by Amela Piric

Created on: June 14, 2010   Last Updated: January 10, 2011

Test anxiety is a common phenomenon for high school students.  It represents fear or worry of how they may do on the test that may actually interfere with their ability to do well on the test and eventually with the results that they obtain on the test.  This especially holds true if they have not sufficiently prepared themselves for a test or if they have too high of an expectation for a grade that they would like to receive.

While a certain amount of test anxiety may be good for a student as it can prepare the body physically and psychologically for the upcoming stress, too much of it can certainly do more harm than good.  However, when test anxiety goes over the limit, meaning that it starts interfering with the student’s ability to perform and do well on the test, then it becomes a real problem. 

Thus, if you want to overcome test anxiety, you should lower your expectations in terms of grade that you would like to receive.  Thus, instead of being overly focused on the grade that you will get, think about the more practical side meaning knowledge that you will gain and how to prepare yourself better next time for the test. 

There are two main causes for test anxiety and these are expectations and lack of knowledge.  They are explained in more detail below. 

Lower your expectations

The expectations can be either the expectations of the person taking the test or people that they respect and want to impress, usually family or friends.  Many times children may be under the pressure to do well on the test in order to keep up with a sibling or a friend.  Other times students want to impress their fellow workers or their boss.  Instead of struggling to fulfill the expectations that other people have of you, concentrate on doing your best without worrying too much about the end result.  Your result on the test should never be associated with your self-esteem.  Learn to respect and love yourself unconditionally regardless of your test result.   

Study more

Take more time and organize it properly in order to adequately prepare for the test.  Examine yourself and evaluate continually how much and what you are learning indeed.  Become more informed on the subject by reading more about it or by visiting with a specialist in the field.  The more knowledge you possess, the less you will have to worry needlessly.  As a result, your test anxiety level will go down instead of up and as a result you will do better on the test.  The night before the test, go over the relevant materials and have a good night's rest.

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