Although students like Karla Motta, a junior in sociology, suffer from minor symptoms of test anxiety, she says facilities such as free test anxiety workshops offered by the U's Counseling Center may be more beneficial to non-traditional students at the U.
Because Motta works as an adviser for the education opportunity program, which helps low-income, disabled and first-generation immigrant students, who she says generally suffer more from test anxiety.
"I see non-traditional students who suffer from test anxiety and stress all the time, a service such as the workshops are a necessity to help them cope," Motta said.
Counselors at the U's counseling center began helping students more than a year ago by offering the free test anxiety workshops every Thursday for an hour an a half.
"Students of different backgrounds and experiences come in to our workshops--on average, one person a week for help," said Edie Kochenour, director of the learning enhancement program for the center.
Students are given a list of questions that help them recognize why they suffer from test anxiety and what causes the stress and worry.
"Students under stress need to send themselves positive messages. Instead of saying they'll fail, they need to say that they will do their best despite how important or difficult the test may be," Kochenour said. "Most of the students who suffer from test anxiety are overachievers, they are good students, who although have studied long and hard, still become so nervous during tests that they will not do well."
Some students, although they feel the stress of major tests each semester, still say the workshops are not necessary.
"I think maybe the workshops would benefit freshman students, but more experienced students should have already adjusted to test taking in college classes," said Jill Haslam, an anthropology senior. "Most students I know get over the stress after a few college classes, and those who don't just feel that college isn't really for them."
Felissa Lee, a psychology major at the counseling center, says students need to realize that it's okay if they don't do well on a certain test.
"Students put too much pressure on themselves to perform well on a test. Sometimes competition with their classmates can add to the stress of test anxiety," Lee said.
Test anxiety workshops are offered every Thursday each Spring and Fall Semester from noon to 1:30 p.m.
czhang@chronicle.utah.edu
