Standardized testing is unfortunately a routine aspect of contemporary academics. Tests such as the SAT, ACT, and CLT are required for college entry in many countries. Passing AP tests is also required for students to gain college credit to use in the future. These are just two examples of tests that have high stakes for students and are therefore often known to trigger testing anxiety, but it is not uncommon for it to be experienced with normal in class tests as well.

Testing anxiety is estimated to be experienced by around 25-40% of US students (Hanfesa et al 2020) and may be increasing due to the competitiveness of college admissions. Before a test, many students feel overwhelmed with anticipation and the feeling that they may bomb, or are not prepared for the test. This feeling is called testing anxiety and can hinder student’s focus prior to the test or even while they are taking it, leading their worries to manifest on test day. This is why it is important to find ways to minimize this nervous feeling and self-regulate when it is experienced.

Here are 3 proven ways to do so:

Number One: Reduce Morning Stress
It is important to minimize any surprises or stressful situations you may encounter on the

morning of test day. Make sure that all materials for the test are acquired the night prior if not a couple days before test day. If a calculator is required for the test, check that the type you own is appropriate for the test and then put it somewhere where it won’t be forgotten in the morning. Doing these simple things will help reduce stress levels and help the morning focus to be on calming down instead of scrambling to find testing materials.

Number Two: Study, Study, Study!
No student wants to hear this, but an effective way of minimizing test anxiety is to study.

To counter feeling unprepared for the test, studying beforehand using a rubric or standard for what will be on the test can ease test anxiety. Implementing spaced repetition and using active recall when studying can also help students better retain information and be prepared for test day, in turn decreasing testing anxiety levels.

Number Three: Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Although it may seem like a good idea to pull an all-nighter to prepare for the test, it can

actually reduce focus and the level of information a student retains the next day, as well as increase test anxiety. Cramming may be a good option for those who procrastinate studying so if this is you just make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep prior to the test. A study on testing anxiety and sleep found that sleep levels and anxiety are related (Hamilton et al 2021). Ensuring that you have a good night’s sleep before test day can help reduce testing anxiety, and even improve testing performance and retention.

Written By: Carmela Gonzalez, Mental H2O Youth Resource Writer

References:

Hamilton, N., Freche, R., Zhang, Y., Zeller, G., & Carroll, I. (2021). Test Anxiety and Poor Sleep: A Vicious Cycle. International journal of behavioral medicine, 28(2), 250–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-09973-1

Hanfesa, S., Tilahun, T., Dessie, N., Shumet, S., & Salelew, E. (2020b). Test Anxiety and Associated Factors Among First-Year Health Science Students of University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, Volume 11, 817–824. https://doi.org/10.2147/amep.s275490