Test Prep Books/Effective Study Skills for Test Taking Anxiety

Today I watched a TV clip of an interview with someone who wrote about reducing test anxiety. If I were a student about to take the SAT or GRE or GMAT or LSAT,  I would have found it woefully wanting. It’s not that the information was wrong (the specialist talked about “breathing”) but it was all so “tips” oriented.  What do I mean and what’s wrong with “tips”?

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The latest 5 star review of THE WORKBOOK FOR TEST SUCCESS came out today on Google Books and Amazon.  Here’s what the reader says:

Excellent reading. This book helped me to focus not only on academic tests, but also in various situations of my life. It is amazing how a simple tip such as “don’t forget to breathe” could make all the difference in my performance. Dr. B hits the nail on the head when describing all the rollercoaster of emotions that a GMAT, GRE, LSAT and other standardized tests can cause in a student.  I particularly enjoyed the exercises and recommend this book for anyone.

I’m particularly glad the reader picked up on how the book applies to a whole host of tests as well as life situations. Isn’t the “rollercoaster of emotions” she references something we all experience, at some point, every day?

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All you GMAT test takers, listen to this. Here is a list of horrors awaiting you on test day. You need to be prepared for all of the following:

* Sitting for a “mug shot” digital photograph which goes in to your GMAT file
* Providing a fingerprint before beginning of the exam, and at any point at which you leave and return to your seat (sound like prison yet?)
* Leaving your belongings other than your clothes (jacket, phone, watch, hat, etc.) in a locker for the duration of the test
* Using a sprial-bound noteboard and a marker instead of the tried-and-true scratch paper for your notes and calculations

For many of my clients, these measures add stress to their experience and lead to decreased test scores.

Many students think if they study hard enough they will do well on the day of test. But what I have learned is that becoming and staying calm is a skill that can be taught and is applicable not just while taking the test but in the time leading up to it (and after it is over) . Staying calm is as important as knowing the content.

Here’s the tip: as you approach the test center check in with your breath:  are you breathing regularly and deeply? If not, get on it path right away!

Why is this significant? Because holding your breath immediately causes stress. Without breath your brain is deprived of oxygen. It starts sounding an alarm: YOU ARE DYING! This is a fact: if your brain really were cut off from oxygen permanently, it would die. The automatic reaction to a loss of oxygen broadcasts an emergency signal. This isn’t conscious. It’s instinctive. Your anxiety level is directly affected by how you breathe. Stop breathing, and your anxiety level immediately shoots up.

But there is another connection between your breath and your ability to think clearly and logically when you are taking a test. Breath is intimately connected to your thinking. A shortage of breath causes a fear reaction, which disturbs orderly thought process.

I invite you to check out the chapter 4, How To Calm Down, in my book.

The single most important tool for staying calm is breathing.

If you have a question, email me, I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s the link to the related article on GMAT.
http://blog.veritasprep.com/2009/10/gmat-tip-of-week_30.html