Test-taking anxiety is a common and debilitating problem. It's frustrating to learn the material, study long and hard, and then under-perform on a test due to excessive anxiety.

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome this problem and to be able to manage your anxiety instead of feeling like the anxiety is managing you.

This guide will give you the tools to use to help you reduce anxiety while taking tests. Although it is possible to undertake this program by yourself, many students find it useful to work with a counselor or a coach. However you decide to proceed, just remember that it's important to follow each step and to repeat the visualization you create many times.

To begin with, it's necessary to identify what symptoms are prevalent. In other words, how does the anxiety take over your ability to perform your best? Do you:

• Reread questions
• Stare at the page because your mind goes blank
• Can't remember the material even though you know it
• Think about something other than the test
• Tell yourself you can't succeed
• Compare yourself to other students
• Feel anxious and unfocused

You may be able to add more items to this list; anxiety has many ways of manifesting itself. Some people feel no outward signs of anxiety at all, yet still under-perform. For instance, they do not take the test seriously because they are afraid to face disappointment if they try their best and still not get the score that they want. Or, they rebel against expectations to succeed and pressure to excel in a subject/field they aren't interested in.