The ACT's decision to exclude science from its Composite score has quietly redrawn the strategic map for college-bound students, and Mr. Test Prep, the online test preparation service founded by Michael Romano, is urging families to reconsider a choice they may have made under the old rules. Since September 2025, all ACT tests have used an enhanced Composite based solely on English, math and reading, with science remaining a separate section that no longer contributes to the overall score. The enhanced ACT was first available for national online testing in April 2025 and for the ACT National Saturday paper test in September 2025.
The implications cut in two directions. A student whose relative weakness was science previously carried that weakness into the Composite; now they do not. Less discussed is the reverse: a student who relied on science to lift an otherwise modest Composite has lost that lift. The change effectively re-ranks students against one another, meaning a decision made on the old math deserves a second look. Pacing adds a second variable that never appears on a transcript. The ACT's English section asks 50 questions in 35 minutes, while Reading asks 36 questions in 40 minutes. For a student who is accurate but deliberate, those are not the same test, and the difference between the SAT and ACT can be just as pronounced.
"Two students can know the same material and produce dramatically different scores," Romano said. His position is that guessing at the answer costs a family more than measuring it, which is why his recommendation sits inside a free two-hour trial session rather than behind a paid program. That session includes a diagnostic test, after which Romano holds a Zoom call with parent and student to cover diagnostic results, which tests to take and when, preparation frequency and target scores, before emailing a written proposal. Families can book by phone at +1 (650) 575-5867 or through the Mr. Test Prep website.
The preparation itself, delivered in two-hour Zoom sessions, combines content, question logic and pacing through the Mr. Test Prep Method™, while A-Game Access™ addresses performance under time pressure through four components: A-Game, The Nine, the A-Game Cue, and Smile Into the Action. The system does not promise perfect performances, does not eliminate nervousness and does not guarantee outcomes. Romano graduated from Duke University in 1991 with a major in Psychology, has worked with students since 1997, and has taught more than 4,000 SAT, ACT and PSAT students. Sessions are held online for students in Palo Alto, the Bay Area and beyond.
The broader significance is that the ACT's structural change has made test selection a more consequential decision than it was before. Because the Composite now ignores science, students who once benefited from a strong science score may find the SAT a better fit, while those who struggled in science may find the ACT newly attractive. Without a timed diagnostic on both formats, families are left estimating rather than measuring, and the cost of a wrong guess can be months of misdirected preparation.
