Dealing with Test Anxiety: Strategies for Staying Calm & Confident

Feeling nervous before a big test like the SAT, ACT, CPS HSAT, HSPT, or ISEE? You're not alone; many students deal with test anxiety at some point. Anxiety isn't something you just feel; it also influences what you think and how you behave. When a stressful thought pops up, it can trigger physical tension, mental fog, or even panic. That feeling can lead to procrastination, rushing, blanking, or zoning out.

Therefore, finding ways to minimize anxiety and negative thinking can help improve your performance on tests of all kinds. Luckily, there are many simple, practical ways to ease anxiety and help you walk into your exam feeling confident!

1. Be Prepared

One of the most effective ways to calm your nerves is to make sure you're truly prepared. This means:

• Taking full-length practice tests to get familiar with timing and structure

• Reviewing what you got wrong and figuring out why

• Creating a realistic study schedule and sticking to it

When you know what to expect, the test feels less like a mystery, and more like something you can handle!

2. Make Studying Less Stressful

Mix in some low-stress activities before and after your study sessions. Take a short walk, listen to music, draw, or even watch a short episode of your favorite show. Enjoying the time before and after your study sessions can help prevent burnout, and makes your study time more productive.

On that note, be sure not to cram the night before you take the exam. Instead, do a quick review, and then focus on relaxing. Make sure you get a good night's sleep, drink lots of water, and have a meal you enjoy the night before, so you can wake up bright and early to be ready for your test the next day!

3. Take Advantage of Breaks

Studying for long hours without a break can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Working in focused blocks of time (50-60 minutes) and taking a 5 minute break between each block, can help you maintain stamina and retain the information you're learning. Get up, stretch, and reset!

During the actual test, make the most of your scheduled breaks. Move around, hydrate, and reset. Even short mental breaks can help you refocus and avoid mid-exam burnout.

4. Talk Back to Anxiety

Anxious thoughts often show up before and during a test. Challenge them with facts. For example:

• Anxious Thought: "I'm going to fail."

• Your Response: "I've studied, taken practice tests, and I know the material. I'm ready for this."

Positive self-talk can help improve focus and performance. It's not about pretending everything is perfect, but instead reminding yourself of the truth.

5. Breathe

When stress spikes, take a moment to take a few deep breaths. Try this pattern:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Repeat!

This helps calm your body and clear your mind, whether you're studying or sitting in the testing room.

6. Celebrate Your Effort

After you study or finish your test, reward yourself. Whether it's a favorite snack, movie night, or quality time with friends and family, celebrating your effort (not just the outcome) builds positive associations with the process and helps reduce future anxiety.

At Test Prep Chicago, we specialize in helping students feel confident and ready for important exams like the CPS HSAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, and SAT. Whether your child is looking for a structured group course (click here), a focused, one-day workshop (click here), or individual tutoring sessions (click here), our programs are designed to build skills, reduce anxiety, and boost performance.

We offer:

• Full length practice tests to build familiarity, confidence, and stamina

• Targeted lessons and homework to strengthen key areas

• Tutoring that teaches effective test-taking strategies, important material, and time management

• Ongoing updates to our materials based on student feedback from recent exams

If you are looking for a supportive path to test success, Test Prep Chicago is the way to go!

How Selective Enrollment Schools Use the CPS HSAT: Why It Matters & What It Tests

For students applying to Chicago's selective enrollment high schools, the CPS High School Admissions Test (CPS HSAT) is a major factor that is worth 50% of the total admission score. CPS uses a 900-point system to evaluate applicants: 450 points from 7th grade grades in core classes (reading, math, science, and social studies), and 450 from the CPS HSAT. That means doing well on the test can significantly impact whether a student receives an offer from a top selective enrollment high school.

The CPS HSAT is taken in the fall of a student's 8th grade year and includes two main sections: math and reading comprehension. It is a timed, multiple-choice test, 1-hour in length, that is administered digitally at the student's school (if they are a CPS student) or at a CPS-designated test center (if they are a non-CPS student). The math section includes algebra, data analysis, number operations, geometry, and problem-solving, while the reading section focuses on comprehension, vocabulary in context, and inference-based questions. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so students should be prepared to strategically guess if necessary.

Because students come from so many different schools and grading systems, the CPS HSAT serves as a standardized way for selective enrollment high schools to compare applicants across the city. It's not just about content knowledge, but also about how well students manage time and pressure. That's why preparation matters.

At Test Prep Chicago, we prepare students for every topic covered on the CPS HSAT. Our group courses (click here), 1-day workshops (click here) and individual tutoring sessions (click here) include full-length practice tests, targeted homework, and supplemental materials designed to strengthen skills and build confidence over time. Our tutors teach proven test-taking strategies, time-management techniques, and pacing skills to help students stay sharp and focused on test day. By conducting exit interviews with students after they take the real exam, we are able to ensure our practice materials are constantly updated to reflect the latest test trends and content. 

If you're looking for supporting and strategic preparation for the CPS HSAT, TPC Is the place to start.

Questions? Contact zoe@testprepchicago.com.

Tips for Remote Learning

Since Chicago Schools will be closed through at least April 30th due to COVID-19 concerns, CPS announced a remote learning plan for schools to begin on April 13th (for more information, see our previous blog post). While students will have the opportunity to continue learning, that doesn’t mean it won’t be without a challenge.  

Below are Test Prep Chicago’s tips for optimizing your student’s remote learning.

1.       Create the most ideal learning space possible.

While this may be difficult with the whole family all home at once, finding a quiet space in your home for your student to do his or her work will help your student to maintain focus, and be engaged in their remote learning.

2.       Make sure your student turns off his or her phone or other electronic devices before logging in to learn.

Just like in school, students should turn off any other electronic devices that may distract them from schooling.

3.       Use applications or browser extensions to help maintain focus.

Browser extensions like StayFocused for Chrome is a free extension to your browser which limits accessibility to other websites that may be distracting during work time. In addition, if your student is completing remote work on a phone or tablet, there are also similar apps available.

4.       Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

We’re all collectively becoming a bit more tech-savvy out of necessity, but these skills don’t come easily to everyone. It’s okay to reach out to your student’s school, etc. to ask for help on how to set up the necessary programs to facilitate remote learning for your student.

5.       Don’t be too hard on your student (or yourself).

This is a tough time for everyone. In addition to moving work and school online, many families are also worried about the safety of their loved ones. Don’t be too hard on yourself or your students as you navigate how best remote learning fits into your family.

In addition to schools transitioning online, Test Prep Chicago is now online as well to help supplement your student’s learning with a private tutor. We can also help your students work to prepare for placement tests or get a jump-start on standardized tests in the fall. To set up private tutoring, email us at info@testprepchicago.com.

Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266