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What to do About SAT Test Anxiety
What to do About SAT Test Anxiety
How to control what you can control.
What is actually being asked of you when you sit down to take the SAT?
First, let's talk about what's not being asked of you. Your job when taking a test is not to get a great score. It's not to do better than last time. It's not even to get as many questions right as you can!
Your one and only job when taking a test is to answer the question in front of you to the best of your ability. When you've done the best you can on that question, move onto the next one and do your best again. That's all.
Think about it: you can't control the test— you can't choose which questions you get, you can't know if you're right or wrong about a question. But you can control whether or not you do your best. Doing your best is within your ability by definition. And if that's your only job during a test, it means the whole test is within your ability.
Now, sometimes we worry that our best isn't good enough. Honestly, sometimes we get our scores back and we learn that our best was in fact not what we wanted it to be. It's not the end of the world! All it means is that you think you could benefit from some practice. And that's what studying for the SAT is about: practicing the test. If you want more control over your score, that's the whole reason my colleague and I tutor. We empower you by teaching you the test! If you'd like some extra help, you can always shoot me an email.
But during the test, studying is irrelevant. So are scores. And even college. All that needs to matter during the SAT is you, the question in front of you, and your best effort.
That way, the test is doable no matter what.
By Rosalind Joyce
August 2nd, 2024
Page updated
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