Most of us have felt anxiety at some point in our lives, and it often pops up in high-pressure situations: public speaking, a job interview, finding a parking spot when your flight leaves in less than an hour. Surely a high-stakes exam is a normal thing to cause some nerves, right?

While it’s true that many people will feel nervous about sitting down to take the SAT or ACT, I’m not talking about just butterflies on testing day. Clinical anxiety is an ongoing mental health disorder that takes many forms, including phobias, panic attacks, and PTSD. For those who experience it, anxiety can affect a wide range of daily activities — including learning and test taking.

And anxiety disorders among teens are on the rise. The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimates that nearly one third of adolescents have suffered from an anxiety disorder at some point between the ages of 13 and 18 — and that was before the pandemic. A recent study suggests that, globally, current rates of anxiety have doubled in teens since Covid-19 forced school shutdowns in 2020 and 2021.

So what happens when a student suffering from anxiety faces high-stakes tests like the SAT and ACT? Here’s what you need to know.

Get Professional Help 

It’s often difficult for parents to know when behavior changes from normal teenage angst to something more worrisome. If your child has become withdrawn or is having trouble participating in activities they used to enjoy, it might be time to dig a little deeper. Make sure you know the signs of anxiety in teens, and talk to your child about what you notice. If you or your child are concerned, talk to a pediatrician, school guidance counselor, or therapist. 

These professionals will be able to work with your child to get at the underlying causes of their anxious feelings and make a diagnosis, if appropriate. From there, your child can get help talking through their fears and working on strategies to cope with their physical and mental symptoms.

Request Accommodations

If your child has a diagnosis of clinical anxiety, you can ask the school for accommodations, which can include things like extra time on tests. Your guidance counselor can walk you through the process and help determine whether a 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the right solution for your child. 

It’s important to understand that school-based accommodations will not automatically qualify your child for accommodations on the SAT or ACT. To get accommodations on these tests, your child will need to apply directly to the College Board (for SAT and AP exams) or the ACT. The easiest way to do this is through your school’s SSD coordinator, who will submit paperwork directly to the College Board or ACT. This process is not always automatic, however, so be sure to make your request to the school in writing well ahead of your first target test date, as it can take up to seven weeks to process the request once it is received. 

There are several accommodations available for test takers who need it. For students with anxiety, the most common accommodation is extra time — typically 50% more than the standard test. Extra breaks may also be available.

Consider Your Testing Location

For many students with anxiety, testing in a familiar location — and ideally, with familiar proctors — can help alleviate some distress on the big day. If at all possible, take the SAT or ACT at your own school to take advantage of the comforts of a familiar home base. 

This may require advance planning to achieve, especially if your child’s school isn’t offering the SAT or ACT as often as they did pre-pandemic. Sign up for your test date early, and be flexible about timing to take advantage of a test date at your “home base.”

If your child can’t test at school, it’s even more important to register for the test as early as possible. Some test centers and schools are limited in the number of “extra time” seats they offer, so signing up early will help reduce the odds of you having to travel farther than anticipated. 

If you end up having to choose an unfamiliar testing location, call ahead of time to explain your situation and request a quick tour of the site. Seeing the location and having a chat about what to expect (where to park, what door to use, etc.) can go a long way to making your child more comfortable on the day of the test.

Practice!

For many people with anxiety, unfamiliar situations can be a major trigger. Fortunately, no one has to walk into an SAT or ACT test completely cold — that’s what practice tests are for! Your child can build up stamina by practicing sections of the test first, then working up to a full practice test over time. 

When it comes to practice tests, it’s best to take official versions of the SAT and ACT to get a real sense of the types of questions asked. You should also plan to use the appropriate test timing as well. Working with a tutor can be very helpful here, as we have access to many practice tests and can also help with strategies to approach the test more efficiently — which in turn reduces some of the pressure anxious students often feel. 

If your child suffers from anxiety, it doesn’t mean that a great SAT or ACT score is out of reach. With the right accommodations, careful planning, and thoughtful practice, your child can build both the mental and emotional skills to tackle these tests. We’re here to help every step of the way, so please get in touch to find out more about how professional, compassionate tutoring can make a difference for your child.