Question about any test anxiety during exam (and shaken confidence)

So, even though halfway through the test I basically accepted I was not going to pass and began "mailing it in", I came VERY close to passing (as far as a base score goes). My biggest problem was not the material (although I considered it a very challenging test), but it seemed like I was my own worst enemey on this test. I had the worst case of test anxiety :wacko: during the exam. During the first 1.5 hrs in the am and first 2 hrs in afternoon, my mind seemed blank (I remember having trouble calculating the area of a 10" pipe). Even problems I had worked just a couple of days before without issue, I could NOT figure out where to begin. It was like my mind was INCAPABLE OF REASONING. After a couple hours, I somewhat settled down but I believe the damage was done because I was essentially working with about 50% of my cognitive reasoning during half of the exam.

I took the practice NCEES test in a simulated environment (except I was listening to on very low volume), I scored in the high 70s (and this was at the halfway point of my studying). I considered this test to be a good representation of the actual test.

Guess my question is does anybody else have this issue with TEST ANXIETY and how do you overcome it??? I need something tangible to blame my not passing the test and would love to identify a way to get past it for the next time around.

Also, this stupid test has me doubting my own intelligence as an engineer. In my opinion, intellectual confidence is very important as an engineer and as an engineer who got a BS and MS, I always had that feeling that maybe I was a little smarter than the next guy and my opinion as an engineer carried a bit more weight because of other perceive our profession as "highly intelligent" or NERDY . I would analogize it to a surgeon. People always comment on surgeons that they are cocky. I believe it is not so much cockiness, just highly confident because if they lose that, they lose their edge and people suffer. Same with our esteemed profession. Well, my confidence has just gotten knocked on it's @#$. I know one 8 hr exam does not quantify intelligence, but it sure feels like that in this case. I would really appreciate some 2nd time success stories to remove this SELF-DOUBT.

First of all, don't let failing this exam knock your confidence as an engineer. I know several people, as well as myself, who have taken the exam multiple times that I would consider to be intelligent and very competent engineers. Two project managers at my former company took it twice, one former coworker just passed on the fourth attempt. I just passed on my third attempt. In my opinion, this exam does not measure your competence as it is completely not how engineering is done.

As far as the anxiety, I'm not sure I can help. This past exam, I breezed through the AM section and then panicked in the PM section after getting hung up on the first problem. I honestly thought I did bad enough on the PM to tank the whole test. The only thing I think helped me this time around was that my prep consisted solely of solving problems, because that's what this exam boils down to. I didn't review any concepts or theories. I worked 3-5 problems a day over about 3 months, not worrying about any time limits. I think this allowed me to be familiar with my reference material and eliminate those that I didn't need. I took Civil (Water Resources and Env.). Hope this helps.

TOTPH20,

Your experience sounds exactly like mine the first time I took the PE Exam. I passed on the second try and here's some tips I can give you what helped me. First, it's inevitable you're going to dwell on the exam results for a little while and that's ok. Take several weeks off to get your mind clear and ready for the next study period. Go to the beach, exercise, hang out with friends, whatever it takes to get your mind of the exam for a few weeks.

Preparation:

Take a look at how you studied for the exam and find ways you can improve. First I believe studying with a good study partner helps. So I found someone who was taking the PE this time and we went through battle all the way and both succeeded. My mistake preparing for the first exam was not doing enough problems on my own under a timed environment. I would do problems watching TV or listening to music....bad idea. You need to get yourself use to being under pressure and soon it will come like second nature. The night before the second time taking the exam, I got no sleep. I was tired and thought I just blew my chances of passing but a shot of 5-hour energy got me up again. So be sure to develop a good sleeping schedule the week before the exam, a good nights rest is priceless before the exam

Test Day:

I took the Transportation Depth and during the morning and hunted those problems first. And like you, I had a slight anxiety/nervousness feeling which went away after I was done with Transportation Section. Then I went on my second best subject, Water, then Geo, Construction, and finally Structural. I had a plan of attack and followed that no matter what. I finished about 2 hours in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon. I attempted the questions I skipped and if I couldn't answer them in several minutes and placed an educated guess and moved on. I double checked all the questions (this is important as you might miss an easy question instead of spending all your time on a hard question which you most likely end up guessing.)

And remember, keep your head up, study hard, and demolish the October Exam

So, even though halfway through the test I basically accepted I was not going to pass and began "mailing it in"

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With that kind of attitude, it's going to be very tough to pass it in general. My suggestion is to work on that first. Make the most of the experience, work on your weaker subject, and try again in October.

i didn't really struggle with test anxiety my first time but did have issues with time management and some other things. what really helped me to jump start my brain when i first got the test open was to just attack the easy ones and work groups of similar problems. nothing says you have to work them in order. my confidence after failing the first time was shaken and when i came out the second time i really had my doubts but I passed. you can do it.

TOTPH20,

I have had to deal with the same anxiety issue may self, maybe not as bad as you, but no the less here are a few things I have done for other open book and notes test and for the PE exam. It takes a little longer to prep but it is helped me over come the deer in the head lights look when I open the test booklet and start reading the questions.

1. For every problem you work, note it at the top of the page (Trans Hor Curve, WR Closed or Open, Const earthwork...) and place it in the section it goes with. Const, Trans, WR, PM section and so on.

2. For every problem make sure you have the full problem and ans. on 1 page.

3. Highlight or underline numbers, key words, and the main question in each problem. This allows you to look through your problems fast to find something to compare to the problem on the exam.

4. This part takes a little bit, but it works. Right below the problem list on the numbers and units you are going to use to solve the problem and list and highlight the units the ans. should be in.

5. Once you start working the problem list each step in order. 1. First Calc and equation used 2. Second Calc and equation used and so on until you reach your ans. While it does take longer it allows you a quick reference for how to solve the problem and all the equations used.

On my notes and practice problems I took to the exam, I wrote every equation I used so it was on every page. I didn't want to look at a problem I worked and then have to waste time looking up the equations or units I used to solve it.

Hope this helps.

Sorry for the grammer, I posted before proof reading.

I have had to deal with the same anxiety issue myself, maybe not as bad as you, but none the less here are a few things I have done for other open book and notes test and for the PE exam. It takes a little longer to prep but it has helped me over come the deer in the head lights look when I open the test booklet and start reading the questions.

1. For every problem you work, note it at the top of the page (Trans Hor Curve, WR Closed or Open, Const earthwork...) and place it in the section it goes with. Const, Trans, WR, PM section and so on.

2. For every problem make sure you have the full problem and ans. on 1 page.

3. Highlight or underline numbers, key words, and the main question in each problem. This allows you to look through your problems fast, to find something to compare to the problem on the exam.

4. This part takes a little bit, but it works. Right below the problem list all the numbers and units you are going to use to solve the problem and list and highlight the units the ans. should be in.

5. Once you start working the problem list each step in order. 1. First Calc and equation used 2. Second Calc and equation used and so on until you reach your ans. While it does take longer it allows you a quick reference for how to solve the problem and all the equations used.

On my notes and practice problems I took to the exam, I wrote every equation I used so it was on every page. I didn't want to look at a problem I worked and then have to waste time looking up the equations or units I used to solve it.

Hope this helps.

I have the same problem with test anxiety. I found out I did not pass this time. Thank you for the advice for prep. I will try those approaches for the next exam in October.

Does anyone else have any advice to avoid "wasting" time worried about the problems and test?

I was extremely anxious the night before, but managed to calm myself down. I told myself that there's nothing else I can do at this point, that it's only a test and I can retake it next time, and that I've been preparing and studying the material so as long as I can identify it I can solve it. It was helpful that the first few questions I got were ones that I knew how to solve. If they weren't my plan was to skip until I got to a question I did know to get the ball rolling. If reading through the question I felt it might trip me up some I skipped it and came back to it later. I ended up only skipping a few and had ample time to really figure them out.

My heart was beating a bit faster as I broke the seal on the test booklet, but I took a deep breath and told myself I can do it. It seems simple, but just taking a minute to breath really helped calm me down.