Anxiety Experience and Coping Strategies of Students Facing Test-Based University Entrance Exams: A Phenomenological Study

Anxiety when facing university entrance selection remains a persistent issue in Indonesia, even as the selection scheme has changed name from SBMPTN to UTBK-SNBT and undergone several structural revisions. Most existing studies rely on quantitative-correlational designs and tend to focus on prospective test-takers, leaving the lived experience of those who have already passed through the process underexplored. This study aimed to understand university students' experiences of anxiety when facing test-based university entrance exams and the coping strategies they used to manage it. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, with data analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five informants who had previously taken the exam were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed using a semi-structured, in-depth approach. Findings revealed that anxiety stemmed primarily from fear of failure linked to the absence of alternative plans, alongside negative self-evaluation of preparedness, further shaped by contextual factors such as access to learning facilities. To manage this anxiety, informants combined problem-focused strategies, such as additional study efforts, with emotion-focused and social strategies, such as cognitive reframing and peer support. These findings enrich phenomenological understanding of entrance-exam anxiety and remain relevant for current UTBK-SNBT test-takers.