Praxis SLP Last-Minute Review: The 48-Hour Triage Plan

Test in 48 hours and you don't feel ready. First: the research on last-minute cramming is clear — you can't learn much new content in two days, but you can shore up recall on high-yield material and walk in calmer. This is your triage plan for the final 48.

The rules of the last 48 hours

• No new content. Reviewing what you already know beats introducing new material — every time.
• Sleep is study time. Consolidation happens while you sleep. Under-sleeping to cram is a net loss.
• One full timed block, then stop. Confirm pacing. Don't take a second full mock — you'll only shake your confidence.

48 hours out (Day −2)

• Morning: 60-minute timed practice set (40–50 questions), all content areas mixed. Read every rationale.
• Afternoon: focused review of your two weakest topics only. 90 minutes max.
• Evening: 20 minutes of flashcards — cranial nerves, aphasia matrix, IDDSI levels, standard-score percentiles.
• Sleep 8+ hours.

24 hours out (Day −1)

• Morning: light flashcard review, 30 minutes. Nothing longer.
• Afternoon: logistics. Charge devices, print confirmation, verify ID matches ETS name exactly, plan your route or at-home tech setup. See the test-day checklist.
• Evening: NO studying past 7pm. Watch a show, take a walk, eat a normal dinner.
• Sleep 8+ hours.

Test morning

• Eat a real breakfast with protein — the exam is 150 minutes and blood sugar matters.
• Arrive 30 minutes early (or start at-home check-in 30 min early — it always takes longer than they say).
• Do NOT open study materials. You either know it or you don't.

The 5 highest-yield 15-minute reviews

If you only have pockets of time — do these:

1. Cranial nerves — CN V, VII, IX, X, XI, XII cold. See our cranial nerves guide.
2. Aphasia matrix — fluent? comprehend? repeat? See our aphasia subtypes.
3. Swallowing phases + IDDSI levels. See our dysphagia guide.
4. Standard-score percentiles at ±1, ±1.5, ±2 SD.
5. 7 dysarthrias by lesion site. See motor speech.

During the test

• Pace check every 30 questions. You have ~68 seconds per item. If you're behind, flag and move.
• First instinct is usually right unless you catch a specific reason to change it.
• Never leave blanks. Unanswered items count as wrong; guessed items have a 25% chance.

The anxiety script

If you spike mid-test: close your eyes for 10 seconds, take 3 slow breaths (4-count in, 6-count out — slow exhale lowers heart rate), and remind yourself the test is designed to feel hard. Most passing candidates leave thinking they failed. You've prepared. Trust it.