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Test jitters, anxiety, nervousness, etc.

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Test jitters, anxiety, nervousness, etc.

by AleksandrM » Sat May 31, 2008 5:59 pm
I am by no means a high-scoring individual. My highest GMATPrep score has been a 640 with 41 in quant (as far as I am concerned I doubt that I can get above 45).

Today, I took a GMATPrep and scored a 28 on quant. I was extremely stressed and nervous for no apparent reason. I got so angry that I retook the section and scored a 40 on the quant.

I was wondering how people deal with jitters, anxiety, etc when it comes to the test. I searched the forum but found very little in the way of advice.
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by AleksandrM » Sat May 31, 2008 6:50 pm
As help to myself and perhaps assistance to others, here are some links:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/scared-stres ... t7745.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/test-anxiety-t207.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/keeping-calm-t8465.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/how-to-beat- ... t4507.html

https://www.accepted.com/mba/TestAnxietyPrevention.aspx

https://www.businessweek.com/bschools/co ... _bs051.htm

This is just some stuff from the top of the "anxiety" pile.

I also have read quite a bit about the way the algorithm is SUSPECTED to work and decided that my strategy to approach the test might work given my 650 target.

I decided to break down the quant section into 30 questions with 70 minutes to solve the problems. Then, I will go through the last 7 questions in the remaining 5 minutes. This will allow me to try to solve at least 2 problems that I know I can solve and guess on the remaining 5. Obviously, there will be problems within the first 30 questions that I will not be able to figure out, which means I will have to guess and move on, which will leave me extra minutes for the last 7 problems. I think this mental reconfiguration of the test will help me to feel more in control of the test. My verbal has been alright. I know that with enough attention and care I can score as high as 42 or 43. Therefore, I must not neglect this section.

I think it is useful to attack some of the weak areas by just searching for problems on this site and doing a whole bunch of them. As many others, I have been studying from the OG and OG supplemental guides. However, these books have all of the problems types scattered throughout the text.

Instead, I think it is better to focus on each problem type and attempt to view as many problem configurations as possible. I will try to do this for the next four weeks, in addition to the OG texts.
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by wawatan » Sat May 31, 2008 10:16 pm
hey AleksandrM,
i know exactly how you feel! especially since gmat is such an important exam! I try to tell myself that if I'm nervous I will do worst on the test. Oddly, this thought calms me down! Haha! I also calm myself by practising problems and not worrying too much about what I did wrong. I really believe that a low gmat score is due to high nerves so you should find additional activities that you enjoy on the weekend. I usually go jogging and this helps me relax. It's important not to let the gmat control your life. Don't get me wrong! you still have to study but you should also do things that you enjoy. I also take a deep breath and walk outside for 5 minutes if I end up doing poorly on practice exams. Remember, a poor practice test will warn you about your progress but it does not determine your real gmat score. You have to learn from your mistakes. I hope this helps!
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by AleksandrM » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:22 pm
wawatan,

That's actually a pretty interesting loop. You are nervous because you feel that you might not do well, but you will not do well if you are nervous. I'll try it.

By the way, what tests have you used for practice?

I used to steer clear of MGMAT, because I wanted to just focus on the "real" thing. However, I have now decided to practice with their tests because they are apparently more difficult that the actual GMAT. I have about six weeks between now and the test. I think that as long as I keep solving more difficult problems and focus on retaining previously learned information by reviewing my flashcards, I should have an easier time of it come the test date. It seems to me that part of the reason why I get nervous is that I am aware of my weaknesses on some of the more difficult problems.
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