How to Calm SAT Test Anxiety
Practical Mind Tricks for Calming Your Nerves
If you are prepared, performing well on a standardized test like the SAT is largely psychological. Use these strategies to make your test-taking experience a calm one.
So, you worked with a tutor, learned some test strategies, made a million vocabulary flash cards, reviewed them a hundred times, and then reviewed them again. You’ve taken more practice tests than you care to remember, and thought more about this standardized test than you’ve ever thought about anything, ever. And here it is, the night before, and suddenly - panic.
Well, fret not young college bound apprentice. Try these simple mind tricks to cool down that sweating brow and keep your mind clear for test day.
Breathe Slowly and Deeply
A surefire way to calm down in a hurry is to simply focus on taking slow deep breaths. When you experience stress, you tend to hold your breath and tense your muscles. Think about how you would react if someone was about to hit you…brace for it…brace for it… The problem is, when the body is tense the mind tends to take a break. So, when you sit down to take that test, remember what the aerobics instructors say – don't forget to breathe.
Try to Keep the Test in Perspective
Yes, this is an important test. Yes, it will partially determine if you get into a good college. But this is not the most important moment of your young life. This is not a “do or die” situation that has the potential to doom you to lifelong misery. Too many students approach test day with this gigantic burden on their backs. The best bet is to approach this as one of many tests, one of many moments when you want to excel. Do your best, of course, but don’t think your entire life is hanging in the balance. It isn’t.
Reflect on the Work You’ve Done
A good way to build confidence is to look back on how far you’ve come. Compare your practice test scores and marvel at your improvement. Think about your new and improved vocabulary, chock full of words that you couldn’t even pronounce back in the day. Recall a time when the entire prospect was a huge question mark over your head, a mass of incomprehensible math problems and sentence completions, and realize that now there is no part of the test that you are unfamiliar with.
Essentially you want to do whatever you can to congratulate yourself. You set a goal and achieved it. If you walk into the test with this mindset, feeling prepared and confident, you will perform at your peak. Consider it a guarantee.
Resist the Urge to Over-Prepare
If you suddenly feel the desire to cram a few more equations, review a few more strategies, or cram a few more vocabulary words into your head at the last minute, don’t! Last minute cramming for any exam only increases anxiety and can lead to a general brain freeze. Cramming is giving in to your panic.
So, if you’re sitting down to take one more practice test on the eve of the exam, go watch a movie or something. You officially have permission. And that leads to the last bit of advice.
Reward Yourself
You’ve worked hard. You’re prepared. The test is in the morning. So go to a movie, cook yourself a nice dinner – better yet, go out to dinner, or just go to bed early and get some rest.
The key to success on any test, and in life, is to break your larger goals down to smaller accomplishments and then reward yourself for each step you take. You made a preparation plan and followed it. Reward yourself. And when the amazing scores are achieved and the university letters of acceptance start coming in the mail, then you can celebrate.
