Need Help Any Suggestions

sschlesinger

New Member
Hello all i'm getting ready to do all my testing for my PPL my problem is that I suck when it comes to testing (written and oral). Even though I know the stuff I have a problem or nervousness when it comes to testing its like I choke and fail. So even though I can take my written and PPL check ride and oral I'm just to nervous to do it. My instructor tells me just to do it and have some confidence but ever since highschool and college I just choke on test regardless of how well I know the subject.
 
Go see a counselor who deals with people with testing issues. Are you in school? There should be one there or someone in the Guidance office who can refer you to one.

I'm not joking and not trying to be sarcastic. This can be a real problem. Does the choking happen whenever you are under pressure or just in formal testing situations (IOW, would you be able to deal with a real emergency in an airplane? How will you react to ATC giving you a bunch of wired instructions?)
 
If you are just talking about the anxiety of taking a practical test, then join the club! Many people go through that! The only thing I can tell you is just really know your stuff, and when your CFI says your ready, just do it. Because being nervious will not make you forget! It will come out!
 
Go see a counselor who deals with people with testing issues. Are you in school? There should be one there or someone in the Guidance office who can refer you to one.

I'm not joking and not trying to be sarcastic. This can be a real problem. Does the choking happen whenever you are under pressure or just in formal testing situations (IOW, would you be able to deal with a real emergency in an airplane? How will you react to ATC giving you a bunch of wired instructions?)

Yes I'm in school (Cochise College Aviation program). When we are talking(instructor) and he's throwing questions that are on the written I answer them with no problems. I have taken a lot of prep written test and I always score low for some reason (barely passing 70-75 score).

My instructor says i'm the type that is a natural when it comes to handling the aircraft. As far as my radio procedures i've been doing it from day one no mic fright as far as emergency procedures those are not a problem.

Like I said I know the material just that I've always been a crap test taker.

Ohh and yes i'm going to the guidance office later today about this.
 
I tend to stress out during tests as well. Some things a checkairman told me that helped a bit: Try not to care if you fail. All failing means is you aren't quite ready yet. You're going to try to do your best anyways, so why spend the energy worrying?

The second thing he said was: Don't try to impress the checkairman, that usually backfires. Just do everything you normally do, your instructor shouldn't have signed you off if he/she didn't think you were going to pass.
 
Take some time to take a bunch of practice tests on AOPA website. You might start seeing the same questions repeated, just worded differently. I had the same problem when doing my PPL, but I took so many of those practice tests, I saw some of the same questions when I took the actual test. I finished in under an hour and scored in th 90's. As far as the oral goes, my examiner made it VERY conversational. And if you don't know an answer, it is okay to tell them "Let me look it up". So just have your FAR/AIM tabbed and next to you for quick reference. My examiner gave the oral as a series of scenarios.
Even being a nervous test taker (which was me all through college as well), you should do great!! :rawk:
 
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