“Behind the Scores”: A Qualitative Exploration of Mock Exam Experiences Among University Entrance Candidates

This qualitative study seeks to address how high school students preparing for the university entrance examination navigate their experiences during mock exams. The participants were 50 high school students. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which yielded six major themes: the subject that started at the beginning of the exam session, responses to challenging questions, environmental and internal distractions during the exam, emotional reactions when torn between two options, coping strategies under time pressure, and procedures related to optical form completion. Themes offered deeper insight into students’ stress responses, time management struggles, and decision-making processes during test-taking.