Guiding Candidate Test Preparation

The information available here can help faculty members who are assisting candidates in preparing to take an MTTC test (including candidates who need to retake a test they still need to pass).

An academic advisor might suggest to a candidate that he or she take the following steps in preparing to take an MTTC test:

1. Begin by completing the Test Preparation Worksheet, where candidates record their academic background, certification requirements, and testing history, and complete a checklist of preparation steps for testing.
2. Complete the mapping the test objectives to courses taken activity for the test the candidate will be taking. This activity involves having candidates review the test objectives and their coursework to date, and record on a worksheet whether their studies have covered the knowledge and skills described by each test objective.
3. Review the instructions for Analyzing Test Results, if preparing to retake a test.
4. Meet with his or her academic advisor to review the completed worksheets and test preparation steps taken to date, and to obtain assistance in evaluating his or her readiness to test.

When meeting with a candidate to review the completed materials listed above, an academic advisor may wish to take the following steps:

1. Review the Academic Background, Certification Testing Requirements, Test Preparation, and Testing History sections of the candidate's completed Test Preparation Worksheet.
2. Review the candidate's completed Test Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet to determine if he or she has completed sufficient coursework to take the test. If there are objectives for which the candidate has not studied the knowledge and skills being assessed, the advisor may wish to recommend that the candidate take additional courses before testing.
3. Review the Test Preparation Questions and the Recommendations for Test Preparation sections of the candidate's completed Test Preparation Worksheet to guide the candidate in gathering and using MTTC test preparation materials and, if needed, learning or reviewing test content and test-taking strategies.

Preparation Materials for Candidates

In addition to the processes described above, advisors may wish to review with candidates the official preparation materials that are provided on this website. Reviewing the test objectives for a test field is an important first step for candidates in preparing to take the MTTC tests.

More information about the MTTC tests can be obtained from the study guides. A study guide is available for each test in the MTTC program. The study guide for each test contains the test objectives, sample multiple-choice questions, sample constructed-response assignments and sample responses for the fields that include these items, and suggestions for preparing for the test.

For some test fields, a full-length practice test is also available in two formats:

• When candidates register for a test that has a practice test, they are given free access to an online practice test that includes multiple-choice questions representative of the actual test.
• Candidates may also choose to purchase an online, more interactive practice test that has the same questions but offers additional features.