Test Anxiety is a common culprit behind poor test performance. A recent Article in Scientific American's Mind Magazine pointed to experimental evidence that the brain center for anxiety occurs in the same location as high cognitive processing. Consequently, when you feel stressed, you are actually less intelligent. Here are some things you can do to eliminate test anxiety.

1. Believe in yourself and think positively- Anxiety is a self fulfilling prophecy that will snow ball if you expect to do poorly or envision bad things happening on the day of the test. Believe in yourself and visualize yourself acing the test!  If you need help thinking positively watch this scene from Happy Gilmore.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/24395/happy-gilmore-send-the-ball-home

2. Prepare early and often- Being prepared gives you greater confidence and removes self-doubt. Try to start preparing at least 8 weeks before your SAT and make sure to try and study for 15 minutes a day rather than a few large study sessions close to the test.

3. Manage your time - Make sure you are not rushed at the end of sections by skipping an occasional question and by keeping a pace that will allow you to attempt all the questions in a section. Do not put yourself in a position where you have to complete the final 4 or 5 questions in a few minutes. You will be much more comfortable using the last few minutes to go back and look at the few questions you initially skipped.

4. Eat well- A proper diet can help keep you in the right state of mind, and in some cases can actually improve your brain chemistry. Check out what the Mayo Clinic has to say about diet and anxiety.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coping-with-anxiety/AN01589   

5. Maintain a consistent sleep regiment- While most students understand the importance of a good night's sleep, not many understand the importance of a consistent sleep regiment during the week of the test. Try your best to maintain a consistent sleep schedule during the week of the test and make sure to get a good night's sleep TWO NIGHTS BEFORE THE TEST. Read what a doctor had to say about sleep.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2263964_sleep-before-test.html

6. Relax and improve your recall with music- A trick that served me well before my SAT in addition to the many finals I took in college was to listen to uplifting music while I was preparing and immediately before tests. You will be amazed at how the last song you listen to in the car will stay with you through the entire test. It can help you stay calm and may even help jog your memory. Neurological evidence has proven that listening to classical music such as Mozart can even raise your IQ.  If you're not a big classical music fan, check out the soundtracks for Last of the Mohicans and Jurassic Park.  Go to itunes.com now and download a SAT study CD

http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/?ref=http://itunes.com

7. Avoid unnecessary stress- The last thing you need is extra stress on the day of your SAT. Make sure you know how to get to your test site and arrive early so that you don't feel rushed during the check in process. Additionally, fight the urge to sit next to your friends. People have a tendency to internalize the stress of those around them and you don't want to be looking over at a friend every time he or she sighs in frustration.

8. Exercise regularly- Studies have proven that exercise reduces stress and helps you get higher quality sleep. Try to get a good workout in on the Thursday and Friday before your test; you will fall asleep sooner and sleep deeper.

9. Warm up your brain- Don't expect your brain to wake up the moment you open up your test booklet. Wake up early enough so that you have time to shower and to eat breakfast. Also try to spend a few minutes reading a novel or the newspaper to warm up your brain; play Sudoku or do a crossword puzzle but don't do any new SAT problems.