About the Author:  Dr. Tram Huynh PhD is a Johns Hopkins and Yale-trained clinical psychologist, currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She founded Prep4mance, a program dedicated to helping youth overcome test anxiety and empowering families to support their children in reaching their full potential. 

The views expressed in this guest post are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Art of Problem Solving.

Your Child Knows the Math — So Why Do They Struggle On Tests?

Many parents have experienced the same confusing situation.

Your child understands the math.
They solve challenging problems at home.
They can explain their reasoning clearly.

But when a test arrives, something changes.

They rush.
They freeze.
They make mistakes on problems they know how to solve.

After the test they say something that many parents recognize:

“I knew how to do it… I just blanked out.”

When this happens, parents often assume the issue is more practice or more studying. But in many cases, the problem is not learning the material. It’s something different.

The Gap Between Math Knowledge and Test Performance

It’s a performance gap.

In other words, there is a difference between what a student knows and what they are able to show under pressure.

This gap is surprisingly common, especially among strong students who enjoy math and regularly tackle challenging problems. Families in communities like Art of Problem Solving often see it firsthand: a student who performs brilliantly in practice may struggle during timed exams or competitions.

So, what’s happening?

What Brain Science Reveals About Math Test Anxiety

Research in cognitive science provides an important clue. Psychologist Sian Beilock, author of the book Choke, has studied why capable students sometimes perform worse under pressure. Her research shows that pressure affects how the brain uses working memory, the mental workspace we rely on when solving complex problems.

Working memory is like a mental scratchpad. When students solve math problems, they use it to hold numbers, track intermediate steps, test strategies, and keep their reasoning organized.

But during a high-pressure test, that mental scratchpad becomes crowded.

Instead of holding only the math steps, it may also contain thoughts like:

• “What if I get this wrong?”
• “Everyone else seems to be finishing.”
• “I should know this.”

These thoughts consume valuable cognitive resources. As a result, even students who understand the material may struggle to access their knowledge efficiently in the moment.

Why High-Achieving Math Students Are Often Most Vulnerable to Test Pressure

Interestingly, strong students can be especially vulnerable to this effect. Many high-achieving learners rely heavily on careful, step-by-step reasoning that uses working memory. When pressure disrupts that system, performance can drop suddenly and unexpectedly.

This is why some students seem to “freeze” during tests.

Research-Backed Strategies to Help Your Child Perform Under Pressure

The encouraging news is that performance under pressure can be improved. Just as athletes train for competition, students can learn strategies that help them perform more effectively during exams, timed assessments, and math contests.

In fact, several research-supported approaches can make a meaningful difference. These include:

Practicing under realistic conditions.
Most students practice math in relaxed environments. Occasionally simulating timed tests helps students become more comfortable working under pressure.

Reducing cognitive interference before a test.
Studies have shown that brief “expressive writing” exercises—simply writing down worries for a few minutes before an exam—can reduce anxiety and free up working memory.

Building automatic skills.
When certain mathematical processes become automatic, they require less mental effort. This frees working memory for more complex reasoning during a test.

Strengthening retrieval.
Re-solving problems from memory, rather than just reviewing solutions, helps students practice recalling strategies quickly when they need them.

For many students, small adjustments like these can significantly improve test performance.

Of course, every child is different. In some cases, persistent difficulties with performance may be connected to broader factors such as anxiety, attention differences, or working memory challenges. Understanding the underlying cause is an important step in finding the right support.

If you'd like to explore this further — including practical strategies tailored to strong math students — we'd love to have you join us. 

Register for Our Live, Free Webinar:

The Performance Gap: Bridging Your Child’s Achievement and Ability

If you have ever wondered why a capable math student might struggle to show what they know on a test, this topic may be particularly relevant for your family.

In this upcoming webinar, we will explore:

• Why strong math students sometimes underperform during tests
• What research reveals about the “performance gap”
• How pressure affects working memory and problem solving
• Practical strategies parents can use to help children perform under pressure

The goal is to help parents better understand the difference between learning math and performing math, and to provide tools that can help students bridge that gap.

If your child has ever said, “I knew the answer, but I blanked out,” this conversation may offer helpful insights.

For more information about Prep4mance, visit www.prep4mance.com