New to the SAT vs ACT decision itself? Start with our complete 2026 SAT vs ACT comparison guide, then come back here for what the ETS acquisition changes.
What actually happened
On June 30, 2026, ETS announced it is acquiring ACT, bringing together two of the largest names in US education assessment. ETS is buying ACT from Nexus Capital Management, the Los Angeles private equity firm that had owned ACT since 2024. Financial terms were not disclosed, and an ETS spokesperson said the deal was expected to close on July 1, 2026.
A few specifics matter for understanding the deal. ETS is a nonprofit; Nexus had converted ACT into a for-profit company in 2024, so this acquisition effectively moves ACT back under nonprofit stewardship. Not everything transferred: ACT's enrollment-management subsidiary, Encoura, is not part of the deal, while ACT's WorkKeys workforce-skills program (and the National Career Readiness Certificate) does go to ETS.
There is a genuine irony worth knowing. ETS administered the College Board's SAT until 2024, and authored SAT questions for years before that. The organization now buying the SAT's biggest rival is the same one that used to run the SAT itself. That history is exactly why ETS has deep credibility in test design, and why most of the test-prep field reacted calmly rather than nervously.
Will the ACT test actually change?
This is the question on every current student's mind, so here is the honest answer: not right now, and possibly later, but nothing specific has been confirmed.
In the near term, it is business as usual. ETS CEO Amit Sevak was explicit that students registered to take the ACT will see no change to the questions or the administration, and both organizations stated that families should not expect disruptions to scheduled test dates, score reports, or the exam itself. If you are preparing for the ACT this year, keep preparing exactly as you were.
Longer term is where it gets interesting, and where you should be skeptical of anyone claiming certainty. Sevak said ETS will sit down with ACT leadership to define a new product roadmap focused on long-term trends. The trend he named specifically is artificial intelligence: ETS already uses AI for test-item generation, remote proctoring, and adaptive assessments (tests that change the questions you get based on your earlier answers, the way the Digital SAT already does). It is reasonable to expect ETS will eventually modernize the ACT's technology and possibly its adaptivity. But as of the announcement, leaders themselves said detailed plans still need to be forged. No format change, no scoring change, and no timeline has been announced.
Why ETS bought ACT
Understanding the business logic helps you read future developments accurately.
First, participation pressure. ACT test-taker numbers fell from roughly 1.78 million before the pandemic to about 1.38 million in 2025. Over the same period the SAT rebounded to roughly 2 million, helped by its move to a fully digital format and its availability as a school-day test. The ACT was slower to recover, which created real financial pressure on the organization.
Second, consolidation of two organizations under strain. ETS itself offered buyouts to most of its US workforce in 2024. Bringing two long-established assessment giants together is, in the words of one assessment expert, a way to survive rather than perish as the broader testing market contracts.
Third, the pivot beyond admissions. Both ETS and ACT have been expanding into workforce readiness and skills credentialing. WorkKeys, which ETS is acquiring, is used by millions of job seekers and employers. ETS framed the whole deal around a mission of readying 100 million people for the next generation of jobs, connecting K-12, higher education, and careers. In other words, this is as much about the future of skills assessment as it is about the SAT-versus-ACT rivalry.
Fourth, timing. Standardized testing is roaring back. The test-optional era that began during the pandemic is receding at selective schools, which makes owning a major admissions test more valuable now than it was three years ago.
What it means for you as a test-taker
Strip away the corporate story and here is what a student or parent should take from all this.
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1
Your current plans are safe
If you are registered for or preparing for the ACT, nothing changes. Same test, same scoring, same dates. Keep going.
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The SAT is unaffected
The SAT belongs to the College Board, a different organization, and is not part of this deal. The Digital SAT continues exactly as it is. If you are an SAT student, this news does not touch you directly at all.
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The core decision is still the same
The question was never who owns the ACT. It is which test fits you better. That has not changed, and the experts agree: a well-supported ACT simply preserves the choice that has always benefited students.
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If you have not chosen yet, diagnose both
Take a full-length practice test of each under current 2026 conditions and compare your scores and how each felt. Choose where you perform better and where prep feels sustainable. Our SAT vs ACT 2026 guide walks through exactly how to do this.
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Watch, but do not wait
Keep an eye on ETS announcements over the next year in case the ACT roadmap firms up. But do not delay your prep waiting for changes that may be a long way off. Test requirements are returning at selective colleges, so a strong score matters now.
SAT vs ACT in 2026: the quick snapshot
Since the acquisition puts the SAT-versus-ACT question back in the spotlight, here is where the two tests actually stand in 2026. Both are accepted equally by every accredited four-year US college, and colleges do not favor one over the other.
| Feature | Digital SAT | Enhanced ACT |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Fully digital (Bluebook app) | Digital or paper (digital is the direction of travel; paper still offered for US national testers) |
| Adaptive? | Yes, section-adaptive by module | No, linear (same questions for all) |
| Length | About 2 hr 14 min | Approximately 2 hr 5 min core; optional Science adds roughly 40 min |
| Score scale | 400 to 1600 | 1 to 36 composite |
| Sections | Reading & Writing, Math | English, Math, Reading (Science optional, scored separately) |
| Science section | None (science reasoning woven into other sections) | Optional add-on |
| Math weight | Half of total score | One third of composite |
| Calculator | Built-in Desmos across all of Math | Built-in Desmos on digital (new since Dec 2025); bring your own on paper |
| Pacing | More time per question | Faster paced, more time-pressured |
Formats reflect the 2026 Digital SAT and the Enhanced ACT (rolled out April 2025 online, September 2025 on paper, with Science becoming optional). Always verify current details and dates at collegeboard.org and act.org before registering.
The SAT tends to suit you if
You prefer more time to think through each question, you are comfortable with a fully digital and adaptive format, and math is a strength (it counts for half your SAT score). The built-in Desmos graphing calculator across the entire Math section is a genuine advantage for students who learn to use it well, and the shorter, single-question reading passages reward careful reading over speed.
The ACT tends to suit you if
You are a fast, confident test-taker who does not mind time pressure, you want the option of a paper test, or you are aiming at STEM programs where showing a strong Science score helps. The ACT is linear, so the difficulty does not shift mid-test, which some students find more predictable and less stressful than the SAT's adaptive modules.
Neither test is objectively harder. The same student can score meaningfully better on one than the other, which is exactly why a diagnostic of both is the only reliable way to choose. Our full SAT vs ACT 2026 comparison breaks down content, scoring, concordance, and a step-by-step way to decide.
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What the test-prep community is saying
The reaction from admissions and test-prep professionals has been notably calm, even positive. The recurring themes are worth hearing, because they cut against the alarmist framing you may see elsewhere.
The dominant view is that moving the ACT from private-equity ownership back to a nonprofit testing organization with deep measurement expertise is a healthy match, one that should strengthen the ACT's long-term future rather than destabilize it. ETS authored SAT questions for years and has a strong reputation for quality control, so the test-design capability is real. A well-supported ACT keeps genuine competition alive between the two exams, and competition has historically driven innovation that benefits students.
The other consistent message is the one that matters most for your decision: this does not change the fundamental question of which test better matches your strengths. Ownership is a business story. Your score is a personal one, and it depends on fit, not on a corporate logo.
Frequently asked questions
The most common questions about the ETS acquisition of ACT and what it means for test-takers. Official sources are cited where relevant.
Did ETS acquire ACT?
Yes. ETS (Educational Testing Service) announced on June 30, 2026 that it is acquiring ACT, one of the most recognized names in college admissions testing. ETS bought ACT from Nexus Capital Management, the private equity firm that had owned ACT since 2024. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the deal was expected to close on July 1, 2026. ACT's enrollment subsidiary Encoura is not part of the deal, but the WorkKeys workforce program is. Sources: ETS and ACT newsrooms.
Will the ACT test change now that ETS owns it?
Not in the near term. ETS CEO Amit Sevak said it is business as usual, and students registered to take the ACT will see no change to the questions, the administration, test dates, or score reporting. Longer term, changes are possible but not yet defined: ETS said it will work with ACT leadership on a new product roadmap focused on long-term trends, especially artificial intelligence, which ETS already uses for item generation, remote proctoring, and adaptive testing. As of the announcement, no specific changes to the ACT format have been confirmed.
Should I still take the ACT after the ETS acquisition?
Yes, if the ACT fits your strengths. Test prep experts widely view the acquisition as a positive for the ACT's long-term stability, not a reason for uncertainty. The core advice has not changed: choose the test that best matches your strengths. Both the SAT and ACT remain fully accepted by colleges, and there is no admissions penalty for choosing either. The best way to decide is to take a full-length practice test of each under current 2026 conditions and compare how you score and how each felt.
What happens to my ACT scores and test registration?
Nothing changes. ETS and ACT both stated that students and partners should not expect disruptions to scheduled test dates, score reports, or the exam itself. If you have already tested or are registered, your scores remain valid and are reported the same way. Colleges continue to accept ACT scores exactly as before.
Why did ETS buy ACT?
Several reasons. ETS gains a widely recognized US brand and deep relationships with K-12 schools, districts, and states, plus ACT's WorkKeys workforce readiness program. The deal also reflects industry consolidation: ACT participation fell from about 1.78 million pre-pandemic to about 1.38 million in 2025, while the SAT rebounded to about 2 million, so both organizations faced pressure. ETS framed the acquisition around a broader mission of connecting education to careers in an economy being reshaped by AI. Notably, ETS administered the College Board's SAT until 2024, so it now owns the SAT's main rival.
Does the ETS-ACT deal change the SAT?
No. The SAT is owned and administered by the College Board, a separate organization, and is not part of this deal. The Digital SAT continues unchanged: fully digital via the Bluebook app, about 2 hours 14 minutes, scored 400 to 1600, with two adaptive sections (Reading and Writing, and Math) and a built-in Desmos calculator across the entire Math section. The ETS-ACT acquisition affects the ACT's ownership, not the SAT.
Is the SAT or ACT better in 2026?
Neither is objectively better; they are accepted equally by every four-year US college. The right test is the one that matches your strengths. The Digital SAT suits students who prefer more time per question, an adaptive digital format, and are strong in math (math is half the SAT score but only a third of the ACT composite). The Enhanced ACT suits fast test-takers comfortable with time pressure, students who want a paper option, and those who want to show a Science score. The reliable way to decide is a full-length diagnostic of each.
Are colleges requiring the SAT or ACT again in 2026 and 2027?
Increasingly, yes. The test-optional wave is receding at selective schools. All eight Ivy League universities will require test scores by the fall 2027 application cycle, and institutions including MIT, Georgetown, Stanford, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown have reinstated testing requirements. Over 2,000 colleges remain test-optional, but if your target schools require scores, you will need a strong SAT or ACT result, which makes choosing the right test more important than ever.
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