The Praxis® is an exam series developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Praxis® is used by teacher licensing boards across the country to test the academic skills and content knowledge required of new teacher candidates. This article will help you prepare for the Praxis® exam. We’ll discuss how hard it is to pass the Praxis®, we’ll help you figure out how much you should study, and finally we’ll recommend study guides and free resources to improve your score.
Ready? Let’s get started!
How hard is the Praxis®?
Praxis® contains a number of core exams and subject tests. The level of difficulty may vary depending on your individual strengths, your academic background, and which exam you take. In general, Praxis® core exams test middle-and-high-school-level skills, but you shouldn’t underestimate the level of difficulty.
One sure thing is that the better you prepare ahead of time by learning about the test, following a study plan, and working practice problems, the easier the test will seem on test day!
How do you pass the Praxis®?
Follow these steps to pass the Praxis®.
- Determine which test to take
You’ll have to determine which Praxis® exam you need to takebefore registering for the exam. State requirements for Praxis® exams can be found on the ETS website. - Learn about the test
Learning about your upcoming test is one of the easiest ways to improve your score. Write down information on how the test is scored, the format, and frequently asked questions by other test-takers. - Make a study plan
An effective study plan should include all the topics that will be covered in the exam and a timeline for when you will review them. Use premade Praxis® study guides like those provided from www.240tutoring.com or make your own by researching key topics found on the ETS website. Schedule time for working practice problems and full-length practice tests into your study plan. - Follow the study plan
The best way to pass the Praxis® is by developing an effective study plan and sticking to it! Have reasonable expectations for how much studying you can do in a certain amount of time and set achievable goals. You may need to spend more time on more challenging topics and less time on topics that you know well already. Once you have met the goals in your study plan for a topic, move on to the next one so that you don’t get behind schedule. - Make a test day plan
Having a strategy and routine for test day will help decrease anxiety and make sure that you can stay fully focused on passing your exam. Long exams are physically as well as mentally tough, so make sure that you dress comfortably and bring layers. You may be allowed to consume snacks and water during breaks. Nuts, fruit, whole grains, and yogurt are all good options for fueling brainpower. Recheck the test address, appointment time, and testing center policies before leaving home. - Pass the test
Congratulations!
Where do you find resources for the Praxis®?
240 Tutoring has all the materials that you need to pass the Praxis® all in one place. Ultimate Guides provide free access to resources that are designed specifically for a large selection of Praxis® core and subject assessments. The Ultimate Guide gives you quick facts, an overview of key topics, and access to a timed diagnostic practice test. Subscribe for full access to 240 Tutoring Praxis® materials.
What are the best resources to use for Praxis®?
There are many available resources to help students pass the Praxis®. 240 Tutoring offers comprehensive packages that include test information, study guides, example questions, and full-length practice tests. These guides have been carefully developed to prepare you for your upcoming exam. The ETS website also has a lot of information, including different state requirements, test breakdowns, scoring, and prices.
Where do you find study guides for the Praxis®?
You can find all-inclusive study guides designed specifically for each of the following Praxis® exams at www.240tutoring.com. Navigate to the page for your Praxis® exam and choose to subscribe for complete access or browse free materials, including a full diagnostic test and Ultimate Guides that include study material, test overviews, and FAQs.
If you need additional information or materials for a test not listed below, you can also use the Praxis® guides on the ETS website. There you can find various practice problems, test strategies, and preparation guides.
How do you use study guides to study for the Praxis®?
Study guides help to organize information from a larger source such as a lecture or textbook by focusing on key concepts and main ideas. Reviewing from study guides has advantages over reviewing from the raw material because they are designed to emphasize more difficult concepts, include visual aids such as flowcharts and comparison tables, and zero in on the test competencies. For example, it could take months to read everything in a middle school math textbook in preparation for the Praxis® Core: Mathematics exam. A study guide pulls out the key concepts and explains the material in a way that is useful and relevant to how the information will be tested on the exam.
Take notes while reviewing study guides, marking any concepts that are difficult and any questions that come to mind. Then you can do targeted searches to fill in the blanks. Once you fully understand a concept in a study guide, continue to the next concept. It is a good practice to return to material that you have already studied one or two more times before test day. As you take more passes through the material, the time it takes to review the material may decrease, but make sure you take time to evaluate any new questions or problem areas that arise.
How do you study for the Praxis®?
Effective study plans are realistic, productive, and positive.
Realistic: Break down large tasks into smaller goals.
Productive: It is better to do shorter, focused study sessions than long, distracted study sessions.
Positive: Have fun with the material and reward yourself for making progress.
An effective study plan should include both test content and information about test structure and scoring. It’s important to assess your strengths and weaknesses on the content matter before you start studying. For example, if you are preparing to take Praxis® Middle School Science and you rock at biology but struggle with space science, you may want to pay more attention to space science. Plan and organize your time so that you can fully cover each competency area and take a full-length practice test before test day.
When should you study for the Praxis®?
You should leave yourself plenty of time to study for the Praxis®, but not so much time that you forget the material or lose motivation. For most people, this means that you should begin studying two to three months before the exam. Even if you already know the material really well, it is important to plan on at least one month to familiarize yourself with the scoring, test rules, and different types of test questions.
Many people will try to cram the material right before test day, but this is NOT recommended. Cramming makes it impossible to retain the information, sacrifices sleep, and is unorganized and stressful. Leaving enough time to develop and complete an effective study plan means that you are taking care of your body and mind before the exam. Doing so will ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the test material and smart strategies for earning a passing score.
How much should you study for the Praxis®?
How much you should study will vary depending on which Praxis® exam you are taking and your prior knowledge and skills on the subject matter. For example, a person who is retaking the Praxis® may spend less time studying the different question types than someone who is taking it for the first time.
For the Praxis®, more effective studying is better than just more studying. Effective studying means that you are using time wisely to make progress on your study plan. Set aside an amount of time for studying, and when the time is up move on to something else. This strategy will help you stay organized, and it will keep you from losing interest or getting distracted during your scheduled study time. An example study schedule could be 1.5 hours reviewing study guides MWF with breaks every 30 mins and 2 hours answering practice problems on Saturdays.
About the author: Aubrey Trapp
Aubrey is a graduate student studying chemical contaminants in marine food webs. She is interested in all things science-y and aims to improve scientific communication by making concepts accessible and fun for interdisciplinary audiences. Aubrey loves to swim, and she once visited all 34 public pools in her Texas hometown in one day.
