a survey about if they thought individual subject texts should be implemented. She found out four weeks later that it was happening. 

“I was really surprised,” Auvray said. “There had been a question about it, but I really didn’t think that it would be implemented.”

Junior Graham Billingsley also took the test on Sept. 14, where he scored two points lower on English than any other section.

“I’m probably planning on taking one of the subject tests so hopefully that will make me do better,” Billingsley said.

Since the individual tests will be implemented next year, the subject tests will not be an option for current seniors. 

“I think some seniors who retook the ACT just to get one score might be disappointed that they didn’t get that opportunity,” Auvray said. 

This will apply to any student who wants to retake a section, meaning that students will essentially be able to get a “superscore” on the test. Billingsley thinks it will make ACT scores less competitive. 

“I think it’s kind of stupid,” Billingsley said. “It’s nice that you can change your score, but it’s going to lead to a lot of people doing better on it than they would [otherwise].”