Preview where you’ll be accepted in Texas!

Preview where you’ll be accepted in Texas!

by Susan Powers From the Author News

Simplify College Applications with My Texas Future’s Direct Admissions

Texas students can now see which of the state’s public universities would accept them before submitting college applications. Wow!

My Texas Future’s Direct Admissions program is opening doors to higher education for Texas students. This innovative program offers eligible middle and high school students direct college admission based on their academic performance, and, while no test scores are required to participate, students with solid SAT or ACT scores can enhance their applications and expand their options at participating colleges.

This program is ideal for students seeking a stress-free, straightforward pathway to college. First-generation college students and those from underserved communities especially benefit, as it removes traditional barriers like application complexity.

Whether you’re a high-achieving student or simply exploring your options, this streamlined process helps you get a step closer to your college goals.

Visit the My Texas Future website to learn how to leverage this program for your college journey!

You want details about the ACT changes? We got you!

You want details about the ACT changes? We got you!

by Susan Powers From the Author News SAT vs. ACT Tests

We’ve been busy making sure we have all the up-to-date information about the big changes coming to the ACT. We have another blog post if you want the highlights or recommendations for each grade of high schoolers. If you, however – intrepid soul – want all the nitty gritty, we can hook you up! Read on about the “Enhanced ACT.”

Format

  • Fewer questions, shorter passages, more time per question, less time per section will characterize the new English/Math/Reading (Core EMR) sections.
Current Section TimeEnhanced ACT Section TimeCurrent Section QuestionsEnhanced ACT QuestionsCurrent Time per QuestionEnhanced ACT Time per QuestionIncrease in Time per Question
English45 min35 min75 Q50 Q
(10 Exp.)		36 sec42 sec+ 17%
Math60 min50 min60 Q45 Q
(4 Exp.)		60 sec67 sec+ 11%
Reading35 min40 min40 Q36 Q
(9 Exp.)		53 sec67 sec+ 27%
Science35 min40 min40 Q40 Q
(6 Exp.)		53 sec60 sec+ 15%
5th Section (Experi-mental Ques-tions)20 minNA12 – 28 QNANANA
Writing40 min40 min1 Q1 Q
Totals195 min

235 min w/ Writing




125 min

165 min w/ Science

205 min w/ Science & Writing		227 Q –
243 Q
(excluding Writing)




131 Q

171 Q w/ Science

(all excluding Writing)
  • Science will be optional and will NOT be included in the composite calculation beginning as soon as a student takes a test in the “Core EMR/Enhanced ACT” format (see timing below).  
    • PREVIOUS composites WILL NOT be recalculated.  
    • Superscores AFTER an Enhanced ACT/Core EMR test attempted only include EMR data.
  • One passage in English (10 questions), one passage in Reading (9 questions), one passage in Science (6 questions), and 4 questions in Math will be experimental. The former 5th section will no longer exist. (And the crowd goes wild!)
  • Paper will continue to be offered for the foreseeable future. No guarantees forever though.
  • The Enhanced ACT will continue to be linear; it will NOT be adaptive in any way.  Both digital and paper will be the same test, just different formats.
  • English will have question stems for ALL questions, leveling the playing field for many accommodation types.
  • English will now have an argumentative essay rather than the current all non-fiction feast.
  • Math will only have 4 answers choices instead of the current 5 answer choices.
  • Math will have proportionally fewer higher level questions and lower the overall word count in questions.
  • Reading will have a more diverse set of passages.
  • Science will now always include one passage addressing engineering and design topics.

Timing and Cost

  • April 2025 – First offering of the Enhanced ACT for national test dates DIGITAL format only.
  • September 2025 – All national test dates, PAPER & DIGITAL, will be in the Enhanced ACT format.
  • Spring 2026 – State, District, and School Day testing will finally be in the Enhanced ACT format.  If schools require both Science and Writing, they will be able to opt for 2-day testing for everyone.  NOTE: Composites for all testing will start to be calculated based only on EMR starting in September 2025 even though the test’s format won’t change until Spring 2026.
  • Expected pricing for Enhanced ACT will be less than current four section ACT.

What do colleges think?

  • ACT has been working with colleges (including test blind colleges) to understand how they use composites in their processes.
  • ACT’s research shows that the EMR-only composites closely track overall composites, supporting their move to make Science optional.

Practice material updates?

  • ACT’s first plan is to issue an addendum to the “Preparing for the ACT Guide” to highlight differences between the current and Enhanced ACT; however, the is timeline unclear.
  • Keep checking back – we’ll let you know as soon as we know!

If you’d like to see how these changes might or might not mean anything for you, please let us know. We love helping families develop a testing plan.  Always at no charge.

Changes are coming to ACT!

Changes are coming to ACT!

by Susan Powers From the Author SAT vs. ACT Tests

Updated July 24th

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the water, now that the Digital PSAT and SAT are old news, here comes ACT with changes of its own!

NOTE: THESE CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT RISING SENIORS AT ALL! See below for recommendations for all classes.

Our hot take:

  • Students will appreciate – strike that – love that the ACT is shorter and has more time per question.
  • In the near term, selective colleges will require Science. Plan to still take Science.
  • So much uncertainty!  See below for our top questions, but we’re buckling up for a bumpy ride with ACT starting in spring 2025.

Here’s the short summary on what’s changing and when.

What’s Changing?

  • Significantly more time per question.
    • English and Math questions get 12% and 17% more time, respectively.
    • Reading and Science questions get 28% and 27% more time, respectively.
    • Shorter passages —> less text to process.
  • Science is optional.
  • Shorter overall timing for the test, especially if the student opts out of the Science section —> now shorter than the Digital SAT timing!
  • Experimental questions (formerly Section 5) will now be part of the regular sections: reduces overall testing time AND improves data.
  • Composite scores will now be calculated ONLY on the English, Math, and Reading scores.

What’s NOT Changing?

  • Scoring will remain the same: each section ranges from 1 – 36 and the composite is an average of those sections.
  • For now, students can still choose between paper and digital formats.
  • Writing is still optional.
  • Students will still NOT be able to use their own device for digital testing.

When is this happening?

  • The changes above will be introduced first in April 2025 in the digital format ONLY.
  • The changes will be incorporated into PAPER beginning in September 2025.
  • The changes will be incorporated into School Day testing in “Spring 2026.”

Our current recommendations by class year:

  • Seniors (Class of 2025) – No impact here.  You can continue to test in the current format throughout your senior year.
  • Juniors (Class of 2026)
    • Still consider the ACT by taking a practice test of both SAT and ACT. Evaluate the impact of uncertainty of being able to re-test at the beginning of your senior year and the availability of practice materials for that.
    • Plan to take Science.
    • Do NOT take the digital version of the ACT. Until or unless we know a lot more, the formatting of the digital ACT works against most students.
  • Sophomores (Class of 2027)
    • Wait and see.  We will learn a lot between now and when you need to start making choices on which test to take.

Questions. We have questions!

  • Practice materials! Given what seems to be a required increase in individual question difficulty to maintain any kind of scoring parity, will any old practice materials be usable? And more, when will ACT release new practice materials so we can all see what’s up?

If you’d like to see how these changes might or might not mean anything for you, please let us know. We love helping families develop a testing plan. Always at no charge.

The Great Test Score Comeback: Many Colleges Are Reinstating Standardized Testing

The Great Test Score Comeback: Many Colleges Are Reinstating Standardized Testing

by Susan Powers From the Author News Tests Uncategorized

Updated September 1, 2024

After a brief hiatus during the pandemic, many colleges are reinstating standardized test requirements for admissions, and the reason lies in a surprising twist: equity.

Colleges are discovering and reporting that standardized tests actually help level the playing field among students. Research suggests that test scores are a more reliable predictor of college success than high school grades, which have been subject to inflation and vary widely in rigor. By reinstating test requirements, colleges aim to identify talented students from all backgrounds who might otherwise be overlooked.

For instance, UT Austin and MIT both recently reported that they have found that standardized tests help them better predict student success and ensure that students are placed in majors that fit their strengths. Similarly, Harvard and Dartmouth have cited research showing that test scores can highlight the potential of students from under-resourced schools, providing a clearer picture of their academic abilities.

While some institutions never wavered in their requirement for standardized testing, notably University of Florida, a slew of colleges and universities have rejoined the test-required ranks in the past two years:

  • University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)
  • Harvard University
  • Stanford University
  • California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
  • Brown University
  • Yale University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Purdue University
  • Georgetown University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
  • Johns Hopkins University (announced 8/20/24)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (announced 8/29/24)

Test optional will remain the policy at some colleges and universities, but as you or your student approach your sophomore and junior years in high school, it makes sense to consider how you want to prepare for either the SAT or ACT.  If you’d like help thinking through a plan that makes the most of your strengths and is suited to your college admissions’ goals and schedule, Woodlands Test Prep would be delighted to help!

How to Choose Between the Digital SAT and ACT?

How to Choose Between the Digital SAT and ACT?

by Susan Powers From the Author SAT vs. ACT

Now that college admissions is moving back into more of a test-preferred environment, students don’t have to struggle with the choice of whether or not to take a college entrance exam but rather which one. In a recent industry podcast, Test and the Rest: The College Admissions Industry Podcast, Woodlands Test Prep Founder Susan Powers weighs in on the important factors in choosing between the digital SAT and the ACT.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

  1. Why should students give thought to which test they want to take?
  2. How are the ACT and digital SAT different?
  3. How does the ACT Science section play into a decision about which test to take?
  4. Should you prepare for both the ACT and digital SAT?
  5. Are there any general rules for what types of students are better suited to either test?