Beyond Language Ability: The Omnipresent Test Anxiety in Tertiary EFL Preparatory Schools

High-stakes testing environments frequently triggers test anxiety, a well-acknowledged phenomenon significantly influencing foreign language acquisition. While this has been studied globally in recent years, there is limited research investigating how test anxiety interacts with specific learner variables in Turkish preparatory schools. This study explores the nature of test anxiety, including its triggers and consequences, among Turkish EFL learners at higher education. To achieve this, a concurrent mixed-methods design was adopted, and 391 EFL learners at a preparatory school of a university in Turkey completed the Test Anxiety Scale (Sarason, 1984) along with four open-ended questions, investigating the sources, effects, and coping strategies. Descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Quantitative results indicate that Turkish EFL learners exhibit moderate levels of anxiety, with female students experiencing higher anxiety compared to male students. Four major themes were discovered, revealing that fear of failure, family pressure, and concerns about future academic careers were among the major causes of test anxiety. This research underscores the importance of developing new methods to deal with test anxiety by suggesting a paradigm shift towards a system which supports more alternative assessment methods, such as portfolios and projects.