Ok, so I am one of those unfortunate people that tests really bad. It doesn't matter how much I study, when I have to take a test I totally freeze. I can know the information backwards and forwards, but if I have to prove it via testing, I lose almost all of it. I just finished 2 classes. One of them I got a 100% because the midterm and final consisted of portfolio essays. The midterm was 10 pages and the final was 15 pages. I totally aced it. I loved it! My other class, I had a 100% until I had to take midterm and final exams. My final grade dropped from a 100% to an 87% all because of the two exams. I just panic. I freeze. No matter what I do, I can't seem to do well on tests. It's always been this way, but now that I'm in college it's even worse. And it's really upsetting me because it's affecting my gpa. I have a solid B average, but I know I can do better. It's just the darn tests that mess me up. That's why I'm looking for graduate programs that don't require the GRE or GMAT. I can't afford to freeze up on such important tests. So does anyone have any tips/suggestions/advice to help me with this? I'm at a loss about this. Thanks in advance!!
Have you tried meditation? You can practice sitting meditation which should help you with the anxiety... sitting down, close your eyes and focus on your breathing; pay attention to your breathing - the rhythm, your chest rising - don't let thoughts creep into your mind. With time, you'll be able to relax even with a test in front of you. I, too, am anxious at the onset of a test, however practicing what I described above allows me to settle pretty quickly and then focus on the task at hand. I am positive that it will help you, too You can also google sitting meditation for other tips and hints...
The best way to avoid a bad test grade is to over prepare. If you know the material cold you will not freeze up. Imagine if someone tested you on knowledge of your family history. Now you would rock at that test, however if someone asked you to learn and then test on George Washington's history that would be a different story. Test anxiety is due to your own fears about your lack of knowledge on a subject. I get it too but the best prep is over prep. Get the GRE exam guides and read them front to back and take the practice tests over and over. If you think its a waste of time, think again. Because you will learn from this experience even if you do not take the test. I studied for about three weeks for the GRE and then decided to go to a school that doesn't require it but I wish I had taken the test anyway just to see how well I did.
It works! I also used their hypnosis cd on dental anxiety - listened to it for 2 weeks before my last root canal and then slept through my root canal. The oral surgeon said he had never had anyone so relaxed during a procedure and wanted to know what my secret was...
I agree with ryoder. Everyone is going to have some anxiety at testing time. However, I have found that I am less anxious when I know the material extremely well. Does your textbook offer any practice tests, such as a "Test you knowledge" section? If so, taking that in the same format as your exams might help too. This may sound silly, but it really works for a lot of people, including me. Load up on chocolate about a 45 minutes before your exam. Chocolate releases either dopamine or endorphins, can't remember which, to your brain and you may find that you can think better and be more relaxed. I know it helps me anytime I am under pressure.
It doesn't matter how much I study, when I have to take a test I totally freeze. I can know the information backwards and forwards, but if I have to prove it via testing, I lose almost all of it. I am open to that chocolate suggestion, however. lol It would be wonderful if it worked.
Have you spoken with your doctor about this? If you experience severe anxiety in other situations, you may want to seek medical advice.
Don't I remember you saying that you have just recently started back to school after many years off? I ask because that could be part of your anxiety. When something is foreign, it can be more stressful. After a bunch of tests, I would expect that you would become more comfortable. If that's the case, what Tony and others have suggested might be a good idea; take as many practice tests as possible and use a loved one as a proctor to place extra pressure on you. Practice improves your comfort level.
I'm a junior now, so I'm pretty use to being in college. I have always had this problem with tests. Even when I was younger. But I will try the suggestions you all have made and see if any of them help. Thanks!!
I look at each test as a head-to-head competition. A battle of wits, if you will, like a game of chess or even a very intense, strategic wrestling match. My mindset when I enter the exam room is "I'm going to annihilate this test and HUMILIATE the ones who made it." Especially in multiple-choice exams, but applicable to all exams as my time in Calculus class demonstrated to me, this attitude is worth more than dozens of hours of study. Whether or not I actually KNOW the answer is irrelevant, all that matters is that I select or write-in the correct one. Maybe this is the difference between myself and your average test-taker. that people go in with the expectation of needing to know the answer, or even understand the question to begin with, neither of which are priorities for me. Side note, this is why I'm highly critical of services like InstantCert, which only give you a selection of possible facts which just might be on the test. You get no framework for working through scenario-based questions that require theapplication of reasoning from general principles, rather than specific recollection. It takes much longer and is much less personally beneficual to try to memorize possible answers than to have a good idea of where the questions and answers themselves from actually coming from. Side-side note, in life I believe that finding answers is easy. The real challenge is finding the questions worth asking.
i have taken my fair share of high stakes tests and believe me, you want to overprepare. Overpreparing has no downside at all. The purpose of higher education is education, so by overpreparing you are educating yourself for free. I took a gazillion CLEP/DSST tests and overprepared for every one of them. I had little to no anxiety going in. The same goes for MCSE and MCSD tests. Those are Microsoft computer skills tests and I knocked them all out of the park by overstudying.
