Anxiety around taking full Length practice Tests

Comments

• 2 Likes

  CantStopWontStop Alum Member

  April 2019 1270 karma

  Push through it. Every test will get a little less painful. Just keep doing them! There are 86 PT’s now, so maybe use older ones to get through the anxiety
• 1 Like

  dwu_5125 Alum Member

  April 2019 30 karma

  Agreed. It feels like A LOT the first time you do it, but it really gets easier the more you do them. Don't worry about what score you'll get in the PTs - focus on the process and you should be fine. Good luck!
• 2 Likes

  Trust the Process Alum Member

  April 2019 304 karma

  Think of it as 4 or 5 individual sections instead of a four hour ordeal. Reset after each section.
  I second what the 7sagers above said. It will get easier the more you do them.
• KeepCalm Alum Member

  April 2019 edited April 2019 807 karma

  I know exactly how you feel, I felt extremely anxious about taking my first assimilated PT and I continued to put it off but trust me when I say this: just go ahead and rip that metaphorical bandage right off. It is the best way to overcome the feeling of anxiety. You will see that taking the full PT it is not as bad as your anxiety makes it seem, you may even look back at yourself and laugh!
• Victoria. Member

  April 2019 553 karma

  Do you meditate? I know a lot of 7sagers have used meditation to help with this. I actually think it's a good thing that you're experiencing anxiety now so that you can learn to work through it and will be less likely to be hit with surprise anxiety on test day (this happened to me). I agree with the posters above, the more you take timed pts and see them as just another test or even a really long timed drill, the more likely it is that your anxiety will calm. I'd recommend working out some coping strategies that you can incorporate into your test day ritual/process. You can close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths before each section to reset and tell your self that this is just another drill, because it is.
  Also, try not to put so much weight on your score. No matter what your score is it is going to bring you closer to your goal because you are going to learn from this test. You're taking a full pt so that you can learn more about taking full pts. You are going to improve no matter how high or low you scored, and each pt, each question/game/passage you review is going to help you reach your goal on test day.
  You can also try to develop an attack plan for each section. If it's an RC section you're going to read the passage, read the first question, read each answer choice, circle, and move on. Make sure that you write down your strategy and follow it each time. If you are following a set process, this can help to calm your nerves because you know exactly what you're going to do in each section.
  Also, take things one step at a time. One word then one sentence then one question at a time. All you have to do is read this word, than read the next. Finish reading the sentence in front of you and keep moving on no matter what. You're going to reach the end eventually and when you do you'll feel amazing that you have another pt under your belt.
• Adam Hawks Alum Member

  April 2019 990 karma

  Also, try not to put so much weight on your score. No matter what your score is it is going to bring you closer to your goal because you are going to learn from this test. You're taking a full pt so that you can learn more about taking full pts. You are going to improve no matter how high or low you scored, and each pt, each question/game/passage you review is going to help you reach your goal on test day.>

  Also just treat test day as another PT. It's one score and admissions departments don't care about your lowest score.