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Helping Students Build Calm, Confident Readiness
For many students, the greatest challenge on test day isn’t the content of the exam—it’s the anxiety that comes with it. Test anxiety is a common but often overlooked barrier to success. Even the most capable students can underperform if nerves, stress, or negative self-talk get in the way.
At The Chicago Family Tutor, we see test prep as more than memorizing formulas or drilling reading passages. It’s about helping students identify and manage test anxiety so they can show up as their best selves on exam day.
What Is Test Taking Anxiety?
Test anxiety is a stress response that can show up both physically and emotionally. It often strikes before or during exams—whether standardized entrance tests like the HSAT or HSPT, college admissions exams like the ACT or SAT, or even everyday school quizzes.
Common symptoms include:
- Physical signs: rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, nausea, or difficulty sleeping.
- Cognitive signs: blanking out, racing thoughts, or second-guessing correct answers.
- Emotional signs: dread, irritability, or feeling “frozen” before the test begins.
Parents often ask: “How can I tell if my child has test anxiety?” If your student consistently performs better on homework than exams, avoids studying, or reports feeling panicked on test days, anxiety is likely playing a role.
Who Struggles with Test Anxiety?
Test anxiety can affect any student, regardless of ability. Some students preparing for CPS selective enrollment exams, the HSPT, or college admissions tests feel the weight of high stakes and expectations. Others may simply struggle with everyday classroom quizzes.
It’s also especially common among:
- Students with ADHD, who may find it difficult to regulate focus and manage time under pressure.
- Students with generalized anxiety, who may experience heightened stress in testing environments.
- High achievers, who put pressure on themselves to perform perfectly.
Wherever it comes from, test anxiety doesn’t have to define a student’s performance.
Is It Possible to Identify the Symptoms of Test Anxiety?
We begin preparation with a diagnostic practice test powered by Pinpoint Learning. Unlike a generic exam, this diagnostic gives us:
- A precise, skill-by-skill breakdown of performance.
- Clues about pacing, second-guessing, or freezing—often signs of anxiety.
- A roadmap for a personalized study plan that addresses both academic gaps and emotional challenges.
By testing in a supportive, low-stakes environment, students start to recognize where anxiety shows up—and we give them tools to respond effectively.
Test Anxiety Strategies
Our test prep coaches are both accomplished test takers and skilled educators, which means they know what it feels like to sit in the testing seat—and how to ease test anxiety. Together with Pinpoint insights, we focus on strategies like:
1. Familiarity through Practice
Frequent timed practice makes the testing environment predictable. Students learn what to expect and how to pace themselves, reducing the unknowns that trigger anxiety.
2. Executive Function Coaching
Skills like time management, organization, and self-monitoring are critical for handling test stress. By weaving executive function coaching into prep, we help students stay calm and on track.
3. Stress Management Tools
Breathing techniques, grounding strategies, and positive self-talk can make a real difference in how to calm down before a test.
4. Personalized, Supportive Coaching
A trusted academic coach helps students feel encouraged and capable. Our one-on-one model ensures every student has a guide who understands their anxieties and celebrates their progress.
Test Anxiety Doesn’t Have to Hold Students Back
Some students seem naturally calm test-takers, but for many, anxiety creates unnecessary hurdles. Whether your child is:
- Preparing for Chicago’s selective HSAT enrollment exams
- Getting ready for the HSPT enrollment exams or college admissions tests
- Struggling with everyday classroom quizzes
- Navigating challenges related to ADHD or generalized anxiety
…our approach can help. With diagnostic tools, expert coaching, and deliberate practice, we equip students with both the academic skills and the emotional readiness to face tests with confidence.
At The Chicago Family Tutor, our philosophy is simple: calm readiness over stressful striving. When students approach tests with preparation, strategies, and confidence, the scores take care of themselves.
Additional Resources
Here are some other great Exam Anxiety resources for parents.