Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety in College Applicants: Strategies for Counselors

For many students, the college application process is a stressful experience filled with high expectations and overwhelming pressure. As a counselor, you may notice even the most capable students struggle with common anxiety-related behaviors like stumbling through test prep, freezing up while taking exams, or having difficulty conveying their true selves in essays or interviews. These experiences are more than nervous quirks; they’re often rooted in the broader issue of performance anxiety, which affects a student’s ability to thrive and succeed. The good news is no matter how severe, it can be a quick and long-lasting fix!

Identifying signs of anxiety in students is the first step in supporting them effectively. Common symptoms include procrastination and avoidance, where students delay tasks or avoid discussions around applications due to underlying fears. Perfectionism is also prevalent, leading some students to burn out as they strive to get everything “just right.” Listen for self-doubt and negative self-talk—comments like “I’ll never get in,” “I’m not a good test taker” reveal insecurities that could stem from high expectations or earlier unresolved experiences. Physical symptoms such as sleep or digestive issues, headaches, and fatigue may be linked to stress, and even rushed or slowed-down thinking can be triggered in high-pressure situations. All these symptoms can negatively impact focus and performance.

The statistics also support this growing concern: nearly 60% of high school students report feeling stressed about college admissions, and 30% experience symptoms of anxiety, with college-bound students particularly affected. And it’s only gotten worse since the pandemic! Excessive anxiety, unlike excitement-driven motivation, usually undermines performance by impairing memory recall, cognitive function, and focus—all essential for success in test-taking and the application process.

As counselors, you can help students manage their anxiety by suggesting practical strategies:

  • Encourage Self-Care: Emphasize the importance of sleep, nutrition, exercise, downtime, and socializing with friends. Even small adjustments can help students maintain a balanced mindset.
  • Teach Grounding Techniques: Breathing exercises like the “4-7-8” technique (inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight) or Heart Math’s ‘heart breathing’ offer quick in the moment relief.
  • Incorporate Mindfulness Practices: Apps like Calm or Headspace introduce students to meditation and mindfulness for stress management over time.
  • Leverage Visualization and Sound Therapy: Visualization exercises can help students imagine successful outcomes while calming music or binaural beats can provide relaxation.

Whether a student has light grade jitters or full-blown panic attacks, by working with an experienced coach can empower students with tools to refocus on positive outcomes. Holistic and mindful methods like EFT/Tapping, Neuro-linguistic programming, hypnosis, EMDR, growth mindset, and other cognitive behavioral therapy tools provide effective and enduring results, quickly getting the student out of their own way. By proactively addressing these issues, students become better equipped to face the application and test-taking process with confidence, resilience, focus, and gain tools for life.

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Bara Sapir, MA, Cht, CNLP is CEO of City Test Prep and MindFlow Speed Reading. She is a master coach helping students achieve peak performance in school, on tests, and in life.  Send questions to:bara@citytestprep.com or call the office at 646-290-7440.