One very important thing to remember when studying for a test is not to over study. That's right, there is such a thing as studying too much (but this is not a good excuse to give parents when they want you to finish your homework)! If you concentrate too much on studying you probably are putting too much emphasis on the test; this makes you really nervous because it is all that you are thinking about. The important thing to remember is the better you understand the skills you are going to be tested on, the easier your test questions should be. A lot of students panic when they are handed their test, even if they have studied their lessons and finished their homework. There are exercises you can do at the beginning of a test to help yourself calm down. First, remember to breathe. This sounds funny but a lot of people hold their breath when they are concentrating or nervous. Not breathing or breathing really fast will make you more nervous. Take a deep breath and count to ten before letting it out. This will help you calm down. You can also help your body relax by tensing up all of your muscles and slowing letting them down. This will burn off your nervous energy and help your body relax. When your body is relaxed then your brain can relax as well. Another great exercise is visualizing yourself doing really good on your test. This will put you in a more optimistic mindset and help you do well on the actual test. When you start to take your test, it helps to read everything before starting. This means you should actually look through the problems before you start them. By doing this, you are able to locate the easier problems you remember how to do instead of wasting time staring at a problem that you can not figure out. If you can not answer a problem quickly, then skip it and come back to it later. Once you have answered all of the questions you know, you will begin to feel more confident about the test and will have more success with the hard questions. Remember to congratulate yourself after finishing each test. Tests are hard on your brain and emotions, so each test you complete is another hurdle you have successfully jumped over. Even if you didn't do so great on a test make sure list all of the skills you successfully completed. Chances are you did better than you think you did! By keeping a positive attitude about each test the ones you have to face in the future will be a lot easier to take.

For the test- (1)answer the easy questions first (2) if you think that you can answer the question but it will take some time put a check by it and continue on (3) if the question looks like you can't figure it out put an x by it (4) after you have answered all the easy questions go back and do the checked questions (5) if you can narrow multiple choice answers down to two, take your best guess. (6) if you can narrow it down to three and you think one of the answers is better than the other two answer the question (7) if you can't narrow it down beyond three, don't answer the question (8) read all of the choices before you select your answer (9) on the free response questions put down anything you know about the question (don't leave them blank!) (10) before you start the test, take a long, slow deep breathe, hold it for a count of three and then exhale for a count of three. Repeat this three times. This will relax you and clear your mind! Carry out this exercise periodically during the test, maybe every fifteen minutes or so! GOOD LUCK!

Reducing Test Taking Anxiety Test anxiety is when a student excessively worries about doing well on a test. This can become a major hindrance on test performance and cause extreme nervousness and memory lapses among other symptoms. The following are tips on reducing test taking anxiety. Being well prepared for the test is the best way to reduce test taking anxiety. Space out your studying over a few days or weeks, and continually review class material, don't wait until the night before and try to learn everything the night before. Try to maintain a positive attitude while preparing for the test and during the test. Exercising for a few days before the test will help reduce stress. Get a good night's sleep before the test. Show up to class early so you won't have to worry about being late. Stay relaxed, if you begin to get nervous take a few deep breaths slowly to relax yourself and then get back to work. Read the directions slowly and carefully. If you don't understand the directions on the test, ask the teacher to explain it to you. Skim through the test so that you have a good idea how to pace yourself. Write down important formulas, facts, definitions and/or keywords in the margin first so you won't worry about forgetting them. Do the simple questions first to help build up your confidence for the harder questions. Don't worry about how fast other people finish their test; just concentrate on your own test. If you don't know a question skip it for the time being (come back to it later if you have time), and remember that you don't have to always get every question right to do well on the test. Focus on the question at hand; don't let your mind wander on other things. If you're still experiencing extreme test anxiety after following these tips, seek help from your school counselor.