SLP Praxis Blog

Hello! My name is Janae King. I am pleased to share my journey in passing the Praxis. First I’ll share a little bit about myself and educational experience.

I am from Philadelphia, PA (born and raised). After completing High School, I decided to branch out and go to a different state for College. I ended up at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA. It was a major culture shock transitioning from the fast-paced City life to a more slowed pace Country life. I really had to adapt at a quick pace but I loved it. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t know what to expect once I started the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program. I remember when I went to my Anatomy class my professor hit the ground running and it caught me off guard. A lot of late nights and early mornings but I was able to complete my Bachelor’s of Science in Education with a focus in Communication Sciences and Disorders in May 2017. It was my intention to start Grad School that Summer but it didn’t work out so I went back to Philadelphia for a year. After so much uncertainty, I returned to Valdosta State University in Fall 2018.

I was pretty comfortable returning to Valdosta State for Grad School  because I was familiar with the Clinic and I would have the same professors. I was also fortunate enough to earn a Graduate Assistantship with the Department. Now of course, Grad School was NO JOKE! Having a full course load plus Clinical Experience and a job was no easy task but I managed my time in order to not feel overwhelmed. Just like my undergraduate program, a lot of late nights and early mornings; lots of tears too. I recall that in my last semester of Clinicals, I had even questioned my capabilities as a Clinician. After some words of encouragement and some self-analysis, I was able to complete my on-campus coursework and my on-campus clinicals Fall 2019. I was set to start Internship and Externship Spring 2020. I began my school Internship January 2020. Everything was going well…then March 2020. I came back from taking my Comprehensive Exam March 7, 2020 and March 12, 2020 was my last day of my Internship. COVID-19 put a halt on my internship and I had to end the placement. For 4 months I sat idle waiting for something to come my way. Finally July 2020 I was placed with a school in Delaware and conducted virtual therapy for 11 months. Due to my supervisors returning in-person and my inability to travel to Delaware, I was left yet again in a state of limbo wondering how I’m going to finish my placement. In July 2021 I was placed with a Private Practice in Valdosta, GA to finish out the remainder of my Externship. I completed my Externship October 2021.

Now, while all this is happening, I’m studying for the Praxis. By the time I finished my School placement, I had already taken the Praxis three times. I always came between 3-10 points short. My fourth attempt is when I began using Fripty. It was my first time using a study system as previously I was only using the Advanced Review Book and old school notes. What I liked about Fripty were the daily schedules they had in place. This way I was able to pace myself and not feel overwhelmed by all the information. The readings weren’t too long, the quizzes helped me learn the information and the quiz rationales helped me make sense of things I was unsure of. After 3 rounds of Fripty and 6 attempts, I finally passed the Praxis!! I was so happy! Finally the thorn in my side that was causing me stress for over a year had FINALLY been removed! So, I say whether it takes 3, 4, 5, 10 times.. DON”T GIVE UP! Keep pushing and when you see that passing score, it’ll be worth it.

I want to leave you with some tips:

• DON’T BE IN A RUSH TO TAKE THE EXAM: Fripty offers 3 different study schedules to help pace yourself through the bundle. I know you are so motivated to pass the exam so you may feel it’s best to take the shortest study schedule and cram everything. DON’T!! Think about your life and the obligations you have and pick your study schedule based off of that.
• FOLLOW THE SCHEDULE: I know life happens and things and come up unexpectedly, but try not to skip any days. Falling behind may overwhelm you. Fripty specifically designed the schedules to not overwhelm you. Try your hardest to stick to it.
• TAKE NOTES: Just reading the articles won’t help you retain the information. You have to use judgement and find the key point(s) in each reading. Also make note cards for on the go! I made sure I used any idle time I had (i.e., waiting to be seated at a restaurant) to study key terms and concepts.
• STUDY IN GROUPS: Just like me, you may lose motivation to study. I found that studying in groups helps you stay motivated and also they may understand concepts you don’t and vice versa. You can help each other.
• REVIEW THE RATIONALES: Fripty’s quizzes, practice exams and the ETS practice exams (Fripty encourages the ETS Practice Exams as well as they are incorporated in the schedules) all have Rationales…GO OVER THEM! I cannot stress this enough! The rationales really helped me make sense of certain concepts so I highly encourage you to go over them.
• Lastly, DON’T GIVE UP: It took me a total of 6 times to pass the Praxis. I wanted to give up so many times. I grew discouraged seeing my peers pass after 1 attempt. I really thought I made the wrong career choice. I was ready to give up but through encouragement from friends, family and my Fripty peers, I kept pushing until finally passed.

This test IS NOT EASY! So give yourself grace and always put your best foot forward. Thanks for reading my story! BEST OF LUCK!!