There are three sections to the test – reading, math and writing. The reading and math section have 50 questions each but fortunately they are all multiple choice. You’ll have to use a different strategy for the writing section as you’ll need to take out your pencil and write two essays.
Questions in the reading section are derived from two important skill areas: Critical thinking/argument analysis and research/comprehension. Drawn from a variety of fields, such as a humanities, the social sciences, consumer affairs, or health, CBEST questions are based on passages that vary in degree if difficulty and complexity, and are designed to assess the test taker’s ability to evaluate and comprehend the information presented. Some passages are longer (200 words or more); some are shorter (about 100 words). Some may be statements of one or two sentences, while other may even be tables or graphs. Every question is based on a particular passage, table, or graph. None requires prior knowledge, and all of the questions can be answered on the basis of the analysis and comprehension of the information provided.
MATH SECTION
The Mathematics section is mostly compromised of questions-presented as word problems-that evaluate the test-taker’s ability to solve mathematics problems. The questions asked are designed to assess three major skill areas: Estimation, measurement, and statistical principals; computation and problem solving; and numerical and graphic relationships. Most questions on this section are word problems. There are some graphs and charts in this section as well. You can’t bring a calculator. Don’t panic. We’ll tweak your math skills and if your math skills were solid up until the eight grade level, you should be able to get most of the questions right.
WRITING SECTION
You have to write two essays. One essay is about a personal experience. The other essay will require you to comment on some type of situation. Your writing skills are being tested so don’t worry about needing specialized knowledge. Instead, take all of those writing skills you want to impart to your little ones and put them to good use here. Our study lays out how to properly organize an essay with the points that the exam is looking for.
The test is 4 hours. You need to arrive by 8:30AM to take the test. Before the test begins, the proctor has to take care of administrative details so the test actually ends between 1:00 and 1:30. Of course, don’t be late or they may not let you in.
You determine how much time you wish to spend on each section. You can complete them in any order. When you are finished, the proctor will collect your exam and you can leave. Of course, you cannot return to the room once you have left.
The highest score you can obtain for each section is 80 points. You need to obtain a total of at least 123 points when all of the test sections are added together. Nevertheless, there is a catch here. You cannot score less than a 37 on an individual section of a test even if your total score is more than 123 points.
You can get a set of unofficial scores for your math and reading sections of the test about 16 days after the day you took the exam. It will take about another 7-9 days to get your unofficial scores for the writing section. All of these scores are available through the internet. Your official scores will be sent in the mail.
You can take the exam as many times as you need. There are no limitations here, but taking the test multiple times make take a toll on your ego, if you use our study aid you will pass after your first time.