Testing Strategies, Test anxiety

[Mian]

I've seen this here, other places online, and even heard it from instructors at the B&M schools I've attended: "never go back and change your answers." Do you all follow this?

I always go back over things and often change answers. I find I have so much anxiety when I start an exam that I'm not really comprehending the questions like I should.

One of my biggest anxieties is not being able to read and answer every question within the time allowed. So I go through quickly and answer them all, feel more relaxed, then go back through again. It's only on the second pass that I find I can really concentrate on the wording of the questions and finding the right answer on multiple choice.

I don't ever hope to be able to cure the test anxiety. I've got 126 B&M credits at this point and during every single test I practically have a panic attack. Anyone else have bad test anxiety?

Even with all this answer changing I've got the top GPA (4.0 out of 4.0) in every class except one where I had the second highest (3.5 out of 4.0). So maybe it's not a bad strategy for people with test anxiety to go through a second time and change answers if needed. What do you do?

[FinancialWorld]

I usually go through the first time at pretty fast pace, reading every question as quickly as possible. I mark on a scrap sheet of paper how sure I am of my answer. Then I go through and double check my answers to questions I was unsure about. I usually change about 1-3 answers, but only do that if I have a reasonable doubt about my first answer.

I've had some exams (in courses) where I've been able to see afterwards whether my answers where right, and I've found that I'm more likely to get a question wrong that I thought was right.

My testing skills are in a evolutionary process. I change up my strategy as I learn more.

[burbuja0512]

I do change my answers, sometimes it take a few questions for me to "warm up." I have no idea why this happens, but sometimes my mind is blank for the first part of the exam and then I suddenly remember things.

I also find that with some tests, especially the Dantes, a test answer will appear in a question later on. I watch those carefully. No matter what, I'll go with my gut feeling.

[Storyteller]

I concur with the others - I'm always amazed how often I skip the first five questions because I haven't a clue - I start to think "Oh, noooo!" - And then the answers start flowing out.
I always mark every question that I'm uncertain about and I often change answers on them when I go back - I guess by then my brain is warmed up or something...lol...
Also: Instead of getting stressed out over getting stressed out; a friend recommended: "Let it work for you." It's good advice because it makes you focus on the positive instead of the negative.
Just my two cents...
Take care.
jan c.

[FenderNed]

I always go back over things and often change answers. I find I have so much anxiety when I start an exam that I'm not really comprehending the questions like I should.

One of my biggest anxieties is not being able to read and answer every question within the time allowed. So I go through quickly and answer them all, feel more relaxed, then go back through again. It's only on the second pass that I find I can really concentrate on the wording of the questions and finding the right answer on multiple choice.

I use a strategy similar to this. Unlike some, I never leave an answer blank. I mark it for review and if it's one that I really want to tackle later such as a complicated math question or something I know that is not coming to me, I'll use my pencil to mark the question number on the scrap paper.

Once I go back and review, I am much more relaxed and can actually think about why I chose the answer. Sometimes, while reviewing a question, I'll see something in the question and answer that don't match. To illustrate what I mean, I'll use a really silly analogy. Let's say the question is looking for "who" and I answered with something that desribes a principle. The question and answer just don't match. Once you are able to review, you can spot these inconsistencies.

As for changing my answer... I took advise from others. I never changed an answer unless I had a compelling reason to do so.

The bottom line is that everyone has a unique style that works for them. I've tried other strategies and while they are sound, they just didn't work for me. In the end, I became better at testing and was able to pass all attempted exams.

[MA2]

If you know it's wrong then change it

[ryoder]

I go through as fast as I can and answer every question marking the ones I am not 100% sure about.
Then at the end i click review, count the number I marked and if that number is <30% I just click submit test. I don't even review them.
This has worked great for me.

Second guessing answers can lead to problems. I also overstudy for all tests so that helps too.

[KyleH]

I always go back and check the ones I marked to decide for sure what to put, if I have time. I'm almost sure it helps me. The key is to know if it's a tossup to stick with your gut.

[dshlvrsn]

With these tests my goal is always to finish quickly because I will ruin my score if I overthink it. I think that I averaged around 40-45 minutes per exam. The only questions that I mark are computations or ones that are going to take more time. The only answers that I change are ones that another question explicitly gives the correct answer. I think it was on the Biology CLEP that it asked me to identify part of a plant and then four or five questions later had almost the same drawing with the parts identified.

Along those same lines I never try and judge my answer based on how I answered another question. This may sound strange but I devour a lot of information from many sources before an exam. A question that may seem to be asking the same may be accessing something in my head that I'm not aware of. I veiw the exams as "one answer at a time." Each source that I study hopefully gives me one more correct answer. So if two questions seem very similar or if they seem to be asking for the opposite I will not change a previous answer because of what I think is the right answer for the current question. I guess I figure that for these exams 50/50 is way better than 0 and slightly worse than 100. If it comes down to two or three questions I've not prepared enough...