Test-taking can be one of the most challenging and stressful parts of the student experience. Doing well on tests and exams is crucial for students who want to get good grades and advance their academic careers, but that doesn’t mean that tests are straightforward. Test performance is related to more than just knowledge and skills. Being well-prepared for a test is essential; students can study smart by making a targeted plan and focusing on practice. But there are additional components required for successful test preparation.

We’ll discuss two of those key components in this article:

• Test-taking strategies
• Managing test anxiety

Having the right strategies for approaching the test and managing test anxiety is a well-established way for students to boost their scores.

“We know that many factors affect how students perform on standardized assessments. While having the knowledge and skills that will be tested is critical, we see in the research that things like effectively applying test-taking strategies and managing test anxiety can be equally important determinants of success,” says Dr. Ashley Bruckbauer, Lead Learning Designer at Study.com. 

Using effective test-taking strategies and learning how to deal with test anxiety before it becomes overwhelming can make all the difference in challenging test environments.

Using Test-Taking Strategies

Why Strategy Matters

Some students might feel confident that they already know all the material they will be tested on, making them fully prepared for the challenge to come. However, many students who have the knowledge and skills to perform well on tests end up performing poorly because they don’t successfully apply the appropriate test-taking strategies. Developing good study habits and good test-taking strategies can improve students’ grades while also demystifying the test-taking process. These strategies can be useful for any kind of test, from standardized testing at the middle school level to graduate-level exams.

The ability to use the structure and rules of the test to apply strategies that allow you to achieve a higher score is known as “test wiseness.” Cultivating this ability has been shown to help both those at high and low levels of achievement.

According to Bruckbauer, “learning and applying test-taking strategies not only enhances student performance on tests but also has been shown to reduce test anxiety and improve student attitudes towards the test. Because lower anxiety and better attitudes positively impact performance, we see that test strategy can really have a compounding positive effect on a student’s test score.”

There are two key types of test-taking strategies that students need to apply to maximize their success and minimize their testing anxiety. The first of these is a test-level strategy, also known as a game plan. The second is a question-level strategy that provides a more granular approach to test preparation.

Test-Level Strategy

On the day of the test, you can use your test-level strategy or “game plan” to approach the overall test and its individual sections in a strategic way. A good game plan is critical to maximize your test score, use your time wisely, and keep your test anxiety to a minimum. This plan will help you determine your priority and your pacing. “Priority” refers to which questions you will attempt and the order in which you will attempt each question or section of the test. Of course, in an ideal situation, you will have the time and ability to answer every question. Still, it is good to know what to start with just in case time starts to run out. “Pacing” refers to how much time you will spend on each question or section of the test. It also means deciding in advance if and when you will opt to just guess and move on instead of continuing to struggle with a particularly tough question.

Your game plan will be unique to you and depend on several related factors that you’ll need to be familiar with ahead of time. A tutor can be a good resource to help you better understand each of these and how they relate. The first thing to be aware of is the test’s structure. Some questions to ask include:

• How long is the test or exam?
• Are the sections timed?
• What is the weight of each section of the test in relation to the total score?
• How are the points distributed?
• Are there any penalties for incorrect answers, or any other rules for this specific test?

Not all tests are created equal. There are big differences between the SAT test structure or the ACT test structure, both of which are usually taken in high school, and the GRE test structure or GMAT test structure, which are administered to graduate students.

The next important point to consider is your own abilities. Which sections, topics, and questions are easier or harder for you? Do you think you can answer the questions quickly? Which part of the test will take you the most or the least time? Your accuracy is also important: where do you generally perform well or poorly on the test’s subject matter? There are several ways to find the answers to these questions. Taking practice tests is a great option that can provide you with insight into your own process and needs.

A test-taking strategy should be tailored to the outcome you want to achieve, which means that you need to know your target score for the test. What score do you need to get on the test overall to meet your academic goals? What score do you need on each section to reach your target score? How many questions can you skip or miss, or how many points can you lose in total and still achieve that score? Academic goals can vary: you might want to pass the test or get a good enough grade to pass a class. You might want to be the top of your class and get the highest possible score. Maybe you need a particular score to get into your ideal college or to get a scholarship. Think carefully about how this test fits into your broader goals.

To effectively apply your game plan on test day, you’ll need to be able to recognize and identify test sections and question types. Research the test in advance to understand what to look out for. You will also need to apply your knowledge of the test and of your individual situation to effectively prioritize the most important questions and sections. For example, if geometry is your strong suit, you might want to start with those questions in the math section of the exam so that you can quickly and easily gain points. Alternatively, if you know you need to get a high score on the essay section of an exam, you might want to prioritize that section over one where you don’t need as high of a score.

During the test, try to pace yourself on each question and section. If you are taking the NCLEX, your NCLEX test-taking strategies might include allowing extra time for challenging sections like the new case study questions, especially if you know that you are well-prepared for the more straightforward questions. A tutor can help you identify relevant test-level strategies and determine if and when to use them based on your specific test and individual situation.

Question-Level Strategy

Question-level strategy is how you will approach particular test questions or types of questions. To effectively apply question-level strategies on test day, you’ll need to be able to identify the question type. That means determining precisely what the question is asking so that you do not give the wrong kind of answer. It also means identifying common traps and lures for this type of question. Start by determining any relevant strategies that match with the question type. With practice and careful attention to detail, you will be able to successfully apply the strategy during the test.

To prepare to take these steps, you will need to learn what question types are on the test and how to recognize them. Determine what common characteristics link them and what kind of answers they require. You will also need to decide which strategies should be used when. This choice should be based on the test structure and its rules as well as your abilities and target score.

In multiple choice questions, for instance, there may be two very similar answers where one is actually subtly wrong. Looking for these similar answers and comparing them closely to exactly what the question is asking can help. For short answer questions, keeping answers concise but information-dense is a good way to maximize points without spending a lot of time on each question. Students who have a good grounding in a particular subject may have better luck if they have to guess on a question. If a test has a penalty for guessing, students who truly have no idea what the right answer is might be better off leaving it blank.

Learning how to apply these strategies is a process of trial and error. Most importantly, you should create a procedure or a set of steps to guide you toward the right answer. That might mean starting by reading the question twice, eliminating multiple choice answers one by one, and so on. Some students get stuck on one question and keep mulling it over for several minutes when they don’t know the answer. It is actually better to leave tough questions, answer others first, and return to them later to make the best use of test-taking time. A tutor can help you identify relevant question strategies and learn how to apply them in practice and on test day.

Managing Test Anxiety

Many students have test anxiety at some point during their academic career. For some, it happens while preparing for and taking major tests like the SAT or ACT. For others, it is a constant presence during any type of assessment with any level of stakes, whether a pop quiz or a unit exam.

There is no one cause of test anxiety, but it can often be related to a fear of failure, negative testing history, or a lack of proper preparation. It is understandable for students to feel this anxiety. Tests can be very difficult, and there can be a lot riding on them. But test anxiety does not have to rule anyone’s academic life. There are ways to learn how to overcome test anxiety for good.

The Effects of Test Anxiety

Anxiety can have a profound effect on the mind and the body. For students of all ages, test anxiety can have a myriad of physical, emotional, behavioral, or cognitive symptoms like nausea, dread, negative self-talk, and difficulty concentrating. Another unfortunate effect can be poor test performance.

“We see in the research on the science of learning that lower levels of test anxiety are strongly correlated with better test performance. For this reason, it is critical that we help students manage their test anxiety to keep it at the lowest level possible,” says Bruckbauer.

Students can get into a negative spiral where a poor test result leads to increased anxiety and additional instances of low performance on tests.

Techniques to Lower Anxiety

There are numerous ways to help lower your test anxiety in the days leading up to the test and on test day. For example, learning to effectively apply test-taking strategies has been shown to reduce test anxiety. Feeling adequately prepared by sticking to a study plan and using effective study techniques can also help. But what about the fear of failure or bad memories of prior test-taking experiences? Fortunately, you can learn how to get over test anxiety so that your next exam experience goes more smoothly.

One of the best tips for managing test anxiety is to learn emotional regulation skills. Emotional regulation is a set of skills and strategies that help people control the occurrence, intensity, and duration of positive and negative emotions. Some students find that as soon as their anxiety starts, it immediately gets worse and spirals out of control. Emotional regulation strategies help students notice their anxiety and take the necessary steps to reduce it before it gets unmanageable. Many emotional regulation strategies have been proven effective for improving learning emotions and therefore test performance.

“Emotional regulation strategies can be highly effective at helping us intervene at different points in the process of emotion generation to alter the trajectory of our emotional responses,” says Bruckbauer. 

One example of an emotional regulation strategy is situation selection, which means deliberately seeking out or avoiding situations based on their likely emotional impact. Procrastinating on studying often results in greater anxiety, so avoiding that situation would be a good way to limit test anxiety. Situation modification is another option where people make changes to a situation to reduce their anxiety. Studying in a noisy room might heighten a student’s anxiety, so changing the situation to make it more peaceful may be helpful.

Attentional deployment is another strategy to manage test anxiety that relies on principles of emotional regulation. It means shifting one’s attention away from things that trigger negative emotions and towards something that elicits positive emotions. For instance, while studying, some students might find themselves focusing on everything that could go wrong during the test or comparing their scores to others. Redirecting that focus to all the progress you’ve made by studying can have a steadying effect. During the test itself, attentional deployment can help students keep focusing on the test materials instead of on their feelings of anxiety. Since the test is an unavoidable situation, it is best to focus on managing your attention within the test environment.

Similarly, cognitive reappraisal is an effective strategy to help you reframe a situation to avoid catastrophizing. Thinking about times you have done well on tests, reflecting on your solid study plan and effective study habits, or even remembering that doing well on a test is not a life-or-death situation can all make a big difference. Do not think about tests you have done poorly on and avoid pessimism. Rather than thinking “I’m stupid” when studying is difficult, think “Struggle is all part of the process of learning, and I will get better with practice.”

Response modulation is another strategy that means physically calming an anxiety response through things like deep breathing. You might feel anxiety in your body, but you can do a lot to think your way out of it if you treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Self-soothing behaviors like positive self-talk can be helpful. Imagine what you might say to a close friend who was feeling this kind of anxiety, and then use those same strategies to comfort yourself.

More Techniques for Lowering Anxiety While Studying

For those who want more strategies for how to get rid of test anxiety, consider your study schedule. Some people realize that they have run out of time and start cramming for a test the night before. If you can possibly help it, do not cram for a test. Cramming is not an effective way to learn, and it can cause greater stress. Leave enough time to study in small bites that feel manageable. Make sure to take breaks to give your brain time to integrate all of the information it’s absorbing.

Particularly in the early stages of studying, try to make your studying as low-stakes as possible to build up your confidence. Do you have a weak point on the test? Instead of trying to complete a whole section of a practice test that you find especially challenging, try working on individual questions first. As you study, make sure that you practice both your strengths and your weaknesses. While your weaknesses may need more attention, you should still practice your strengths both to keep them sharp and to maintain your motivation.

Take the time to reflect on your progress and how far you’ve come since you started studying. Acknowledging your accomplishments can improve your confidence and your self-esteem, ultimately helping you go into the test feeling sure of yourself. On the day before the test, take the day off from studying. Rest and relax so that you will be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to give it your all on the day of the test.

Taking care of yourself before and during a test can help lower anxiety and keep you feeling good. Try repeating daily positive self-affirmations to maintain confidence. Focus on relaxation and breath control strategies like box breathing to keep your anxiety down. Compassion meditation and mindfulness meditation can help you stay present and keep you focused on building yourself up instead of tearing yourself down. Lastly, practice good self-care, like taking breaks, eating well, getting exercise and spending time outside, and getting enough sleep. All of these strategies require practice and effort, but they can make a huge difference when it comes to getting through challenging test and exams.

Now that you know how to successfully apply test-taking strategies and manage your test anxiety, it’s time to put these tips into practice as you prepare for test day. Good luck!