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This month\u2019s sage strategies regard battling test anxiety. These are the best tips from NTPA experts in the field. What information stands out to you? Do any guarantee success\u2014or failure?<\/p>\nThis month\u2019s sage strategies regard battling test anxiety. These are the best tips from NTPA experts in the field. What information stands out to you? Do any guarantee success\u2014or failure?<\/p>\n
We welcome your comments below!<\/p>\n
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Mike Bergin of Chariot Learning<\/a>\u00a0(read the full blog post here<\/a>):<\/strong><\/p>\n Have you ever tried to build confidence and beat back anxiety by assuming a power pose<\/strong>? Researchers found that, by simply changing physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations, and perhaps to actually improve confidence and performance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Phil McCaffrey of 3R Prep<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n Trust your practice.<\/strong> You have done all the work, so there won’t be anything on the test you haven’t seen. Anxiety’s enemy is practice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Robin Satty of StemSmart Consulting<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n (For the ACT) Hang back<\/strong> when the class is let out on a break. The herd of students will only talk about the last questions on the math test. This doesn\u2019t give you an opportunity to unwind and recharge. Give yourself space and let them walk ahead of you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Paul Pscolka of Ivy Masters<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n This month\u2019s sage strategies regard battling test anxiety. These are the best tips from NTPA experts in the field. What information stands out to you? Do any guarantee success\u2014or failure? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[143,23,38],"tags":[48,49,73],"class_list":["post-3476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-community","category-testing","tag-experts","tag-ntpa","tag-test-anxiety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
1. Notice<\/strong> when you\u2019re feeling anxious, whether it\u2019s from physical cues like sweaty palms or racing, unproductive thoughts.<\/div>\n2. Pause and take a deep breath or a repeat a mantra<\/strong>, because a few seconds won\u2019t hurt your score but a few minutes with your brain in knots could.<\/div>\n3. Jump back in!<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nMary Bertoni Thomas of Test Prep Simplified<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
What if you panic during the test? Choose a calming strategy<\/strong>: Close your eyes, count to 10, take deep breaths, pray, go to a happy place. \u201cI can get through the next 5 minutes and the next 5 minutes, etc…\u201d Concerned about timing? Bring an old-fashioned watch with hands.<\/strong> Set it to noon at the start of each test, and now it\u2019s a stopwatch to track your time.
\nRunning out of time? Since we never leave a blank- Choose A,A,A(SAT) ORA,F,A,F(ACT) to pick up a couple of very valuable points.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nSusan Powers of Woodlands Test Prep<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
Students’ minds and bodies are connected, so they can calm themselves starting from either the mind or body. \u00a0Putting your pencil down and taking a couple of deep breaths<\/strong> releases physical tension, signaling the brain to relax. \u00a0From the mental side, noticing negative self-talk and (gently) replacing it with a realistic, positive message<\/strong> can change \u201cI don\u2019t know how to do this math problem – I\u2019m going to fail the SAT – I\u2019ll never get into any college – I\u2019m going to live under a bridge!\u201d into \u201cThis math problem is hard so I\u2019ll skip it and come back if I can. \u00a0I\u2019ll have time to think about it more clearly once I\u2019ve finished everything else, and if I don\u2019t have time to come back, no big deal. \u00a0I have plenty of other good questions to answer!\u201d Shifting the scary message to a realistic one allows calm to reemerge.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nLaura Link of Link Private Tutoring<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
The more prepared a student is, the less anxiety he or she has about the ACT\/SAT. A key strategy is to do more than half of your practice under timed conditions<\/strong>. Know how many questions you are likely to answer and you don\u2019t have to feel anxious about not finishing those last 5 questions.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nAaron Golumbfskie of PrepMatters<\/a>:\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
Dr. Sonia Lupien, director of the Center for Studies on Human Stress, has created the acronym NUTS to describe aspects of situations that cause stress: (N)ovelty, (U)npredictability, (T)hreat to ego, and (S)ense of control<\/strong>. I work to ensure my students know exactly what\u2019s on the test and take plenty of practice tests, eliminating novelty and unpredictability. They also understand that the SAT isn\u2019t an IQ test but rather a test of acquired skills, skills that they\u2019ve acquired through their hard work, and that their hard work has equipped them with both the strategies and knowledge they need to be in control on test day and do their best.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nAdam Snoza of Aim High Test Prep<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n
– Write down your anxieties<\/strong> for 10 minutes the morning of the test.\u00a0 Studies show that unloading your emotions on the page will relieve stress and help you focus.<\/div>\n– Stand like superman\/superwoman<\/strong> for 2 minutes before the test.<\/div>\n– Sit tall<\/strong>— when taking the test– good posture will help you think and will increase your confidence.<\/div>\n– Visualize yourself taking the perfect test<\/strong> for 15 minutes per day the week of the test.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nLori Tofexis of Circle Test Prep<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
I remind them that, unlike their tests in school, they can take this one again and again. You will get lots of chances<\/strong> if you need them. It’s not “all on the line” for any single test. And: try to visualize yourself in your bedroom at home (or wherever you usually do the practice tests).<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMike McGibbon of Mathchops<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n
Identify what’s causing the stress and replicate<\/strong> it in your practice (mock tests at centers, timing drills).<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nBara Sapir of City Test Prep<\/a>:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Tests don\u2019t only measure what you know they also measure how well you take tests. If a student lacks focus, confidence, or is negatively impacted by anxiety we employ tools to optimize their mindset<\/strong>, beyond content mastery, test-taking strategy, and practice. Empowering \u2018change-work\u2019 techniques from the holistic, mindfulness, positive psychology, neuro-plasticity, growth mindset, etc., helps students get out of their own way, create new behavior patterns, and dispel self limiting beliefs. We use\u00a0our\u00a0Full Potential Manual<\/i>\u00a0(Nova Press)(https:\/\/bit.ly\/fullpotentialbook<\/a>) and\u00a0audio series\u00a0https:\/\/citytestprep.com\/mindfulness-therapy\/<\/a>\u00a0both which\u00a0provide anxiety elimination techniques and are designed to optimize a student’s mindset.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"