1) MY PRACTICE TESTS ARE INEXPENSIVE - If you search around, I don't think you will be able to find tests for as little as I'm charging. Most sites charge $12 for 1 small test, or even close to $50. My tests will ALWAYS remain cheap and affordable for aspiring teachers. I know you need the help, since I've been in your shoes once before, and was unable to find quality and affordable resources to practice for the exam. There is no practice exam on the net that charges less than $12, less than 10 cents a question, which makes my practice tests the cheapest on the internet.
2) QUALITY QUESTIONS - There isn't another website that offers practice tests that mimic the real 5161 exam as closely as mine do. I spent over 1 hour on EACH question, and in some rare cases, 2 to 3 hours. I want QUALITY, not quantity. Have you checked the SAMPLE test I provide? This accurately represents the quality you will be receiving on each and every test you buy from this site.
3) DETAILED EXPLANATIONS - Each question gives you a detailed look at how they are to be solved properly. Take a look at the 2 sample questions to see for yourself. In several cases, I show you two and even three ways to solve a problem so that you can pick out what works best for you. Most websites offer just an answer or a one-sentence explanation, which isn't much of an explanation at all. They do not explain WHY they do what they do, or explain in detail how the math works, just in case you need a refresher. To me, this is the biggest flaw of most websites. If you get a question wrong on a practice exam, then you are going to want to know how to solve it the best way possible, right? A one-sentence explanation doesn't tell you anything, so no real learning takes place. My exams, however, give you such a detailed explanation that not only will you learn how to do the problem the right way on the real exam, but you will learn 2 or even 3 other ways to do it correctly, which will also save you time. Praxis2Math.com is the only website that I know of that offers such in-depth analysis on every problem.
4) UPDATED WEBSITE - This website is updated at least once a week, and is expanding monthly. An updated website not only shows that the seller cares about his or her product, but most importantly also cares about the people. It also proves that the seller will be around to assist when you need it. Want proof? Submit a testimonial and watch it get added within days.
5) FAST RESPONSE TO EMAILS - Before I started out this website, I wanted to look at the tests from other websites to get an idea of what types of tests were being offered to the public. But before I purchased them, I wanted to ask the owners of those sites what types of questions were on their sample exams. Of all the emails I sent out to other websites, I was only given one response, and that singular response took over a week. UNACCEPTABLE! What if I purchased the exam and I had problems with the order!? What if I had a serious concern about one of the questions!? A slow response, or in most cases NO response, obviously isn't helpful.
Since I created this website, I haven't had one person go more than 24-48 hours without an email response, and most cases I was able to respond in under 2 hours. Some people want to thank me, others want to help improve the test, and still others have questions before they buy. I like to show how passionate I am about my website and my tests, and giving people the quick response they deserve proves that I care. I even purchased an Apple Watch for the sole purpose of being able to receive & respond to emails faster. Want proof yourself? Go ahead: EMAIL ME: P2MMike@gmail.com. And if you want, email other websites too. We'll see who responds first! (Since 2009, I have never lost this challenge).
6) LOOK AT THE TESTIMONIALS - Have you seen what people have been saying about my tests!? Take a look: CLICK HERE TO SEE! You may even send your own to me when you are done with my exams so I can add them to this website. Updates to the testimonials are usually done within a week.
7) GREAT SAMPLE QUESTIONS - Have you looked at the sample questions yet!? They show you the value you are about to receive for $12. I have been told that my sample questions alone are of a higher quality than most website's actual tests. These questions accurately mimic the real deal that can be purchased from this site. This site may not be pretty, but the questions are. Besides, you aren't paying for a website.
8) I AM AN AWARD WINNING MATH TEACHER - I have already taken the 5161 exam, so I practice what I preach. I know what makes a good study guide. I am also an award-winning High School Math Teacher. There is even an entire section on this website that tells you all about the author. Can you name the credentials from the other websites? Many are from people who have never even taken the Praxis exam before, or who do not even work with mathematics in their everyday lives. If you buy my tests, you are getting a test from a current fellow teacher who has numerous awards in his area of expertise.
9) POOR TESTS ELSEWHERE - On a sad note, 99% of the tests out there I found to be unsatisfactory as far as being a helpful study-guide. That is one of the reasons I am so passionate about my tests. I really do feel like my tests are the best practice tests on the market today. One of my good friends, a 40+ year old aspiring Math teacher who had been out of college for 2 decades, was buying just about everything on the internet in order to prepare for her exam. After reviewing what these sites had to offer, I was fed up. These websites were charging between 25 and 50 dollars, for below-average, mediocre, and flat-out HORRIBLE practice tests. So I made one sample test for her myself, and after giving my test out to others who asked for assistance, it soon became a consensus that my tests were THE BEST tests that anyone had taken to help prepare for the actual exam itself. My tests are better quality for a cheaper price. Made BY a Math Teacher, FOR a Math Teacher.
It's just too bad that the market on these tests are so thin. The Praxis II Math 5161 exam is too difficult to only have a couple quality resources available to the public. I would love it if there were plenty of websites out there of which had quality sample tests to learn from. Unfortunately, mine is the only such website that exists that I know of. If anyone else knows of a quality website that exists, please email me and I will add it to my links section.
EDIT: (July 2012) - It has come to my attention that ets is selling a retired 5161 exam for $20, and it is high quality. I am also told that my tests are similar to this test, almost identical. I suggest you practice with my tests first, then try this test to see how well you would fair. Here's the link. I've also been told that the $23 book they have is not worth the purchase.
10) PRACTICE WHAT YOU LEARN - When you purchase my exams, you are given 5 tests. The point is to take the first exam, correct yourself, and see what you got wrong so you can learn from your mistakes. The second exam is almost an exact replica of the first one, except with different numbers, and a couple different concepts. The third is to clear up a specific content of trouble, Trigonometry, for everyone who needs the help. The fourth is to hone in your skills in another specific content area, advanced probability. Then the fifth one brings it all back together again. You cannot learn how to take the real 5161 exam unless you learn from your mistakes, which is exactly what I am attempting to do for you.
11) PRINTABLE PRACTICE EXAMS - I didn't realize this was such a huge factor for the number of people purchasing my practice exam, but it is. Several "top 5161" websites out there offer practice tests for sale, but most of which you have to do right then on the computer screen, 1 question at a time, or all at once. My practice exam allows you to print it all out on paper so that you can take it like a REAL exam, anytime you want, anywhere you want. It's easier on the eyes, and taking it alone in a quiet room at a desk is better practice than on a computer screen.
12) NO WAITING - Many websites offer exams for sale, but the trick is that you have to either wait to be mailed the exam (some come on a CD, which they don't tell you), or you have to jump through extra hoops (making a profile, logging in, filling out a questionnaire) before you are given the actual practice exam you paid for. Here at Praxis2Math.com, you are not asked to jump through extra hoops, or given a CD that might take 1-3 weeks to arrive, nor do I receive any extra information from you to exploit. You get what you pay for, right when you pay for it. NO WAITING.
13) EASY TO FOLLOW WEBSITE - Here at Praxis2Math.com, everything is detailed neatly and laid out for you. The exams themselves are easily accessible (after you pay for them), and there is no "guess work" on how to download or view them. Some websites have hidden links all over the place, in an attempt to get you to buy even more than you really need or want. My website is very easy to read, very easy to understand, and extremely easy to navigate.
14) THIS IS A PERSONAL WEBSITE - Many of the other websites you may go to are business websites, where their sole purpose is to turn profit. They are looking at the bottom line, which means their sole interest is to draw in the customer to purchase what they have to offer, regardless of quality. Here at P2M, my aim is to give aspiring teachers what they are looking for; quality practice exams. This is not a business, it is not run by a staff of people, it is run entirely by just one person. If you scroll to the bottom of most (ALL?) my competitor's websites, you will notice that each site is owned/created/operated by someone other than the author of the test.