More than 120 different Praxis II exams are available. The subjects tested include agriculture, art, biology, business, chemistry, communication, economics, English, French, Spanish, German, family and consumer sciences, geography, health, Latin, math, music, physics, psychology, social sciences, theater and history. Praxis II exams also cover teaching methods in various areas including middle school, elementary school and special education.
You must register for Praxis II exams ahead of time (see Resources). Fees for the Praxis II range from $65 to $115. You must pay via check or credit card.
The score needed to pass a particular Praxis II exam varies from state to state. Some tests penalize random guessing by deducting points for each incorrect answer; Praxis II exams include no such deduction and so test takers are encouraged to answer each question to the best of their ability. Guessing on a question you don't know the answer to will not lower your score. Your score is determined by how many raw points you earned, for each correct answer, compared to the amount of points of possible. You will receive a copy of your score report; your test fee also allows you to send your score report to up to three different institutions. Scores will be available two to four weeks after the test day.
Arriving late to the test center may mean that you cannot take the test. It's best to be between 10 and 15 minutes early. Cell phones, BlackBerry devices, PDAs and any other electronic or photographic devices are not permitted at the test center. You need to bring an approved photo ID, such as your driver's license or passport, your admission ticket, which you can print at home, an eraser, a blue or black ink pen and several sharpened No. 2 or HB pencils. If a calculator is permitted for your test, you also need to supply your own. Dressing in layers is also a good idea to be ready for any temperature in the testing room.
Depending on the subject being tested, the tests are between one and four hours long. Given their length, Praxis II exams are given in two sessions per test day. During each session, test takers complete a maximum of two one-hour tests or one two- or four-hour test.
Study guides and sample questions for various tests are available at the official Praxis website. Praxis II exams are offered in English except for a few language-specific tests.
Praxis II exams consist of multiple choice questions and questions that require written answers. The essay questions are scored by two different trained scorers.