my kid had to pee entire test, scored 150 points better. took his mind off the worrying - crazy lol

The best thing out there to reduce test anxiety is the reality that you can apply Test Optional to many wonderful colleges.

The real admissions anxiety is in the kids with super high test scores at gpa deflating high schools.

the blue book practice tests are harder at the end (tests 456) than the beginning ones (123). So she may be getting worse scores and doing better on the material.

OP here. DC really doesn’t know what’s causing it. They claim to feel calm and confident before each test but the score just keeps going down.

Does he actually feel anxious? Heart racing, feelings of panic, etc?

Or is it just that his scores are not matching his practice scores?

I ask because the last two digital SAT tests (Aug and Oct) have been pretty hard tests. I don't know many kids who have done well on them. Most kids who took summer and spring tests did much better on those administrations.

It’s probably a little late to start exploring mindfulness and calming techniques in time to figure what resonates best with your kid and get them down to a routine by Saturday, but for the long-term it’s worth exploring.

Why is it getting worse? My DC has the same test anxiety, but taking it multiple times reduces the anxiety each time.

Is it because they don't like the score from the first two tests? I guess that would make them feel like the third test is their last chance.

I would just focus on the top score and keep the college admissions realistic.

DC will be taking the SAT for the 3rd time on Saturday (their choice, no parental persuasion here). The issue is their practice test and real tests scores are getting worse each time, despite more practice, tutoring, and Princeton Review. DC has diagnosed anxiety but it’s not considered bad enough for meds.

What can DC do to reduce this text anxiety? I’m looking for specific tips and tricks. Therapy hasn’t helped.