CSET Resources
The California Subject Examinations for Teachers® (CSET®) have been developed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for prospective teachers who choose to or are required to meet specific requirements for certification by taking examinations.
The CSET program includes examinations designed to help candidates meet the following certification requirements:
- Basic skills requirement. Candidates may satisfy all components of the state basic skills requirement by passing all three subtests of CSET: Multiple Subjects and the CSET: Writing Skills test.
- Subject matter competence requirement. All candidates who need to meet the subject matter competence requirement for a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential may pass the CSET: Multiple Subjects as one method of satisfying the subject matter competence requirement. Candidates applying for a Single Subject Teaching Credential or an Education Specialist Instruction Credential may pass the appropriate examination(s) of the CSET as one method of satisfying the subject matter competence requirement.
Each test in the program is designed to measure a specific set of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities reflecting the subject area of the credential sought.
Websites for preparation programs and practice tests
Saint Mary's College has not evaluated these services and does not have any information about the success rate for these programs. We are listing the sites below for your exploration only. We do not endorse any of the sites listed below and offer them only for your information:
- Complete the sample tests from CSET website.
- Teaching Solutions: This site offers a quick program with guaranteed passing results.
- CSET Tutor: Multiple Subject CSET practice ONLY; you can sign up for tutoring, classes and download practice tests.
- Alameda Office of Education: Test preparation workshops for the CBEST and the CSET.
- CSET Exam Overview: This site has preparation advice, practice tests, test reviews and courses.
- Khan Academy has mathematics tutorials.
- Test Prep Review: This site has more practice questions and other resources for studying for the exam.
- Teacherstestprep.com: This site has preparation advice, practice tests, and tutoring. We have a partnership with teacherstestprep.com (TTP). Anyone can set up a free account and get access to one or two practice tests with basic diagnostics. Our students get a 50% discount if they want more extensive "CORE Plus" support.
Test Taking Tips
- Be sure to read each question carefully
- If you don’t know the answer to a multiple choice question, make your best guess (don’t leave it out).
- Don’t spend too much time on one question. Come back to it later if necessary.
- On "constructed response” questions, read the entire question, and respond to all parts of the question. Even if you don’t think you can answer it correctly, do as much as you can. You will get credit for partially correct answers. You may know more than you think you do.
- Plan ahead on how many tests to take at the same time. the amount of time you have to take the test varies according to how many subtests you are taking. You can take one, two, three, or even four subtests during one test date, as long as you sign up for each subtest in advance.
- Review the content that will be on each exam, consider your preparation for each subtest, consider your test taking abilities, and finally consider any deadlines by which you need to completely pass all subtests. Then decide your best course of action.