College exams are also one of the most integral parts of this phase which brings in a lot of stress in students. Let us look at what causes stress in students who appear for college exams: Lack of preparation and planning. One of the most important factors that cause exam stress is lack of preparation and planning. It is generally observed that students start their preparation for exams as soon as they get their exam time table. They then realise that they do not have much time for preparation as the syllabus is vast.