Studying is so important to doing well on the Praxis! Everyone chooses to study in their own way, but here are some ideas to get you started.
Review What the Praxis Covers
The Praxis Core test covers Mathematics, Reading, and Writing. Each of these subtests covers a number of topics. Check out the ETS “study companions” to familiarize yourself with the Mathematics topics covered, the Reading topics covered, and the Writing topics covered.
Figure out your Study Priorities
In order to make the most of your time, you want to make sure you are spending your time working on the areas where you need extra help. Taking a practice test is a great way to figure out what your areas for improvement are. Magoosh’s practice tests will actually break down the questions by topic for you, so you can see more easily where you need to focus.
Make a list of topics you want to make sure to spend more time on. Rank the topics by how difficult they are for you. Now you have a list of study priorities!
Make a Schedule
Having your study priorities helps you know what to focus on, but a schedule helps you know how to distribute your time. To make your schedule, first answer these questions:
- How far off is your test?
- How much time per day can you realistically devote to studying?
- How prepared do you feel already? Do you just need to brush up on a few things, or do you want to dive deep?
The less time per day you have, the further in advance you need to start studying. Same goes for the amount you need to review (more studying = more time needed).
Get out a blank calendar page or a new Google Calendar and map out times when you can study. Then, using your study priorities, put what you will review each day into your calendar slots. This method would be good for you if you want a schedule that is very customized to your needs. You should also feel confident designing and sticking to your own plan. It would also be good if you feel you need to study far more for a certain subtest than another.
Alternately, you can follow Mike’s pre-made One Month Praxis Study Plan. It rocks. This plan tells you exactly what resources to use, what to study, and when to study it.
Find Some Good Study Materials
There are a lot of great free study materials for the Praxis, as well as some that are worth the money. For starters, there are a lot of posts on this very blog about specific topics within the Praxis, even with practice questions! Next, the ETS study companions that I linked up top are great tools for helping you get an overview of each test, including types of questions you might see. If you’d like to invest a bit of cash, check out our book reviews if you are more of a “pencil and paper” learner. Or (and I’m not just saying this because I work for them–they really are that good!) check out the Magoosh Praxis Prep service if you like the feel of online learning. If you designed your own study schedule, you can even go in and write down what resources you will use for what day.
For more inspiration, check out our video on how to study effectively:
Don’t Forget Rest and Recovery Time
As long as you stick to your study plan, you don’t need to cram! In fact, sleeping is when our brains store information into long-term memory. That means you get more out of a few hours of studying and a full night’s rest than you would staying up late for extra studying for nights on end. Sleep and good nutrition are also better for your immune system–no one wants to be sick on test day. Take care of yourself!
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