ACT® Prioritizing Full Test Experience Over Section Retest Rollout

At the end of last year, ACT® announced that they would be rolling out one of their most requested features: section-specific test retakes. With this initiative, a student could sit for specific sections of the ACT® without having to sit for (or pay for) the entire exam. From a test-prep perspective, the change would be a game-changer for targeted score improvement strategies.

That was 2019. Then 2020 happened. Following a spring filled with distance learning, test date cancellations, and college entrance policy shifts, ACT® (as with the entire testing industry) was forced to regroup. 

Thankfully, things are starting to get back on track for the 2020-2021 testing calendar. Already this summer, testing opportunities have resumed and there have been announcements about additional ACT® fall test dates to help fill demand.

That said, the volume of students registering for the full ACT® has made it impractical to reserve already limited test day seats for single-section retests. As such, ACT® has pressed pause on the new initiative until such a time as they are able to safely satisfy the existing demand for test registrations.

In the same announcement, ACT® maintained its commitment to both superscoring as well as developing and expanding their online testing options.

Preparing Students for ACT® Single-Section Retests This Academic Year

While the individual section tests on the ACT® may not be available anytime in the immediate future, they’re coming. The new policy is one students have been clamoring for for years as a way to save both time and money when retaking college entrance tests.

As more colleges announce “Test-Optional” policies, ACT® and College Board will continue to have to make moves like this to remove barriers from students who no longer feel they need to sit for lengthy and expensive exams at all (let alone multiple times). ACT® beat the SAT® to the punch with this one, and they will surely look to capitalize as soon as it is logistically feasible to do so. Furthermore, there is a good chance the SAT® will follow suit and offer similar flexibility soon, as well.

For test-prep tutors and companies, this means that you need to be sure to develop section-based retake strategies for your students. While they may not be ready to put into practice yet, you want to be ready to capitalize when you can.

Clear Choice’s curriculum software already has you covered. With a click, you can assign students single test sections for student practice. This allows students to focus on particular content under specific testing conditions comparable to what a single-section retake will feel like.

Click the button below for a free demo of this feature as well as countless others that our custom-branded digital curriculum has to offer you and your tutoring business.