Abstract: The research presented in this study is based on a randomized pretest posttest control group design to determine the relationship between a random group of students who are treated with Rational Stage Directed Hypnosis, and a control group which did not receive any treatment. The Rational Stage Directed Hypnosis treatment was designed specifically to relieve anxiety related to taking a formal test. The population for this study were students from Texas A&M-Kingsville who were enrolled in senior level education courses, and who were scheduled to take the Examination for Certification of Educators in Texas on November 19, 1994. The experimental and control groups were randomly selected from the population and were voluntary participants. All students were pretested and posttested utilizing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The treatment for the experimental group was in the form of three scripted treatments of Rational Stage Directed Hypnosis, which is a form of neurolinguistic programming. This therapeutic treatment of hypnosis was administered by a licensed counselor certified by the American Hypnotherapy Council. The students were also instructed in the use of self-hypnotic relaxation techniques. This process insured both empowerment and a sense of control on the part of the participants. After the treatment process the results of the pretest, posttest, and ExCET Exam mean scores were compared utilizing an analysis of variance and a t-test for equality of means. The significance of the results were tested at the.05 level of significance. There was a significant difference in the posttest anxiety levels in both the state and trait anxiety subtests. Although there was a difference in percent passing between the experimental and control groups on the ExCET Exam, the difference in the mean scores were not significant. The experimental group demonstrated a difference in long term (trait) anxiety and short term (state) anxiety between the pretest and posttest. The contr (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).