Can you think of a time when you felt frustrated when things didn't go according to plan? When you believed that things should be different than they were? This type of thinking is a telltale sign of our very human penchant for obsessive thinking and over-control. Unfortunately, the more we try to manage our lives and control things beyond our control, the more we negatively impact our resiliency and ability to handle whatever arises.
An over-controller assumes that in most situations, there is a problem and that things should be different. When you feel fear about a situation or an outcome (like getting into college or doing well on the SAT) you’re likely experiencing some obsessive thinking and feel a sense of more certainty about your opinions on reality— either wildly inflating or deflating possible outcomes scenarios. I should do well, I prepared so much. I should get a 14XX score this time, at least 30 points better. I should be able to get into X college, they got in last year. This "should" mentality is a barrier to accepting reality, as it argues with what is happening or what could happen. You are, in essence, trying to create your own reality!