Add as a preferred source on Google

Approximately 6,000 Students Took Online Version of the ACT in Recent Weeks

  • 05/08/15

Iowa City, Iowa —ACT officially launched the online version of the ACT® test for its state and district testing program this past month. Approximately 6,000 high school students across the United States took the ACT on a computer at national test centers and in high school classrooms over the past few weeks, earning college-reportable scores.

“The administration of the online ACT went smoothly,” said Jon Erickson, ACT president. “We are very excited about the results and the continued growth and development of our online ACT program. ACT’s goal is to increase student access to higher education, and we believe technology will be a valuable tool in helping us to reach this goal.”

It was the second time that ACT has administered the test in an online format with college-reportable scores. Approximately 4,000 students took the online version a year ago in a pilot administration.

“We learned a great deal from last year’s successful pilot, and we applied those lessons to help fine tune the online experience for examinees,” said Erickson. ”This is part of ACT’s efforts to continuously improve our programs on a measured, gradual basis to avoid radical changes for students.”

The content of the online exam was the same as that of the paper-and-pencil version, and students’ scores will mean the same in terms of level of achievement for this administration.

“We aren’t changing the curriculum-based content of the ACT test,” said Erickson. “We’re simply providing another way to take the exam, employing the advanced technology that most students are accustomed to using on a daily basis.”

The online ACT will initially be offered on an optional basis only to high schools that administer the exam to all students as part of their districtwide or statewide assessment programs. It will not be offered on the ACT national, Saturday morning test dates at this time. Delivery of the online ACT for statewide and districtwide testing will be expanded next spring.

Featured

  • Pittsburgh High School Upgrades Athletics Facilities’ Technology

    Plum Senior High School in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently partnered with South-Dakota-based Daktronics through the We’re All Mustangs Here Foundation to upgrade the technology in its athletics facilities, according to a news release. Daktronics designed, built, and installed new LED video displays and finished the project in time for the beginning of the 2025 high-school football season.

  • Florida SouthWestern State College, Skanska Partner for Humanities Hall Renovation

    Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers, Fla., recently announced that it is partnering with construction firm Skanska to renovate the school’s Humanities Hall, according to a news release.

  • Creating Long-Term Sustainability on College Campuses Through Fair Student Housing

    The quality of student housing can have a significant impact on an individual’s college experience. Today’s higher education institutions face mounting challenges, including declining enrollment, low retention rates between the first and second years, and a rise in student mental health concerns. Thoughtfully designed living spaces can help address these issues by creating environments that promote both academic focus and personal well-being.

  • Empowering People Through Smart, Sustainable Campuses

    Sustainability is facing increasing scrutiny, with some questioning its costs and priorities. Yet for universities, it remains an essential driver of resilience, operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that sustainable transformation is not just about reducing energy consumption and emissions to comply with tightening regulations ‒ it’s about creating vibrant, comfortable environments where people can thrive, innovate and connect. For university leadership, this is a complex balancing act, with rising energy costs and limited budgets only adding to the challenge.

Digital Edition