Test anxiety is something that many students experience—especially those who are college-bound. Even though ACT and SAT scores are just one piece of the college admissions puzzle, the pressure can feel intense. Whether it stems from fear of failure, high expectations, or low self-esteem, test anxiety can really affect your ability to perform. However, there are ways to combat test anxiety and do your best—and we’ve come up with 12 ways to help!

What Is Test Anxiety?

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Have you ever felt your heart racing, butterflies in your stomach, or like you might throw up before or during a test? Between 40-60% of students deal with some form of test anxiety, and this typically happens when tests feel like a huge deal. This anxiety can often be triggered by things like:

• Worrying you won’t pass
• Setting impossibly high expectations for yourself
• Perfectionism
• Pressure from others or even yourself

12 Ways To Manage Test Anxiety for the ACT/SAT

Test anxiety doesn’t have to hold you back! If it is a problem for you, try these 12 tips to keep your cool on test day:

1.    Prepare Well in Advance

Instead of going into the test blindly, learn about it! While the ACT and SAT have similarities, they also have differences. Learning about their format, what kind of questions you can expect, and what material will be covered can help calm your nerves for test day. Not only is it important to know about the test you’re taking, but it’s also important to make sure it’s on the calendar. You don’t want to be scheduling too much leading up to test day. Begin this preparation as soon as possible—waiting until the last minute is only going to induce unnecessary stress.

2.    Study, Study, Study

You’ve heard it before, but don’t wait until the last minute to start studying for the test. Your confidence level is likely to be directly proportional to how well you prepare for the test. Once you know the date of your test, start blocking out time to study so that by the time the test rolls around, you’ll be ready. After all, there’s no substitute for knowing the subject matter and being able to do the work.

You’ll also want to take advantage of test prep resources that offer sample questions, test tips, and other information about the college entrance exams. If you can’t afford to pay for an expensive test prep service, reach out to your school’s counselor to see if there are resources available online or at your local library.

3.    Take Practice Tests

Good news: there are free ACT and SAT practice tests available online. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with the format, question types, and instructions so that you can know what to expect the day of. Don’t forget to time yourself when taking them so you can get the full effect.

4.    Know the Test Location

If you are not familiar with the test location, take a trip to the location before the test. You don’t want to get lost on the way to the test and arrive late. This step may seem small, but it will help reduce any extra stress from having to find your way on the day of the test.

5.    Go To Bed Early

Another simple but effective test anxiety tip is to go to bed early. Think about it: when you’re tired, it’s harder to concentrate. Do your best to go to sleep as early as needed so that you wake up in the morning feeling well-rested and ready to go. If you have trouble sleeping, listen to a guided meditation for sleep (many of these can easily be found on YouTube) or soothing music to help you relax.

6.    Sleep Where You’re Most Comfortable

Even though you should avoid cramming before the test, you’ll probably do some last-minute studying the night before. However, make sure you don’t go overboard and fall asleep where you’re studying. It goes without saying, but you’re not going to get your best night’s sleep with your head down on your desk or kitchen table. Once you’ve studied, go to sleep at a reasonable hour in your own bed—which is probably the place you feel most comfortable. Doing this will help you feel fully rested for the test in the morning.

7.    Set Your Alarm

Do not forget to set an alarm—maybe even a few just in case you accidentally press snooze. If you’re the type of person who has a hard time waking up in the morning, it might be worth it to put your alarm across the room, forcing you to get out of bed. Or, consider having your parents or a friend serve as a backup human alarm. You don’t want to wake up late and rush while getting ready, or even worse, sleep through the start of the exam!

8.    Eat a Good Breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that is especially true when you’re taking the SAT or ACT. Eating a good, balanced meal will help you feel good during the test and can even help your cognitive skills. Our advice? Skip the sugary foods and drinks—they will only cause you to crash.

9.    Stay Positive

Negativity can lead to anxiety. As soon as you start having any negative thoughts about the test, stop yourself from thinking about those things. Replace the negative thoughts with realistic ones. If you try to psych yourself out with overly confident, unrealistic self-talk like, “I’m going to score better than anyone ever,” your subconscious won’t be fooled. So replace defeating thoughts such as “I’m going to totally bomb this,” with “I’ll work my hardest and do my best.” Keep telling yourself that you can do it.

It is also important to stay away from other negative or anxious test takers (or share these tips with them). When you hear others being negative, it makes it easier to think negative thoughts yourself. Trust that you are well-prepared, stay positive, and take care of yourself.

10.   Put the Test in Perspective

Test anxiety is proportional to how important we believe a test is. For instance, you’re more likely to be stressed about a college entrance exam than a routine English quiz. But even for the ACT and SAT, remember that one test score isn’t everything. Colleges consider many factors when admitting students aside from just test scores. Besides, you can retake the ACT and SAT if you don’t achieve your goal score the first time. And remember, one test does not define you—life will continue no matter your score, and one day this test won’t feel like as big of a deal.

11.   Visualize Success

Visualization exercises can actually help desensitize you to anxiety-inducing situations. This is because these exercises allow your brain to rehearse success before the moment arrives. Visualization helps build confidence and reduce stress, so here’s an example of an exercise you can try:

• Imagine yourself entering the classroom feeling confident and ready.
• Visualize taking your seat and receiving the exam from the proctor.
• Picture yourself calmly reading each question, none of which you find surprising.
• You are then able to complete each answer confidently.
• You finish with time remaining, then carefully check your work until time is called.
• You hand in the test with satisfaction and a sigh of relief.

By practicing a scenario like this in your mind, you’re training your brain to feel calm, capable, and in control when the actual test day arrives.

12.  Avoid Unnecessary Stress on Test Day

Start your test day off on the right foot by staying clear of any avoidable distractions and stress triggers. You want to focus on staying calm and centered. This means avoiding any personal drama with family and friends during the days and hours before the test.

You’ll also want to prepare the night before by laying out your clothing and the items you need for the test (i.e., pencils, calculators, admission ticket, and photo ID—if required). Rushing to gather these things in the morning will only add avoidable stress. Oh, and allow time for unexpected events—you don’t want to be late because of a flat tire or traffic jam! Try to minimize chaos and distractions ahead of time and it will make all the difference when it comes time to focus.

Tips To Use During the Test

Once you’ve sat down to take the test, your nerves may try to get the best of you, but you’ve prepared well up to this point! Now, it’s time to implement some tips to help you during the actual exam:

• Take a Few Moments to Yourself: Take several slow, deep breaths while waiting for the test to be distributed to calm your nerves and focus your mind.
• Track Your Time: Write down the time the test will end on the cover of your test booklet or on the first page of the section you’re working in. Keep an eye on your watch to help (smartwatches are usually not allowed, so bring an analog or digital one).
• Manage Your Questions: Don’t spend too much time on one question and if you’re stuck, skip the question and move on. Just mark it and return to it later.
• Stay Organized: Mark your answers directly in both the test booklet and the answer sheet to avoid confusion if you need to double-check later.

It’s Okay To Seek Help

Feeling nervous before a test is normal, but if you feel like your test anxiety is having detrimental effects on your academic career, you don’t have to go it alone. Some students find it helpful to talk with someone—whether it’s a school counselor, teacher, or trusted adult—about strategies to feel more confident and in control. For students with extremely high test anxiety, there are possible options to receive accommodations, such as extra time or a quieter testing environment to help them perform at their best.

When all is said and done, the goal of preparing for the ACT or SAT is to set you up for success. If test anxiety has been keeping you from studying and performing well on test day, there are ways to break the cycle of worry. By finding ways to manage your test anxiety and knowing what to do on test day, you’ll be ready to crush the ACT or SAT with confidence!

Curious how your test scores might influence your college options? Use our free College Match tool and discover personalized college matches based on your test scores and so much more!