Test anxiety

[DemureRose]

I knew that college would be filled with midterms and other stressful tests. What I didn’t consider was that I would have to take tests to freaking place me in my classes.

The university that I am going to requires me to take a math and a foreign language placement. Obviously I have now learned that is very common and such, nonetheless it’s very irritating to me.

Math is NOT a pre-requisite for any of my degree classes. And I’m not even taking my required basic math classes at the university I’m attending, it’s cheaper for me to take them at a local community college. So the university doesn’t need to know my math scores.

I also didn’t anticipate a math placement, so I took my senior year off of math. Math is my weakest subject on a good day, let alone when I’ve gone a year without it. So of course my score is going to be low, which in my opinion destroys the point. How can they properly assess where I am at if I’m not at my best? To me it seems more beneficial to them to use my ACT score from when I was taking a math class. That shows what my true knowledge is.

The foreign language one makes more sense, as much as I’d like to deny it, since I have to take foreign language classes for my major. However, it’s been almost three years since I took a Spanish class. I was only required to complete two and I also needed an elective to drop my junior year in order to take concurrent classes. So it’s obviously been a while. And if I’m being totally honest, I cheated my way through a lot of it. I can understand very basic Spanish like greetings, but anything complex is beyond my knowledge.

I do understand that colleges and universities are required to have these scores, but it is still very annoying to me. And I have very bad test anxiety. So bad that even when a subject is one I am highly proficient in, I still score low. All through elementary school, I was told I needed tutoring on subjects because my tests scores were so low. Luckily, I had great teachers who kept me out of the lower level classes because my class work exhibited a much smarter student than the tests did. But I have never been able to score high on any high-stress test.

And you would think that being able to take the test from home would be a comfort, but it isn’t as helpful as I had imagined it would be. The anxiety is still very much there. I am just tired of my knowledge being judged by tests. Not everyone is a good tester. Why does my future education have to suffer because of it??

[lawdog]

Well, welcome to the adult world. Time to perhaps learn how to deal with anxiety in general. Life seems to always have challenges; what do you think you need to do to prepare for the tests?

Maybe gather previously sample exams used by the university? Perhaps you might consider a few sessions with an exam prep counselor to learn how to reduce your anxiety?

I attended law school in my late 30s, which meant that even with two MA degrees, I was taking the law admission exam with students just graduating from university and familiar with the math as well as other topics. So I understand and remembered how I just wanted to walk out of the testing room. I muddled the best I could through the math.

BUT I GRADUATED CUM LAUDE from my choice of law schools with a position waiting in law firm.

Think you might want a few sessions with a exam prep counselor to practice ways to lower your anxiety? You will face other situations through your life with anxiety.

I really don't think, from my experience, the results of one math or other test is going to affect your career. But perhaps if you practice how to control your anxiety under pressure, will make difference.

I wish you well; anxiety tends to ride along just waiting to mess with us, whether it's a test, landing a good job, facing one's first law trial.