- Blog
- > Applications and Essays
What The Top 50 Colleges Are Saying About the ACT Science Section in 2025
- Dr. Rachel Rubin
- | March 11, 2025
Changes to the ACT Science section policies are leading to confusion among students and families as they grapple with whether to include the science section in their testing plans.
The uncertainty surrounding how colleges will evaluate this section is raising important questions for applicants:
- Should I take the science section or skip it?
- Will submitting the science section benefit my admissions chances, or will admissions offices ignore it?
To help clear up the confusion, we spoke with admissions officers at the Top 50 colleges in the U.S. to find out their stance on the ACT Science section and how it could impact your application.
What’s Changing?
The ACT Science section will become optional for an additional $4.00 fee. This change allows students to choose whether they want to include the science section in their test scores, depending on their preferences or college requirements.
The science section can be added or removed through the late deadline, but this option is only available for online testing during the April, June, and July 2025 test dates. For the 2025-2026 school year, new stipulations will emerge. For paper tests, the science section will remain a required part of the testing experience.
Research Methodology
Spark Admissions’ Anna Cramer, spoke with 47 of the nation’s top 50 colleges to determine their stance on this newly optional Science component of the ACT. The survey was designed to gather insights directly from college admissions offices regarding how they plan to evaluate the Science section for applicants in 2025.
Her conversations revealed a significant degree of uncertainty among colleges. Many schools were either undecided or unclear about how, if at all, they would incorporate the Science section into their admissions process, reflecting a broader trend of colleges questioning how to adapt to changes in standardized testing policies.
Our goal is to provide students with clear guidance on whether they should plan to take the ACT Science section or consider it truly optional. However, the results of this initial survey highlighted the lack of consensus across institutions, reinforcing the importance of students staying informed and directly contacting admissions offices to understand the requirements at the individual schools that interest them. At least for now, this persistent ambiguity will continue to present a challenge for students and families as they navigate the evolving test landscape.
Our Insights on the ACT Science Section in 2025
A significant 36% of colleges (17 out of 47) remain undecided on how they will evaluate the ACT Science section. This adds uncertainty for students, as many institutions have not clarified their stance on whether the Science section will be required, optional, or considered at all. This indecision suggests that prospective applicants need to remain proactive in checking each school’s evolving policies and, at least in the short term, should likely plan to take the Science section if they are taking the ACT.
Impact on Test-Taking Strategy
The uncertainty surrounding the ACT Science section could significantly influence how students approach the exam.
With many colleges still undecided or unclear about whether the Science section will be required or optional, students face a critical decision: should they take the Science section or avoid it altogether?
To make this decision, students need to understand the policies of the colleges to which they are applying. Researching each school’s stance will help students tailor their test-taking strategy, ensuring they meet the specific requirements or recommendations for each institution:
| TOP 50 Schools | Testing Policy | Stance on Science |
|---|---|---|
| Boston College | Test-Optional | Optional |
| Boston University | Test-Optional | Recommended |
| Brown University | Test Required | Optional |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Case Western Reserve University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Columbia University | Test-Optional | Optional |
| Cornell University | Test-Optional | Optional |
| Dartmouth College | Test Required | Undecided |
| Duke University | Test-Optional | Could not reach |
| Emory University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Georgetown University | Test Required | Optional |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Test Required | Optional |
| Harvard University | Test Required | Optional |
| Johns Hopkins University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Lehigh University | Test-Optional | Could not reach |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Test Required | Required |
| New York University (NYU) | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Northwestern University | Test-Optional | Optional |
| Princeton University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Purdue University - Main Campus | Test Required | Undecided |
| Rice University | Test-Optional | Undecided |
| Rutgers University - New Brunswick | Test-Optional | Recommended |
| Stanford University | Test-Optional | Optional |
| The Ohio State University | Test-Optional | Optional |
| The University of Texas Austin | Test Required | Undecided |
Testing Policies and the ACT Science Section
32 of the top 50 colleges have adopted test-optional policies, which, even if they currently remain undecided on the Science section, will likely be carried through to the Science section.
50% of test-required schools have confirmed that the Science section will become optional within their test-required policy.
This growing trend reflects shifts away from relying solely on standardized test scores and offering students more flexibility in their applications.
Recommendations for STEM Majors
For students applying to STEM programs, schools such as MIT, Northwestern, and Purdue University strongly recommend or even encourage submitting the Science section. These institutions value the Science section as an important measure of a student’s readiness for rigorous coursework in scientific fields. This recommendation is crucial for students pursuing STEM majors, as submitting the Science section can enhance their application by showcasing their scientific reasoning skills.
Exclusion of the Science Section by Some Schools
In contrast, a few colleges, including the University of Georgia, focus exclusively on Math and Reading scores for admissions, rendering the Science section irrelevant. For applicants to these schools, the Science section should not be a concern, as it is not factored into the admissions process.
Overall, the varying stances on the ACT Science section underscore the need for students to stay informed about the specific requirements of each school to which they are applying. With a growing number of test-optional schools and undecided policies, students must carefully evaluate whether taking the Science section aligns with the admissions expectations of their target schools.
Concerns About the Add-On Fee for the Science Section
The University of Chicago’s admissions office raised concerns about the add-on fee for the optional Science section, arguing that it could be unfair and inaccessible to many students. The additional cost may create barriers for students, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, making it a significant consideration when deciding whether to take the Science section.
What Admissions Offices Are Saying About the ACT Science Section
These notes supplement our categorization of the ACT Science section, gathered through direct conversations with admissions offices:
- Georgia Institute of Technology: Both Writing and Science sections are optional for applicants.
- Johns Hopkins University: New policies will be released in August, outlining updated application requirements.
- MIT: Writing remains the only optional section; Science is expected to be required.
- Northwestern University: STEM applicants are recommended to submit the Science section to strengthen their applications.
- Purdue University: Similar to Northwestern, STEM applicants should strongly consider submitting the Science section.
- University of Georgia: Only Math and Reading scores are considered for admissions, excluding the Science section entirely.
- University of Virginia: If the school remains test-optional, the Science section will likely remain optional.
Making Informed Decisions For The ACT Science Section
The changes to the ACT Science section are just one example of a broader trend in college admissions towards more flexible testing policies. As test-optional policies continue to gain traction, applicants and admissions officers alike are increasingly questioning the importance of standardized tests like the ACT. Schools are offering students more control over their applications, with some even allowing them to skip certain sections of the test altogether. This shift reflects a growing emphasis on holistic admissions, where colleges evaluate a broader range of factors—such as high school GPA, extracurricular activities, and personal essays—instead of relying so heavily on test scores.
Given this rapidly evolving landscape, students need to stay informed about the specific policies of the colleges to which they are applying. The decision to take the ACT’s Science section or not is just one piece of the puzzle that is their application. By carefully navigating this and other changing requirements, students can make the most strategic choices to enhance their chances of admission.
Direct communication with admissions offices is crucial. If you’re unsure whether to submit the Science section, especially if the college’s policy remains unclear, contacting the admissions office directly is the best course of action. Doing so will eliminate unnecessary stress and confusion during the application process.
By carefully navigating these shifting demands and staying adaptable, students can position themselves for success, ensuring they meet the expectations of their target schools while maximizing their chances of admission.
About The Author
