New Audiology Praxis Exam

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Good luck today, those of you taking the Praxis!!

For those that took the praxis on march 10th...were there any certain topics you can remember that you were not prepared for?

Anything that you can remember to help others who take it in the future?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Jessracer44

For those that took the praxis on march 10th...were there any certain topics you can remember that you were not prepared for?

Anything that you can remember to help others who take it in the future?

Thanks!

Well, I thought it was challenging. I finished with only 10 minutes to spare and did not have time to go over every answer, but after going over the ones I had time to go over, felt reasonably good about my answers. (I also think the proctors ended it 5 minutes early.) I felt unprepared for the vestibular questions, of which it seemed like there were a lot, but maybe there weren't, it's just I had no clue for some of them. But I'm still taking that course, so I have not yet had a lot of that material. I am glad I reviewed the OSHA hearing conservation stuff, but there was still a question I wasn't sure about. There were a number of questions on that. As for electrophys, there were some questions on that where they gave you ABR data in table or waveform form. They were tricky, but the ones with tables also gave you the normative data, which was nice. As for comparison with the practice test(s), I think there were only 2 or 3 questions verbatim, but the other 118 were all different from the practice examples.

My test center had only 5 or 6 other people taking Praxis tests, and I think everyone in the rooms was taking a different subject. The proctors were a little weird -- one smelled A LOT of cigarette smoke, but luckily, she was not in the room much. The other one was OK.

You really can't bring much in with you, especially not a phone, as that will disqualify you. I wish I had a sweater because I got cold and I thought they would get suspicious if I put my coat on.

I agree with the previous poster. There was quite a bit of balance, ep, and conservation. There were also some super detailed questions that not only would be super hard to recall if you learned it (which I didn't) but also not really necessary to know as an audiologist. For questions like that, you either know it or you don't I gues.

I am just glad it is over....now the long wait!

Originally Posted by BabyBleusMommy

... There were also some super detailed questions that not only would be super hard to recall if you learned it (which I didn't) but also not really necessary to know as an audiologist. For questions like that, you either know it or you don't I gues.

I am just glad it is over....now the long wait!

Ha ha, I know what you mean! I completely blanked out on which one was the HA1 and which was the HA2 coupler. I would know exactly which one to use in the clinc, but got their names mixed up and drew a blank on the test!! Arrgh! (please do not tell me -- I don't want to know, but forget which answer I picked anyway!)

That is the specific question I was thinking of, ha. I won't tell you...but I guessed wrong I actually don't know if I ever knew the names of them...but I sure know which one to grab depending on the hearing aid...

ahh...did that specific question ask which to use for a BTE?

Is the correct answer the HA 2??

Originally Posted by BabyBleusMommy

That is the specific question I was thinking of, ha. I won't tell you...but I guessed wrong I actually don't know if I ever knew the names of them...but I sure know which one to grab depending on the hearing aid...

Ha ha -- I bet when I was a first year and had my first amplification class (pretty much all theory) I would have been appalled that a 3rd or 4th year student would not know the difference between these couplers, because I, a 1st year, was very clear on it at that time! Hadn't yet handled them in the clinic, though. Now, I've done so many times, but never think about the names, and when faced with making a choice, was like a deer in headlights! (I think I guessed wrong too, btw).

Any idea how many we can miss (approximately) and still pass? An SLP I know said she missed 45 and still scored in the 700's!

I hope that is the case for us too

Originally Posted by BabyBleusMommy

Any idea how many we can miss (approximately) and still pass? An SLP I know said she missed 45 and still scored in the 700's!

I hope that is the case for us too

And what is a passing score anyway? Also, I heard that the harder questions count for less. Any truth to this?

Passing score is 600... yes, I believe that harder questions count for less...it is weighted somehow based on difficulty...

since this is a new test though we don't have any numbers available to give us an idea...

Originally Posted by BabyBleusMommy

Passing score is 600... yes, I believe that harder questions count for less...it is weighted somehow based on difficulty...

since this is a new test though we don't have any numbers available to give us an idea...

On the very first post of this thread it says the passing score is now 170 -- I had forgotten that. It looks like they are scoring it very differently than in the past?

EDIT: yes, it looks like now the score range is 100-200.

I think that must be the raw score, then it is converted (kind of like SLP standardized assessments). Otherwise none of use would ever get certified since ASHA still requires us to get a 600...

Gonna be a long few weeks for sure!

The 170 is not a raw score. It's a new passing score. If you search around the web, it looks like some state licensure boards have switched to 170 as passing, but it's not clear if that starts this year or in 2013. Maybe someone who took the test in January can tell us? Or I can just be patient and wait.

hmm, that is super weird that ASHA hasn't updated their information... I would really be interested in what those who have taken it have to tell us about it!

I just found this on the ets website... it still has 600 as passing score as of Jan 1, 2012

http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/PRAXI...singscores.pdf

Here's another interesting PDF -- looks like at this rate, nearly everyone will be passing by now! :-)
http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/PraxisScoresAud.pdf

I saw that pdf too and thought the same thing... but then I realized that was with test 0340, not 0341... we can only hope that the pass rate is the same

Only 22 days til we find out

I think this helps shed the proper light on the new vs. old scoring system...

http://2011.ncshla.org/education/cha...s-exam-scoring

(obviously since I have nothing to study I am searching the internet trying to figure this out.... hmm, maybe I should be doing my capstone instead, lol)

Ah, that helps. Thanks! And I a TOTALLY in the same mindset! And so procrastinating writing up my project! I feel like I need, or rather deserve, a little vacation after the Praxis.

I couldn't resist... and glad I didn't. That was the best $30 I have EVER spent to find out 4 days early that I passed.... now I can relax...

And by relax I mean, finish my capstone, prepare for comps callbacks, and pack my family of 4 to move in May..... lol

Hope you guys got (or get) good news too!

Congratulations!!! This gives me hope because of that coupler question. I think I am good to wait 3 more days. I passed my comps easily so fingers crossed for the Praxis too! ( but if I did not pass, I am not telling anyone!). Can you tell me if they scored using the old system (600 to pass) or the new system (170 to pass) or did they give you both?

They gave me the score based on the old 600 system...curious to see if they give us both on Tuesday.

OMG! I passed! I passed! I passed!!!! I only got the one score on the old system. I still can't believe it! I did great, but am I reading the report right?? Happiness!

Originally Posted by Kitska

OMG! I passed! I passed! I passed!!!! I only got the one score on the old system. I still can't believe it! I did great, but am I reading the report right?? Happiness!

CONGRATS! It is a great feeling... and good for you for being strong enough to wait to find out... Not only did you pass, but you have $30 more than I do, lol.

Congrats all! I have a classmate who is in the process of preparing for the Praxis and since I took the older version I feel like I cannot really give her pointers.

How did you feel about the material? Where you prepared? How did you prepare?

I know I felt like the vestib section was the most difficult but mostly because some of the questions asked about anatomy questions (like at the cortex level). And a bit of CI stuff that I felt was a bit obscure.

Thanks ahead of time for any help, and again, congrats to those that have passed!!

Originally Posted by BabyBleusMommy

And by relax I mean, finish my capstone, prepare for comps callbacks, and pack my family of 4 to move in May..... lol

i cannot even imagine having comps during the last semester of 3rd year. i don't know how you're doing it. i am already dyeing just trying to finish my capstone and classes and get ready to move. moving is well known for being one of the most stressful events in life, and then we have all this other stuff going on too! ah! i need to take praxis soon too but can really only think one day at a time at the moment.

Originally Posted by EitherWise

Congrats all! I have a classmate who is in the process of preparing for the Praxis and since I took the older version I feel like I cannot really give her pointers.

How did you feel about the material? Where you prepared? How did you prepare?
...
Thanks ahead of time for any help, and again, congrats to those that have passed!!

I thought the actual test was harder than the ETS practice tests. Almost everyone I talked to who took it in March finished with not a huge amount of time to spare (5-15 minutes), so I would tell her to prepare to pace herself on test day. Also everyone seems to say that on questions, it was fairly easy to narrow down to 2 choices, but hard after that. One friend of mine (who had already taken the old version and passed) told me to go with the answer that you would say "I really think it's __" and not to be seduced by the answer that says to you, "But it could be ___" Go with your gut, in other words. This was great advice.

I prepared by reviewing my course notes mostly. Some courses I skipped because there was little to nothing on the practice tests on them (Amplification 1, for example REUG... ancient prescriptive methods...). I also read up extra on some things that were on the practice test but were not covered in as much detail in my coursework (occupational hearing preservation), and this paid off. Things I would have studied more would have been vestibular and evoked potentials. I thought the ABR questions were difficult and required you to make subtle judgements. I had a great course on this and even spent an entire semester at a placement focusing on these techniques alone and I still thought it was hard.

Another thing I did was to work through the cases in Audiometric Interpretation by Kaplan et al. ($23 used) This book dates back to the days of unilateral fitting being common, so you have to keep that in mind, but for the most part it was helpful. There were a number of case studies with audiograms on the Praxis.

(Listen up 0th, 1st, and 2nd years! ) I think a lot of preparation comes from just paying attention all along in school, and trying to make connections between what you learn in class and what you observe in the clinic. I think that is what helps to make it all click, because in isolation, you are either just learning theory (class) or how to go through the motions (clinic) and if you can put them together, that is what matters. Overall I thought the test was hard but fair and tests you on what an audiologist ought to know.

Thanks for this information. I have taken the Praxis three times now and have yet to pass it. I have studied to the best of my ability with the limited resources offered. I have graduated and accepted a position. I must pass the exam or risk loosing my new job. Any other suggestions? Unfortunately my progr does not have comps or I would have taken it after that. I miss the mark by only a few questions (580). There seems to be countless things that study as each time there is some random question I would have never known to look up. I am feeling defeated to say the least. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated. Retaking June 9.

Is the new exam that difficult? I've talk to a few students who said the majority of their classmates failed the first crack at it. I'm taking mine June 9 as well. Starting to sweat it a bit!

I'm not sure if this is good advice but I took the praxis right after our comps do I had the information fresh on my mind. I completed two practice exams prior to taking the praxis. I used test strategies that work for me. I always read the question first then scan through the information provided and underline key things (ex. I would underline information such as "Nystagmus did not stop upon fixation") and then answer the question with my first gut choice. I'm not saying this works for everyone but it worked for me and I still had 20 minutes left to go back and review questions that I was not sure on. Good luck to everyone who is taking the exam in June! Relax and do your best. If I were you I would treat it like I would any other exam.

Dustbug -- I think the new exam is more difficult because it is longer. Everyone I talked to who has taken it said they used most of the allotted time (as did I -- 10 minutes to spare). The practice test took half as long, and I've heard that the old test was quicker to complete. It will certainly be interesting when the next score report comes out, because I have also heard more are failing. The pass rate for the old test was something like 90% of test takers were passing. See earlier in the thread for a link to the prior results.

Originally Posted by TheRealEar

I'm not sure if this is good advice but I took the praxis right after our comps do I had the information fresh on my mind. I completed two practice exams prior to taking the praxis. I used test strategies that work for me. I always read the question first then scan through the information provided and underline key things (ex. I would underline information such as "Nystagmus did not stop upon fixation") and then answer the question with my first gut choice. I'm not saying this works for everyone but it worked for me and I still had 20 minutes left to go back and review questions that I was not sure on. Good luck to everyone who is taking the exam in June! Relax and do your best. If I were you I would treat it like I would any other exam.

Originally Posted by Kitska

Dustbug -- I think the new exam is more difficult because it is longer. Everyone I talked to who has taken it said they used most of the allotted time (as did I -- 10 minutes to spare). The practice test took half as long, and I've heard that the old test was quicker to complete. It will certainly be interesting when the next score report comes out, because I have also heard more are failing. The pass rate for the old test was something like 90% of test takers were passing. See earlier in the thread for a link to the prior results.

Thanks for the posts guys. While approaching the Praxis like any other exam is the ideal mindset, not every exam costs $200. I've decided to reschedule. I'm confident I could pass taking it the 9th (and easily outscore my classmate, therealear), but I'd like to see how the next wave of students do. As Kitska mentioned, the pass rate for the old test was pretty high. It seems like the PTB always overshoot the next edition of the exam in terms of difficulty or vice versa. Regardless, I think the days of recommending comps and the praxis together are over.