A good PSAT prep book not only gets students ready for the test, but having a study plan may decrease test anxiety as well.

Key points Test anxiety is not about the test. It's your reaction to the test. Tension, self-doubt, and distraction are all forms of disconnection, which will bring down your score.

To minimize test anxiety, Shanks advises that practice tests be low stakes, either ungraded or ones that students can retake multiple times. He also suggests gamified quizzes to make tests more fun ...

Preparing and taking the SAT or ACT can be stressful for students — especially if they don't know where to start — so it's important for there to be a caring adult in their corner to help them ...

The test-optional admissions, like the University of Missouri has, can help some students, Aggarwal said. "Some universities are saying it's not a requirement anymore," Aggarwal said.

Counselors work with students throughout the year to help build skills to cope with stress, including test anxiety. The tests are just one measure of learning, Rios said.

Test anxiety is real for some people and it can work against their performance. Part of the equation is how well they know the material, or how well prepared they are to take the test.

Key points Test anxiety is not about the test. It's your reaction to the test. Tension, self-doubt, and distraction are all forms of disconnection, which will bring down your score.