Failed my first exam

[Substrata]

I failed my first exam in my Statistics course (doing my MS in statistics so this is supposed to be an intro core course). Thankfully, My professor drops the lowest test grade, so I know the grade won't really hurt me. What's hurting more right now is my self-confidence. I've been dealing with a lot of anxiety since graduate school has started (feelings of inadequacy, Imposter syndrome...the good stuff), so this feels like it's just confirming my fears that I am not smart enough to be here. How do I bounce back?

Anybody else fail their first exams in grad school? How did you cope? 
 

[Hope.for.the.best]

It is easy to fall for your feelings and believe that they are true. Would failing one exam be sufficient to conclude that you are not smart enough for grad school? As you may aware, one exam is considered n = 1, and you need more independent observations to draw a conclusion.  

The way to get out of this is to objectively evaluate the situation. Were you the only student who failed? Based on the fact that your professor dropped the lowest test grade, it may mean a lot of students failed as well. Of course, that is not to say you should ignore the exam. Try to reflect on why you could not pass - was it because you did not understand the topic thoroughly? Was it because you crammed your study the night before the exam? If you are stuck, it is always a good idea to consult your professor how you can improve. Finding out the reason why you did not do well is key to perform well in future exams. 

It is perfectly okay though to feel upset about the exam result, but set yourself a time limit to this, e.g. a couple of days. After that, you should divert your focus to your studies. 

It may sound like I have not said anything useful, but that was how I coped with unsatisfactory exam results. Hope that helps you. 

[bibliophile222]

I always try to look at the first paper, exam, etc. of the semester as a way to figure out the professor's teaching style and what they're looking for. What do they really want you to pay attention to, and how do they want you to learn it? In subsequent assignments I tailor my style to match theirs, paying extra attention to the things they're nitpicky about. Did your prof use a particular style for the exam? Were some topics stressed more than others? Were questions worded a certain way? If you can identify patterns then other exams might be easier.

Edited September 21, 2018 by bibliophile222

[iwearflowers]

It’s not uncommon to find that the systems and strategies that worked for you in undergrad don’t translate well to graduate school. Consider looking into your school’s student services and see if there is someone you can talk to about study strategies.