Taking the Praxis

Taking the Praxis 2 English exam is one of those wonderful rites of passage. In fact, it's right up there with taking the SAT and AP Exams. Trouble is, I haven't taken a standardized test like that since I last took an AP test back in 2006. The good news, however, is that I absolutely love taking standardized tests! Call me crazy, but I actually think they're quite fun. Maybe it's because I have a history with performing well on standardized tests, but I always looked at them as I would a fun puzzle. Soduko...crossword puzzles...SAT. They're all in the same boat as far as I'm concerned. Now I'm sure you definitely think I'm crazy.

This evening, I pulled my big clunky Praxis 2 review book onto my lap, while sitting on the front porch of my house. A nice breeze was blowing--just enough to cool down the high-80 degree temperatures from this afternoon. The practice book states that you're supposed to simulate "actual" test conditions, but it was so nice out that I couldn't resist.

I raced my way through all 120 questions in 57 minutes. The actual test is 2 hours long, and the practice book kept stressing that I would be pressed for time. Turns out, I didn't need the full 2 hours anyway. I went back into the house, excited to score my test, but was disappointed to discover that the practice book doesn't actual provide a way for me to score my test. I can calculate my raw score, but I have no way of knowing if my performance on the practice test is up to par to pass the NJ state standards, which is an adjusted score of 162.

I tried looking up scoring guidelines online, and apparently if a person manages to get 55-75% of the questions correct, they have a chance at passing. Hopefully this holds true for the actual exam. Wish me luck!

*Update* Passed the Praxis with flying colors!