The best tool in test anxiety management is preparation. Try to avoid last minute study for an exam. It will be impossible to master a great deal of material immediately before a test. Review lecture notes, text and any study guides. Think about what questions might be asked and try to answer them. Consider the following when preparing for the test:

1. Avoid "cramming" for a test. Trying to master a semester's worth of material the day before the test is a poor way to learn and can easily produce anxiety. This is not the time to try to learn a great deal of material.

2. Use available resources. If you don't understand the material, ask questions. See your instructor during office hours if you are hesitant to ask a question during class. Most instructors will be happy to help if you ask, and if you demonstrate an interest in your own learning. If it helps you to study with others, form a regular study group to review class notes and reading. There is no better way to study than to have to present material to others.

3. Plan your study strategy. Organize your time and stick closely to it. When you are to study, study. Allow time for recreation and study breaks. When you schedule yourself to have fun and relax, enjoy. Make your study setting conducive to studying, free from distractions.

4. Combine all the information you have been presented throughout the semester and work on mastering the main concepts of the course.

5. Good test-taking strategies start the night before the exam. Study if you need to, but don't stay up all night, and don't use substances (e.g. coffee, caffeine, alcohol, etc.) to help you manage the stress. Get a good night's sleep so you can approach the exam well- rested and with a reasonably clear head.

6. When studying for the test, ask yourself what questions may be asked and try to answer them by integrating ideas from lectures, notes, texts, and supplementary readings.

7. If you are unable to cover all the material given throughout the semester, select a portion that you can cover well. Set a goal of presenting your knowledge of this information on the test.

8. Use a calendar, planner, or similar method to generally map out study and preparation time in the days/weeks before an exam. Research has shown that students learn best when they have shorter, but more frequent study periods, distributed over a longer period of time. This is called "distributed practice". It is also much easier to find the motivation to study/read course material for an hour than to do so when one feels pressured to sit for three or four hours at a time.

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