Test anxiety is a bit of a buzzword in education nowadays. With everything becoming more and more standardized as a result of the No Child Left Behind act and AP testing, more and more kids are subjected to exams that will determine not only their future, but their teacher’s futures. Many parents are now claiming that their child has test anxiety, which is hindering their performance in class and giving up a disadvantage later on when it comes time to apply
for accelerated K-12 programs and college.

Does this freak you out? (Source)

Does it exist? According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, yes. It is a type of performance anxiety, something that results when an extreme amount of pressure and high expectations for a person comes from a single situation. A test would be one of those situations. Other examples of possible performance anxiety inducing occurrences would be performing on stage, or possibly sex.

It should be noted that most people do get anxious when presented with a test. Extreme test anxiety akin to a phobia should be treated by a professional.

I’m willing to bet a lot of you reading this claim to have serious test anxiety. This could stem from multiple things, fear of failure, you don’t study enough, or you just haven’t done well on tests before. That’s fine. However, you can treat your own test anxiety. Indeed, I’m willing to claim that unless you have an extreme phobia of tests, saying you did poorly on a test due to anxiety isn’t an excuse.

Here are some possible solutions to your test anxiety as mentioned in links above:

• Study
• Read the test over, in its entirety, before you begin taking it. Knowing what to expect will greatly reduce stress.
• Stay focused, don’t stare at the clock or other people. You’ll lose time when doing that and that will lead to more stress.
• Stay healthy. If people are getting sick around the time of a test, make sure to wash your hands often and avoid physical contact with other people.
• Get a good amount of sleep. I mentioned in my last blog this varies by person, so make sure you get the amount of sleep you need to function the next day.
• If you have a phobia of tests (just being afraid of them isn’t a phobia, by the way, this is an example of someone suffering from a phobia) go see a professional.
• STUDY! If you know the material your confidence level will counter any potential anxiety you have about a test.