The Praxis Core is offered on a rolling basis continuously throughout the year, but if you also need to take a Praxis Subject test, be sure to check the windows of availability for your subject area. The range of available dates varies based on popularity of the tests.
Here are the testing date windows for some of the most popular Praxis Subject tests, including:
Testing Dates/Windows for 2015-2016:
11/2/15 – 11/14/15
11/30/15 – 12/12/15
1/4/16 – 1/16/16
2/1/16 – 2/13/16
3/7/16 – 3/19/16
4/4/16 – 4/16/16
5/2/16 – 5/14/16
5/30/16 – 6/11/16
7/4/16 – 7/16/16
8/1/16 – 8/13/16
Please note that these are the dates for just a handful of the ~100 Praxis Subject tests offered! The ETS site lists testing windows for all the tests. Work backwards from the dates you have in mind to figure out roughly how long you should study.
Below are some other areas to consider when scheduling your test and preparation schedule.
Know your proficiency at taking exams
Are you great at taking standardized tests, or do you get anxious just walking into the room? Have you practiced on the computer to understand how the test is administered?
Knowing how you typically perform in the test environment will help determine how much and what type of preparation you need.
Focus on your weakest area
You should consider your relative strengths and weaknesses when looking at the Praxis Core. Did you major in math or science? If so, you’ll probably do fine on the math portion. Did you study something that required a great deal of reading or writing? Then the reading and writing sections should come more intuitively to you. The Praxis Core tests your basic knowledge across subjects, so focus on the area that’s weakest for you. After you’ve identified your weakest area, you’ll need to practice, practice, and practice some more until you feel confident in that area.
Take the Praxis Core together, or separately
Unlike many standardized tests, you can actually take the different sections of the Praxis Core test separately. There is a financial cost ($90 per test vs $150 for all three at once), but you can weigh the benefits of having a fresh start to each section to potentially having to re-take the test if you don’t pass. Consider this option if you have a particularly weak area that you know will need 100% of your focus and attention.
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