Test Anxiety

[SaltySailor]

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Hey everyone,

I'm a non-degree seeking student (post bacc pre-med program), at Columbia, where I'm taking science classes to fulfill all pre-med requirements. I recently failed my first two Chem I exams 🙁 During the first exam, I was completely overwhelmed and terrorized by anxiety. During the second exam, I felt much better, but could not solve the problems fast enough in the specified time (20 questions in 50 min).

I knew the material VERY well. I went to 3 study sessions, did all the homework twice and went to bed early the night before. It feels like my brain just can't solve the problems fast enough in the allotted time. Its like a computer processor that is too outdated to run a piece of software that is too advanced for the computer to run. Perhaps the older processor can run the software, but it will take longer to load/process the software. I hope this analogy makes sense, but that's what it feels like. If I had more time, I could easily get all the questions correct.

The problem is the time crunch, its just hard for me to work under those constraints. I'm not struggling with the material, its just test taking that is standing in my way. I have an A in my calculus class because the professor allows us almost 2 hours to complete the exams, so I'm sure the problem is working under a shorter time limit.

Now that I failed two exams, I'm really worried that I'll get a C in the class 🙁 I need a high post-bacc GPA because my undergrad GPA in English is very low (3.0).

How can I perform better on exams? I can't believe this is happening to me!!! I shouldn't have this problem, the material is really not that hard, but I'm being defeated by fear and anxiety.

 

[theonlytycrane]

practice under timed conditions and simulate what you're going to face on your test.

 

[lexswift]

Hey everyone,

I'm a non-degree seeking student (post bacc pre-med program), at Columbia, where I'm taking science classes to fulfill all pre-med requirements. I recently failed my first two Chem I exams 🙁 During the first exam, I was completely overwhelmed and terrorized by anxiety. During the second exam, I felt much better, but could not solve the problems fast enough in the specified time (20 questions in 50 min).

I knew the material VERY well. I went to 3 study sessions, did all the homework twice and went to bed early the night before. It feels like my brain just can't solve the problems fast enough in the allotted time. Its like a computer processor that is too outdated to run a piece of software that is too advanced for the computer to run. Perhaps the older processor can run the software, but it will take longer to load/process the software. I hope this analogy makes sense, but that's what it feels like. If I had more time, I could easily get all the questions correct.

The problem is the time crunch, its just hard for me to work under those constraints. I'm not struggling with the material, its just test taking that is standing in my way. I have an A in my calculus class because the professor allows us almost 2 hours to complete the exams, so I'm sure the problem is working under a shorter time limit.

Now that I failed two exams, I'm really worried that I'll get a C in the class 🙁 I need a high post-bacc GPA because my undergrad GPA in English is very low (3.0).

How can I perform better on exams? I can't believe this is happening to me!!! I shouldn't have this problem, the material is really not that hard, but I'm being defeated by fear and anxiety.

I really wouldn't have gone to Columbia for a post-bacc... ESPECIALLY if you have a low GPA that you need to fix.
Heads up, don't take Bio with Mowshowitz.

 

[theonlytycrane]

Columbia post-bac sounds pretty unwelcoming for a lot of students.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/columbia-post-bac-pre-med.1199805/

 

[Stagg737]

Hey everyone,

I'm a non-degree seeking student (post bacc pre-med program), at Columbia, where I'm taking science classes to fulfill all pre-med requirements. I recently failed my first two Chem I exams 🙁 During the first exam, I was completely overwhelmed and terrorized by anxiety. During the second exam, I felt much better, but could not solve the problems fast enough in the specified time (20 questions in 50 min).

I knew the material VERY well. I went to 3 study sessions, did all the homework twice and went to bed early the night before. It feels like my brain just can't solve the problems fast enough in the allotted time. Its like a computer processor that is too outdated to run a piece of software that is too advanced for the computer to run. Perhaps the older processor can run the software, but it will take longer to load/process the software. I hope this analogy makes sense, but that's what it feels like. If I had more time, I could easily get all the questions correct.

The problem is the time crunch, its just hard for me to work under those constraints. I'm not struggling with the material, its just test taking that is standing in my way. I have an A in my calculus class because the professor allows us almost 2 hours to complete the exams, so I'm sure the problem is working under a shorter time limit.

Now that I failed two exams, I'm really worried that I'll get a C in the class 🙁 I need a high post-bacc GPA because my undergrad GPA in English is very low (3.0).

How can I perform better on exams? I can't believe this is happening to me!!! I shouldn't have this problem, the material is really not that hard, but I'm being defeated by fear and anxiety.

If the issue is just that you're bad at timed tests, start trying to set time constraints for yourself when you do practice problems and homework. The more like a test setting your practice is, the more prepared you'll be for the real thing.

If the issue is truly an anxiety thing which is causing you to have timing issues, go see a physician, preferably a psychiatrist. Performance anxiety is a real thing, and I've talked to very good psychiatrists that can give you low dose propranolol or another mild beta-blocker to help prevent the symptoms of the anxiety. I'm not advocating just taking pills to fix a minor problem like time management, but if you really have a medical diagnosis of performance anxiety then taking something to alleviate those instances of excessive anxiety is completely warranted.

Edit: If it's only an issue for the one class and you haven't had these issues with other classes or other events where you had to perform under pressure, it's probably not medical and you just need to prepare for the timing of the test better. Not trying to make a diagnosis or anything, just something to keep in mind.