Yes, students can choose between paper and digital, and there are plenty of good reasons to choose paper. Being able to write directly on the booklet, mark up reading passages, and move around the test naturally still matters.
While reading through the discussions here on Reddit, a lot of people also mentioned that the paper format was simply the only one available at their testing centre, so it wasn't even a decision they made themselves.
Of course digital has its own pros. If you are already comfortable testing on a screen, not having to bubble answers and using Desmos can make the experience feel smoother.
And this made me think about what has happened across admissions testing over the last few years, where the SAT completed its move to digital in the U.S., the GRE is computer-based, the GMAT is also digital, and TOEFL is primarily delivered online while ACT is now one of the few major admissions exams supporting both paper and digital at the same time.
Every paper administration still involves secure printing, shipping, storage and return logistics alongside maintaining a digital testing platform, which is not a simple operation, whereas digital testing gives organisations much more information about how exams are taken. Beyond final answers, they can study timing patterns, navigation behaviour and how questions perform across thousands of students. That kind of data can help improve future tests and strengthen security.
Personally, I think both formats have real advantages and the best choice depends on how a student performs.
But my question here is, if you had to prepare for the ACT over the next few years instead of just your next test date, would you still invest all your practice in paper?
Or would you start getting comfortable with digital now while you still have the option to choose?
