7 Tips to Beat Test-Taking Anxiety

Beat Test-Taking Anxiety

The key to controlling test-taking anxiety is to be well prepared, so here are 7 tips to make sure you are calm and ready when the time comes

Know your test

The first step to mastering any exam is to be familiar with it. Knowing how long the test will take and what to expect from each section will help to avoid any unwanted surprises. It is always a good idea to take a practice exam and study any material you are unfamiliar with.

Healthy habits

Be sure to get a good night's sleep and eat a solid meal before the exam. Concentrating can be very difficult if your brain is sluggish or your stomach is growling.

Get there early

Make sure you know where the testing location is and that you give yourself enough time to get there early. If you have never been to the location, you might want to consider visiting ahead of time to avoid complications with traffic and directions

Get comfortable

Certification exams often take a few hours, and you should plan accordingly. Wear comfortable clothes, bring a sweater, and pull your hair back to get rid of any potential distractions. If the exam is particularly long, consider bringing water and a snack as well. Once you are physically comfortable, you can focus on becoming mentally comfortable.

Ignore other people

Once the exam begins, it may be tempting to look at other people, but that wastes valuable time. If you start watching others, you might notice that they are at a different point in the exam, which can cause you to panic. However, they are not you. Other test-takers might finish five minutes early, but they also might have gotten half of the questions wrong because they read too fast. Focus on you, and you alone.

Keep an eye on the clock

Make sure you are keeping a good pace to avoid having ten questions left with only five minutes remaining. Taking a timed practice exam will help you gauge how fast you need to move, and skipping particularly difficult questions then going back to them at the end is a tried-and-true strategy. Note where the clock is at the beginning of the exam, or wear a watch to keep track of time.

Keep Calm

Have a good attitude, and know that if you are prepared, then you can succeed. Take deep breaths to calm your breathing and relax throughout the test. Repeating a mantra in your head like "I can do it!" will put you in the right head space. If you find yourself getting frustrated over a question, do not let it upset you. Instead, take a deep breath, stretch a little, or skip it and go back later. You have prepared for this test so that you can do it!

Lets get started on preparing now for your certifacation exam by checking out our online Practice Exams.