Do You Have Control of Your GMAT Test Anxiety?

Many students experience test anxiety, which manifests itself in increased heart rate, shallow breathing, and racing thoughts. A high-stakes exam such as the GMAT can exacerbate this anxiety, making it difficult to concentrate. After all, your GMAT performance will have a significant impact on your future.

Truth is, for even the most well-prepared test-takers, a small amount of test anxiety is normal and expected during the GMAT. However, excessive stress can cause distractions. These in turn can cause you to lose focus. And losing focus will limit your ability to achieve a score that accurately reflects your GMAT abilities. Learning to control your test-taking anxiety will bring you one step closer to breaking through your GMAT score ceiling.

Fortunately, there are numerous effective techniques for dealing with test anxiety, including visualization, breathing exercises, and transforming anxiety into excitement. If you believe test anxiety has been preventing you from improving your GMAT score, it’s worthwhile to investigate these options. The best way to reduce test anxiety is to know GMAT quant and verbal like the back of your hand. The more familiar you are with the subject matter, the more relaxed you’ll be when you’re tested on it. In fact, knowing the material inside and out is the most underappreciated technique for overcoming test anxiety.

If you are already confident in your ability to answer GMAT questions, go ahead and practice some more! Prepare yourself to the point where the material no longer causes anxiety. Here is an excellent strategy for becoming familiar with GMAT content: Don’t just practice until you’re able to answer questions correctly; practice until you’re virtually unable to answer questions incorrectly.

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep