As we mentioned, the primary culprit in test anxiety is adrenaline—released because of fear. Fear causes the release of adrenaline, because this is the hormone that causes your heart to beat faster so that you can escape from dangerous situations. It’s a protection mechanism. But with something like test-taking, it becomes a problem, because the symptoms associated with the release of adrenaline interfere with your thinking processes. The pumping of adrenaline causes you to have trouble with your memory and with problem-solving skills. The result: Worrying about a test actually causes you to do worse on it.

Is there any hope to battle test anxiety? Absolutely! In fact, here are eight proven ways to overcome performance anxiety as it relates to taking exams.

Here, then, are some strategies for beating this self-fulfilling prophecy.

1) First, find ways to relax. This means, for starters, sit in a comfortable position as you’re testing, with comfortable lighting. Before you begin the actual test, try a couple of easy breathing exercises, to get you in the right frame of mind. Some people even find that saying a short prayer helps them relax.
2) Think confident thoughts. Remember, the reason that adrenaline flows during tests is out of fear that you’ll do poorly. So if you think confident thoughts instead, the adrenaline will not flow so freely, and you’ll be more relaxed, and perform better. What’s it mean to think confident thoughts? First, think of all of the tests you’ve done well on—especially the ones where you surprised yourself. Think about how well you know the material. Finally, refuse to entertain thoughts like “I’m going to bomb this test.”
3) Get help. Nothing builds confidence that you know what you’re doing than a qualified instructor, showing you the ropes, and verifying that you have a good grasp of the material. For some, this means spending time with the instructor. Others choose to hire a tutor. Both are good ways to build confidence.
4) Take care of your body. Test anxiety is a physical reaction to stress that’s going on inside your brain. You can combat this reaction by taking care of yourself. This means you should get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet. It’s especially important that you do these things in the week or two prior to the exam.
5) Read the test instructions at a slow and careful pace. This is important for a couple of reasons. First, this sets a comfortable, relaxing pace before getting into the test itself. Plus, the directions should help you better organize your thoughts before you tackle the questions.
6) Avoid caffeine and energy drinks the night before and the hours right before the test. These will cause you to feel jittery—something that doesn’t help someone who is already prone to experiencing anxiety.
7) Making an outline before you tackle an essay portion is a great way to fight anxiety. The outline serves to help you organize your thoughts, so whenever your brain freezes, you just consult the outline, and it should help put you back on track.
We’ve saved the best for last: To best overcome test anxiety, make sure that you’re well-prepared for the exam. Any time you know positively that you have the answers committed to memory, your confidence level will soar. And confidence will keep your adrenaline from flowing, which will prevent anxiety from defeating you on the test.

None of this assures that you’ll make a perfect score, or even that you’ll do better than average. However, they’re sure to give you a better grade than you would have gotten if you’d just given in to test anxiety.

Remember to repeat yourself.  Repetition is one of the most important keys to memorizing any information.  The brain remembers the things that it considers important.  And when you repeat something to yourself over and over, your brain picks up on the cue and considers it important.  Gradually, it starts committing that information to longterm memory.

Remember to involve the right senses.  You remember the senses, right?  Sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste are how we experience the world around us. According to experts, everyone learns differently, with a different emphasis on the five senses. Some are visual learners (learn best by sight). Others are auditory (learn best by hearing). While others are tactile (learn by touch, taste and smell). If you’re primarily a visual learner, you need to do things such as read and re-read your text and your notes.  Auditory learners will benefit from reading out loud to themselves, or taping themselves and playing back the recording. Tactile learners will benefit by getting involved. For instance, the very act of taking notes will help them remember.

Remember to review often.  It’s amazing how quickly you’ll forget information that you thought you’d memorize. The key is to go back after several days and weeks and review it.

Remember to test your understanding.  This key—that of understanding the material—is almost as important to remembering it as repetition is.  Test yourself often. How?  You can try teaching the concepts to someone else.  Or write a couple paragraphs, as though you’re trying to teach it to someone else.  Being forced to articulate what you’re learning makes you learn it on a thorough level, not just a shallow level.

There are hundreds of other tips that will help you improve your memory. However, most of them are some variation of these four strategies. Learn these, use these, and then feel free to adapt them to your own situation.

 Kent State University Study Strategies – How to Memorize other than rote
Using your memory effectively

Computerized Tests & Strategies for Better Performance

Although there are still plenty of old-fashioned paper exams being given today, more than ever, schools and testing organizations are offering computerized exams.  Most Teacher Certification exams are computer based.  That’s because computerized exams are not only easier for those taking the tests, but for those grading them also.

There are two categories of computerized exams, with some distinct differences.  Let’s examine these two types and then look at some suggested strategies for improving your performance.

The first type of computerized exam is the CBE:  the “computer based exam.”  This is simply a paper exam done on a computer screen. That is, it offers the same questions that you would see on the paper counterpart.  Everyone gets the same questions, presented in the same order.  And you’re able to do the questions in any order that you want (skipping ahead, going back), just like you can do with a paper test.

The second kind of computerized exam is the CAT:  Computerized Aptitude Test. This one makes better use of computer technology, because it learns what the test-taker already knows and adapts accordingly. So for instance, if you keep getting answers right, the test starts presenting harder items. Conversely, if you keep missing questions, the test will offer easier questions. Unlike the CBE or a paper test, you cannot do the test questions in any order. You have to do them as they’re presented to you.

Tips for Improving Computerized Test Scores

Regardless of which type of test you’ll be taking, the following four strategies and tips will help you improve your grade.

1)  Understand the value of practice.  Even computer-directed exams can be practiced before you take the real thing.  So how do you practice?  By getting a book that offers realistic test questions.  You can usually buy these at major bookstores, or you can head to the library to check out a copy for free.  Whichever path you choose, make sure to get one with a CD-Rom, to better reflect the computer-testing environment.

2) Jot it down—on scratch paper.  Scratch paper can help you with several areas on the test. For instance, you’ll want to have some for the math section, but also to take notes as you’re reading lengthy passages, or for copying charts, diagrams, and similar tools that will help you find answers for the items.

3) Don’t lose track of the time.  Almost every computerized test has timed sections. In some cases, you’ll see an on-screen clock to better monitor the amount of time you’ve used, and how much more you still have.

4) And finally, find out the rules for the test before you take it. This will give you more confidence as you sit down to begin the exam process.

More Tips for CBE 

Arizona Teacher Certification (AEPA)
California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)
California Teacher Certification (CSET)
California Teacher Of English Learners (CTEL)
Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) 
Georgia Assessment for Educators (GACE)
Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS)
Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
Oklahoma Educators (CEOE/OSAT)
Texas Teacher Certification (ExCET)