It's common to feel anxious before a big test or exam. But you can't let your nerves get the better of you. Here's some top tips for keeping calm and smashing your exams.
Updated: 14 Apr 2025
It's completely normal to feel some nerves before a big test or exam – your GCSE or A-level exams are really important and have a significant effect on your life.
However, most students can overcome these nerves and easily take and finish tests without getting completely stopped in their tracks. Some even use it to their advantage. A small case of the nerves can be a good thing when it lets students be more mindful of the answers they’re writing down.
Other students though find their anxiety debilitating, the mind blanks out completely and forgets everything they have supposedly studied and memorised.
Experts call this exam or test anxiety and it greatly affects the result of the exam. It renders the assessment essentially moot and an unreliable measure of what the students learned.
Fortunately, there are preparations exam-takers can do in order to prevent this from happening. This infographic below lists 10 tips to overcome test anxiety – a combination of small physical and mental exercises that will help you stay calm before and during your exams.
Come up with a morale-boosting mantra like "I can do this" or "I worked hard and deserve this".
Cramming is never the answer, and pulling an all-nighter can exacerbate your nerves.
If you feel confident that you've prepped thoroughly, you'll feel more confident walking into the test.
Eat a nutritious breakfast before the test and pack smart snacks for ongoing energy.
Feeling rushed with only amp up the anxiety.
Read the directions thoroughly and read all answers before making a choice or starting the essay.
Deep breathing can slow down a beating heart or a racing mind.
Pay attention to your own test and pace, and forget about the other students in the room.
Mentally allocate how much time you'll spend on each section.
The blank page can maximise your anxiety, but a few quick answers can get the ball rolling.
Whether you’re taking entrance tests, like the LNAT or MAT or your A-level exams, following these tips will definitely improve your chances of not blanking out. Practice them whether you’re taking the test on paper or online, and learn to keep your nerves under control.
You might just find that these tips doesn’t only apply in taking exams, but in other situations where your nerves may get the best of you.
Good luck!
Mikki Miller is the content and marketing manager for ExamTesting. As a writer, he focuses on topics related to education, particularly tips for students to succeed in the classroom.