Test Anxiety Quiz

TEST ANXIETY QUIZ

Do these statements apply to you? Check the box if the statement it applies to the day before an exam, hours before, or during the exam itself!

Mental

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  • Do you have trouble concentrating and find that your mind easily wanders while studying the material or during the test itself?
  • During the test, does every noise, such as sounds from outside the classroom or sounds from other people, bother you?
  • Do you often blank out when you see the test?
  • Do you remember answers to questions only after the test is over?

Physical

  • Do you get the feeling of butterflies, nausea, or pain in your stomach?
  • Do you develop headaches before or during the test?
  • Do you feel like your heart is racing, that you have trouble breathing, or that your pulse is erratic?
  • Do you have difficulty sitting still, are you antsy, or are you unable to get comfortable?

Emotional

  • Are you more sensitive and more likely than usual to lose patience with a roommate or friend before the test?
  • Do you feel pressure to succeed from either yourself or from your family or friends?
  • Do you toss and turn the night before the test?
  • Do you fear the worst, that you will fail the class or flunk out of college because of the test?

Personal Habits

  • Do you often stay up late studying the night before a test?
  • Do you have a personal history of failure for taking certain types of tests (essay, math)?
  • Do you drink too much caffeine or forget to eat breakfast before a test?
  • Do you avoid studying until right before a test, choosing to do other activities that are less important because you “don’t want to think about it”?

Test Anxiety Reflection Score. Add up the number of boxes that you checked. You may experience test anxiety if you checked . . .

13–16 Severe: You may want to see if your campus counseling center offers individual sessions to provide strategies to combat test anxiety. Your student fees have already paid for this service, so take advantage of it now before it is too late. Learn to be proactive!

9–12 Moderate: You may want to see if your campus will be offering a seminar on anxiety-prevention strategies. Such seminars are usually offered around midterm or just before final exams. Take the opportunity to do something valuable for yourself!

5–8 Mild: Be aware of what situations, such as certain types of classes or particular test formats, might cause anxiety and disrupt your academic success. If you discover a weakness, address it now before it is too late.

1–4 Slight: Almost everyone has some form of anxiety before tests, and it can actually be beneficial! In small doses stress can improve your performance, so consider yourself lucky.