The History of the ACT: How a Midwestern Testing Alternative Became the Nation’s Choice

When you sit for the ACT, you join a club that has millions of members. The ACT, first launched in 1959, is a college admissions test that has the advantage of being over thirty years younger than the comparable SAT– which means that since its inception, it’s been designed around the pitfalls of the SAT, making it more advantageous for some students. But why do we need two college admissions tests to begin with? Let’s take a look at the ACT’s history to see how it’s gotten to where it is today.

The Origins of the ACT

In 1959, a new college admissions exam appeared on the scene: the ACT. Originally standing for the American College Test, the acronym has since been dropped– neither ACT nor SAT actually mean anything today! The man behind the test was University of Iowa professor Everett Franklin Lindquist, who believed the prevailing exam of the day (the SAT) emphasized innate reasoning ability more than what students had actually learned. Lindquist set out to build a test grounded in achievement: the coursework students actually completed. The first administration of the ACT was taken by around 75,000 students– quite a few– but was really only popular in the Midwest. 

This trend continued for many years, with the ACT making major inroads in the Midwest and South. Over time, that regional popularity began to translate into a national presence. The original test featured four sections: English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Natural Science/ It used a scoring system that still feels familiar today: a scale from 1 to 36 for each section, with a composite score that averaged them together.

One of the ACT’s guiding ideas was practicality. Instead of measuring abstract reasoning or “aptitude,” it aimed to test what students had actually learned in high school. That philosophy appealed to educators and colleges that wanted to gauge readiness in a more concrete, classroom-based way. It made the ACT feel accessible, and it helped it spread among institutions looking for a more inclusive, skills-based assessment.

Major Milestones in the Test’s Evolution

The ACT has undergone several significant revisions since its debut. In 1989, the exam saw one of its biggest overhauls: the Natural Sciences section became Science Reasoning, and Social Studies was replaced by Reading Comprehension. This shift better reflected how schools were teaching and how colleges evaluated analytical skills. In 2005, an optional Writing section was introduced to give colleges more insight into students’ communication abilities. 

In 2012, the ACT hit its biggest milestone: surpassing the SAT for the first time, when 1.66 million students sat for the exam. The next year, in 2013, more than half of U.S. high school graduates had taken the ACT, a milestone that confirmed its transformation from regional alternative to national leader.

The ACT’s story has always been one of growth, as the test has resonated well with both students and teachers. . For many, the test’s straightforward structure mirrors classroom learning. Instead of puzzles or abstract reasoning, it tests applied knowledge, which makes it feel fair and familiar. Students who excel through steady study and comprehension often feel the ACT gives them a better platform to shine. As college admissions policies have evolved, both the ACT and the students who take it have benefited from its flexibility.  

Many states have also chosen to administer the ACT to all juniors, making it a natural part of the academic experience. When something becomes standard practice, participation increases; students view it as a necessary milestone rather than an optional challenge. That accessibility has helped normalize the ACT across a wide demographic. It also helps that the PSAT is administered nationally to high school juniors, which familiarizes students with the rhythm and structure of standardized testing well before they take the ACT. By the time they’re ready to take the ACT, most students already understand how these exams work, which means they can focus on strategy instead of needing to take more time to feel comfortable with the test. 

But it’s not just students who feel comfortable with the test. Its steady reputation as a curriculum-aligned exam has also earned trust among educators. High school teachers can feel confident that their coursework helps prepare students for the test, creating a more unified bridge between classroom instruction and college readiness. Even as more colleges adopt test-optional policies, the ACT continues to serve a purpose. For students aiming to demonstrate academic readiness, it offers a clear, quantifiable benchmark. And for schools that value data-driven insights, it remains a dependable measure of student achievement.

The ACT’s Recent History: The Digital Shift

In the past few years, the ACT organization has made major strides toward a digital testing format. Starting in early 2024, students at select test centers in the U.S. were able to choose a computer-based version of the ACT, and by the national test date in April 2025, the “enhanced” version, designed for digital delivery, became widely available. 

This move reflects larger shifts in standardized testing. As education moved increasingly online, test-makers saw the need to make sure that assessments measured how students actually learn and interact with material. The ACT organization has emphasized that this transition gives students more choice and flexibility, and continues to offer both paper and computer formats while maintaining fairness and consistency in scoring

The Evolution of What the ACT Measures

From the beginning, the ACT has claimed to measure readiness for college-level work—the skills and knowledge students actually need to succeed after high school. Its sections (English, Math, Reading, and the optional Science and Writing) each receive scores from 1 to 36, which are averaged into a composite score.

The ACT also has two optional sections, both of which test skills the SAT does not. The Science Reasoning section, unique to the ACT, doesn’t test specific facts. Instead, it focuses on interpreting data, understanding research summaries, and evaluating conflicting viewpoints. The optional Writing test, first introduced in the 2000s, asks students to analyze multiple perspectives and craft a clear argument– skills that mirror real academic tasks in college.

Over the years, the ACT has been fine-tuned to reflect modern learning styles. Its questions emphasize analysis and comprehension over memorization, and the organization behind it continuously studies how student performance connects to college outcomes. In that sense, the ACT is more than a test; it’s part of a larger system that helps track trends in education and student success.

Looking Ahead: The ACT’s Continued Relevance

Over six decades after its creation, the ACT continues to evolve. The test has embraced digital formats, expanded online resources, and streamlined delivery without losing its core identity. By staying focused on real-world skills, the ACT has maintained its credibility through countless shifts in education policy and technology.

Whether you’re preparing for the ACT or deciding between tests, it helps to understand how the exam earned its place in academic history. The ACT became dominant  through consistency and relevance, qualities that continue to matter today. It’s proof that a good idea, executed well and refined over time, can change how students and schools measure success. It also helps to prepare correctly, and that’s where we can help. Prep Expert® offers a full suite of SAT prep courses for each national test date, helping students prepare with confidence and get the scores they need for their dream schools. Browse our ACT prep course catalog today and find the course that works best for you! If you want to learn more about the history of standardized testing, make sure to also take a look at our History of the SAT article.