How to help students cope with test anxiety

Taking tests, such as the SAT and ACT, can be stressful for students. But, given enough time and the right preparation, everyone will be a bit more equipped and a lot less stressed.

“Time is everything in college admissions,” says Ross Blankenship, founder of Top Test Prep (toptestprep.com). “A high school counselor is really best served by setting those parts early on. If you break it down into those two parts, your life is going to be easier.”

Get the agenda out early 

Include important dates like the SAT deadline, application deadlines and more. The key is giving students enough time to work on the test prep, application preparation, improving the GPA and time to work on essays, interviews and gathering recommendations. And listen to parents, too. Blankenship says you should listen for concerns early in the school year about expectations and timelines. This gives you time to address those worries and set clear goals before the school year gets away from you.

Test anxiety can also come from expecting the unexpected. That’s why Blankenship says it’s important for counselors to explain how a typical test day is structured. Students shouldn’t walk into a surprising situation, he says. Encourage mock testing situations to get students more comfortable with a typical test situation.

Also, depending on your school’s budget, consider offering writing workshops and tutoring where students can seek out guidance and have questions answered in a small group setting. Plus, in these situations students can also lean on their peers for support.

There isn’t one easy approach to test prep, but if your high school students and their parents are comfortable with the process and the timeline, you will all feel good about the experience. 

“Test prep, it’s like a diet, if you stick with it, you will see results,” Blankenship says. 

Remember to be a good listener by collaborating with teachers and hearing their concerns. This is a great way to ensure that anxious students don’t fall through the cracks. Find out how much testing experience students have and if there are students who need a little extra support.

Enid Arbelo Bryant is the Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Keuka College.