All teacher education candidates must meet a basic skills requirement prior to being admitted to teacher education. The requirement at PSU is an ACT composite score of 22. If your ACT score does not meet this minimum requirement and you have taken the exam at least one time since completing high school, you may meet the basic skills requirement using one of the following options:
| Exam | Required Score |
| ACT Subscores | Reading: 16 Writing: 6 Mathematics: 16 |
| SAT |
Minimum combined score of 1120 |
| CORE | Reading: 156 Writing: 162 Mathematics: 142 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation | Reading: 255 Writing: 255 Mathematics*: 263 *Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics |
The Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) is a computer-delivered exam. The test can be taken at any Prometric Testing Center according to their available schedules. Registration is completed by going to the ETS Praxis website.
The Praxis Subject Assessments are designed to be taken by students and individuals planning to enter the teaching profession as part of the certification process required by many states and professional licensing organizations. The Praxis Subject Assessments should be taken at the end of a student's teacher education program. The test can be taken at any Prometric Testing Center according to their available schedules. Registration is completed by going to the ETS Praxis website.