Studying... Any Help?

Lately, I’ve been using my free time to do stuff so I can go back to school.  I’ve always thought the worst part about college is the stuff that comes prior to taking classes.  I didn’t really mind sitting through class when I was attending college, or studying the subject matter, but applying for financial aid, getting letters of recommendation, and finding out exactly what I need to do is more confusing to me.

The most terrifying things:  1.  Something happens during my application process, and I’m not able to go when I’m planning to go;  2.  I don’t pass my Praxis test.  Both scenarios leave me without the money I’ve spent while trying to go back to school, and set me back in time with my goal to start a good career.

The Praxis test… It’s one of those tests that you don’t study for, but I’m required to make a certain score before I can start taking classes.  I’ve been out of college for over 6 years, and I might be a little rusty on a lot of things.  Mostly, I’m concerned about math.  To compensate, I’ve been looking over some flash cards.  It doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, but it’s the only thing I can think of that might help.  I took a practice math exam online, and passed by a small margin, but it was the only free exam that I could find.  The worst part about it all is I’m not sure what’s going to be on the test.  I’ve studied A LOT of math, and wasn’t very good at most of it.  I passed, but it was because I was tenacious, and put the time and effort into knowing what I was supposed to know.  Now, I’m faced with an exam that’s going to test me on a variety of different math questions.

It’s just nerves.  I really want to go back to school.  I want to get the financial aid that I need, turn in all the right forms on time, and pass the required exams.  I’ve passed tests before, and I’ve been under pressure before.  Come to think of it, being under pressure probably puts me into a better, more productive, mindset.  It also drives me crazy with stress, and I want everything to be over.

If anyone knows how I can improve my skills on the Praxis Test (Praxis 1), please feel free to share the information.  More free practice tests would be great, and/or resources on likely test questions.

-Josh