A photo of Mira Hu, 16, who police say ran away over anxiety related to the SAT test. Photo coutesy of Arcadia Police Department

LOS ANGELES, June 7 (UPI) -- A 16-year-old Los Angeles-area girl ran away from home because she became overwhelmed with school and the SAT, police say.

Mira Hu went missing after being dropped off at Arcadia High School on Saturday to take the SAT, the standardized college entrance exam.


According to the Arcadia Police Department, Hu messaged her brother saying she planned to run away because of anxiety over the test and schoolwork.

Police are looking for Hu, a 5-foot-3 San Marino native who was last seen wearing black clothing and a navy blue backpack. Officers believe she may be traveling to northern or central portions of the state.

The American Test Anxieties Association estimates about 16 to 20 percent of students have high test anxiety, while 18 percent suffer from moderately high test anxiety, "making this the most prevalent scholastic impairment in our schools today."