It is admission test season again. Coaching centres in Farmgate are packed from morning to night, mock test results are posted on Facebook groups, and every relative seems to ask the same question: where are you trying, DU, BUET or medical?
If your heart races when you open a question bank, if you cannot sleep before a mock test, or if you sit in the exam hall and your mind goes blank, you are dealing with exam anxiety. You are far from alone, and there are concrete things that help, for students and for parents.
Key points
- Some anxiety before an admission test is normal; too much can block memory and focus.
- Steady sleep in the weeks before the test matters more than one night’s sleep.
- Practice testing and spaced revision work better than rereading and highlighting.
- Parents help most by lowering pressure, not adding motivation speeches.
Why do admission tests feel so overwhelming?
In Bangladesh, a single morning can seem to decide a whole future. Seats are few, competition is fierce, and families often invest a lot in coaching, hostel rent in Dhaka and second time attempts. Students tell themselves that everything rides on one paper.
Research confirms that the high stakes nature of a test is linked to higher anxiety, and that test anxiety is related to lower scores on standardized tests and university entrance exams (von der Embse and colleagues, 2018). In other words, anxiety is not just unpleasant. Too much of it can take marks away from a well prepared student.
What are the signs of exam anxiety?
- Body: racing heart, sweating, stomach upset, headache, shaking hands.
- Thoughts: I will fail, everyone else is ahead, I have forgotten everything.
- Behaviour: avoiding study, endless scrolling, or studying all night without real focus.
- In the hall: blanking on questions you knew yesterday, or rushing and making careless errors.
- Sleep and appetite: trouble falling asleep, waking early, eating too little or too much.
Practical steps for students this week
Study smarter, not longer
A major review of learning techniques found that practice testing and spreading revision over time are among the most effective methods, while rereading and highlighting help much less (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013). So close the guide book and test yourself. Do timed MCQ sets, mark them, and revise only what you got wrong.
Protect your sleep
Many students in coaching hostels sleep at 3 AM. A study of university students found that better sleep quality, duration and consistency over the month and week before a test was linked to better grades, while sleep on the single night before was not (Okano and colleagues, 2019). Pick a fixed bedtime now, not the night before the exam.
Write your worries down
In one classroom study, students who spent a few minutes writing about their worries just before an important exam scored better, especially those who were usually anxious about tests (Ramirez and Beilock, 2011). Newer research is less positive, as the box below explains, so treat this as an optional extra, not your main plan.
Calm the body
Slow breathing helps: in for four counts, out for six, for two minutes. Do it before you enter the hall and whenever your mind blanks.
Plan for both outcomes
Write down a realistic plan B. A second time attempt, a national university college, a private university or a different subject. Knowing that one test does not decide your entire life lowers the pressure, and lower pressure tends to improve performance.
What new research shows
A 2025 meta-analysis pooled 21 studies with 1,457 students to test whether a single session of writing about worries just before a test really helps. It found almost no effect on anxiety and only a tiny, uncertain effect on scores (O’Meara and Lovett, 2025). Writing is not harmful, but it is not a reliable fix on its own, and the authors note that other approaches have stronger evidence. So put your energy into practice testing, steady sleep and, if anxiety is severe, structured help.
What should parents say, and not say?
Parents in Bangladesh love fiercely and sacrifice a lot. Sometimes that love comes out as pressure.
Try to avoid: comparing with cousins or neighbours, saying we spent so much money on coaching, talking about the test at every meal, or predicting failure.
Try instead: I am proud of how hard you are working. Whatever the result, we will figure out the next step together. Make sure your child eats, sleeps and takes short breaks. Keep the house calm in the final weeks.
Here is a composite example, with details changed for privacy. A 17 year old girl from Rajshahi was preparing for medical admission while living with an aunt in Dhaka. She studied 14 hours a day, slept four, and started crying during mock tests. Her parents called every night to ask about her mock rank. In our sessions she switched to timed practice tests and a fixed bedtime, and we held one joint call with her parents, who agreed to ask how she was, not where she ranked. Her mock scores became steadier, and more importantly, she began to sleep again.
When to see a psychologist
Seek help if anxiety stops you from studying for days at a time, if panic attacks happen in mock tests, if you are not eating or sleeping, or if a disappointing result leaves you feeling hopeless. Young people often hold back from asking for help because of embarrassment or a wish to cope alone (Gulliver and colleagues, 2010), but early support is easier than waiting until the week of the test. CBT can teach practical skills for exam anxiety. Read more about anxiety treatment in Dhaka or about panic attacks if your symptoms feel sudden and intense.
If you or your child ever feels unsafe or talks about not wanting to live, please call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department right away. Kaan Pete Roi also offers emotional support through kaanpeteroi.org. No exam result is worth a life, and there is always another path.
How I can help
For students living in hostels or messes, online sessions fit around coaching hours, and parents can join a session if that helps. I see clients online 7 days a week by private video call, anywhere in Bangladesh and abroad, and in person at my chamber in Farmgate, Dhaka, on Friday and Saturday from 3 PM to 9 PM. Sessions last 45 to 50 minutes, in Bangla or English, and we fix the exact time on WhatsApp +8801929446548. If medication or a medical check is needed, a psychiatrist works in the same building.
Common questions
How can I calm exam anxiety before an admission test?
Practice slow breathing, in for four counts and out for six, for a few minutes before the test. Do timed practice sets so the format feels familiar. Keep a regular sleep schedule in the weeks before, eat a light meal, and arrive early. Remind yourself that some nervousness is normal and can even sharpen focus.
Is it better to study all night before the exam?
Usually not. Research with university students links good, consistent sleep over the weeks before a test with better grades. Studying all night tends to hurt memory and concentration. Revise using short practice tests in the final days, then sleep at your normal time so your brain can store and recall what you learned.
How can parents help a child with exam anxiety?
Lower the pressure rather than adding to it. Avoid comparisons, money reminders and constant talk about results. Make sure your child sleeps, eats and takes breaks. Tell them you are proud of their effort and that you will plan the next step together whatever happens. Seek professional help if distress becomes severe.
What if I fail the admission test?
A disappointing result is painful but not the end of your options. Many students succeed through a second attempt, a different university, college or subject. Give yourself time to feel upset, then sit with someone you trust to plan the next step. If you feel hopeless for more than a few days, please talk to a professional.
সংক্ষেপে বাংলায়
ভর্তি পরীক্ষার মৌসুমে কোচিং, মক টেস্ট আর আত্মীয়দের প্রশ্নে অনেক শিক্ষার্থী প্রচণ্ড চাপে থাকে। বুক ধড়ফড়, ঘুম না হওয়া, পরীক্ষার হলে সব ভুলে যাওয়া, এগুলো পরীক্ষাভীতি বা এক্সাম অ্যাংজাইটির লক্ষণ। অল্প দুশ্চিন্তা স্বাভাবিক, কিন্তু বেশি হলে জানা উত্তরও মনে পড়ে না। মনে রাখবেন, একটি পরীক্ষাই পুরো জীবন ঠিক করে না, দ্বিতীয়বার চেষ্টা বা অন্য বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়েও ভালো ভবিষ্যৎ গড়া যায়।
বারবার বই পড়ার চেয়ে নিজেকে টেস্ট করা আর সময় ভাগ করে রিভিশন বেশি কাজে দেয়। পরীক্ষার আগের কয়েক সপ্তাহ নিয়মিত ঘুম খুব জরুরি। হলে ঢোকার আগে কয়েক মিনিট ধীরে ধীরে শ্বাস নিন। অভিভাবকরা তুলনা বা টাকার খোঁটা না দিয়ে বলুন, ফল যাই হোক, আমরা একসাথে পরের পথ ঠিক করব। বাসায় শান্ত পরিবেশ রাখুন, সন্তান ঠিকমতো খাচ্ছে আর ঘুমাচ্ছে কিনা খেয়াল রাখুন। দুশ্চিন্তা পড়াশোনা বা ঘুম নষ্ট করলে সাইকোলজিস্টের সাহায্য নিন। জরুরি বিপদে ৯৯৯ এ কল করুন।
References
- von der Embse N, Jester D, Roy D, Post J (2018). Test anxiety effects, predictors, and correlates: a 30-year meta-analytic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 227, 483 to 493. Link
- Dunlosky J, et al. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4 to 58. Link
- Okano K, et al. (2019). Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. NPJ Science of Learning, 4, 16. Link
- Ramirez G, Beilock SL (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science, 331(6014), 211 to 213. Link
- Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H (2010). Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry, 10, 113. Link
- O’Meara P, Lovett BJ (2025). Single-session expressive writing interventions for test anxiety: a meta-analysis. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 39(1), 21 to 34. Link
Written and reviewed by Psychologist Alal. This article is for information and does not replace a personal assessment.