Common Praxis Core mistakes — and how to avoid them

Most Praxis Core stumbles aren’t about intelligence. They’re about preparation habits — specifically, the habits that feel productive but aren’t. Here are the mistakes that come up most often, and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Skipping the diagnostic

The most common starting mistake is jumping straight into content review without knowing where your gaps are. If you spend three weeks reviewing Reading when Math is your actual weak spot, you’ve lost three weeks. Take a timed practice test — or the free SN Academy diagnostic — before you open a single study guide. Your score profile tells you where to invest your time.

Mistake 2: Treating all three subtests the same

Reading, Writing, and Math are three different tests with three different skill sets, three different time pressures, and three different question formats. A study strategy that works well for Reading (practiced skimming, inference skills) won’t transfer directly to Math (formula recall, numeric entry, on-screen calculator use). Build a plan that addresses each subtest on its own terms.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the Writing selected-response section

Many candidates prepare hard for the two essays and barely touch the 40-question selected-response section of Writing (5723). That’s a mistake. The objective section covers usage, sentence correction, revision in context, and research skills — and it makes up a significant portion of your Writing score. Grammar and editing rules are very learnable. Don’t leave those points on the table.

Mistake 4: Underestimating the essays

The flip side: some candidates breeze through grammar prep and assume the essays will take care of themselves. They won’t. You have 30 minutes per essay — one argumentative, one source-based informative/explanatory — and you need to produce something structured, coherent, and on-task under time pressure. That’s a skill you practice, not improvise. Write timed practice essays. Read them back. Ask: is the argument clear? Is it supported? Is it organised?

Mistake 5: Assuming your state uses national cut scores

There are no national Praxis Core cut scores. ETS sets no passing mark — each state sets its own. Common benchmarks you’ll see cited are Reading 156, Writing 162, and Math 150, but your state may require more or less. Look up your specific state requirements on the ETS website or through your state’s teacher certification board before test day. You need to know what you’re aiming for.

Mistake 6: Practicing without a timer

Untimed practice builds familiarity with content but it won’t prepare you for the real experience of 56 Reading questions in 85 minutes, or two essays in 60 minutes with no time to go back. Time pressure changes how you read, how you reason, and how you make decisions. Once you’re past the initial learning phase, every practice set should be timed.

Mistake 7: Re-reading passages from the start for every question

In the Reading subtest, re-reading a full passage for every attached question is a significant time drain. Scan the questions first, read the passage once with a purpose, and map the structure as you go. On most questions, you can go back to a specific section rather than the whole text. This alone can save several minutes across the test.

Mistake 8: Leaving calculator strategy to chance on the Math subtest

The Math subtest (5733) gives you an on-screen calculator, which is useful — but candidates who rely on it for every calculation slow themselves down badly. Use it for complex arithmetic and multi-step operations. For straightforward calculations, doing them mentally is faster. Practice with the on-screen calculator in advance so you’re not fumbling with the interface on test day.

Mistake 9: Not reviewing wrong answers properly

After a practice test, many candidates check their score and move on. That’s wasted feedback. Every wrong answer is information: Was it a careless error? A gap in knowledge? A misread question? Categorise your mistakes. Recurring error types are patterns to address — not flukes to ignore.

Mistake 10: Cramming in the final week

The week before your test is not the time to introduce new material. Your brain consolidates what it’s already learned — it doesn’t absorb a semester of new content in seven days. Use the final week to review, do light practice, confirm your test-day logistics, and rest. Showing up rested and calm is worth more than one more late-night study session.

Good preparation is mostly about avoiding the avoidable. Fix the habits, follow a plan, and the content will come.

Take the free SN Academy Praxis Core diagnostic →

— The people of SN Academy