The ACT recently rolled out a new, shorter exam that allows students in the United States to choose between digital and paper formats (though students testing abroad continue to have only a digital testing option). As ACT continues to move deeper into the world of digital testing, a growing percentage of test-takers will sit for the digital exam each year. With that in mind, here's a closer look at what's the same and what's different between the paper-based and digital versions of the exam.
Paper vs. digital: what's the same?
The content and structure of the exam remain exactly the same whether you're testing on paper or on a computer.
Similarities include
- the order of the sections (English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing)
- the content of each section
- the number of questions on each section
- the amount of time you have on each section
- the scoring system (section scores and a composite score on a 36-point scale)
Paper vs. digital: what's different?
The major difference between the two versions has to do with the test-taking experience itself.
Students taking the exam on paper can annotate and write out their work directly in the test booklet, bubbling in their answers by hand on a separate page. Working out of a physical test booklet also makes it easier for students to answer questions out of order, flipping back and forth between pages as needed.
Students taking the digital test will see one question per page, scroll up and down to read a passage, and click a "Next" button when they are ready to move on to the next question. This makes it more challenging for students to answer questions out of order or make quick guesses if they run out of time at the end of a section. Annotating on the screen is not possible, and students take notes and write out their work on a separate paper and pencil provided to them at the test center.
Additionally, students taking the digital have access to several on-screen tools:
- Highlighter (to highlight words and phrases while you read).
- Answer Eliminator (to cross out answer choices as you narrow down your options)
- Answer Masker (to hide the answer choices so you can predict the right answer before getting distracted by traps)
- Line Reader (to focus on a single line of text by blocking out surrounding lines)
- Magnifier (to enlarge part of a graph or image)
- Built-in scientific calculator
For this reason, ArborBridge has developed special ACT lessons and practice sections for the digital format. Students learn ACT content and strategies while continuing to master the digital format itself—through clickable radio buttons, highlighted text, and more.
In this way, students can work on targeted skills during their tutoring sessions while continuing to strengthen the digital-specific habits and strategies that will ensure their success on test day.
To learn more, reach out to us here.
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About ArborBridge
ArborBridge is the global leader in innovative, digital, one-on-one tutoring. With nearly a decade of experience teaching students online, ArborBridge supports students of all kinds: home schoolers, AP students, test preppers, and more. Our tutors specialize in creating personalized plans and in providing compassionate support for students and families.
