I just failed quals

[dat_nerd]

Well I failed part of it. I passed the oral exam, portfolio, and half of the written exam. I have to retake the other half of the written exam next year, and the committee said they're confident I'll do well enough next year. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't pass outright, and that I have to worry about all this again in a year from now.

 

I don't have anything particular to say, except that I hope it's some sort of consolation for others in the same boat. It's okay when this sort of stuff happens. We all fall down and it stings, but we've just got to pick ourselves up and try harder next time.

Edited April 6, 2015 by dat_nerd

[GeoDUDE!]

I feel like this happens pretty frequently too: people pass most of it but have to retake part of it.  I knew a couple people in my dept who had this happen. It sucks, but also no big deal if you respond appropriately. The 2nd time around should be easier. Good for you for not letting this beat you up too much. 

[rising_star]

That sucks but, as GeoDUDE! has pointed out, it's also fairly common. It's still demoralizing and depressing when it happens. Take a few days for some self-care, dat_nerd.

[dat_nerd]

I feel like this happens pretty frequently too: people pass most of it but have to retake part of it.  I knew a couple people in my dept who had this happen. It sucks, but also no big deal if you respond appropriately. The 2nd time around should be easier. Good for you for not letting this beat you up too much. 

 

 

That sucks but, as GeoDUDE! has pointed out, it's also fairly common. It's still demoralizing and depressing when it happens. Take a few days for some self-care, dat_nerd.

 Thanks guys I really appreciate it. I will be taking some time off, so hopefully that'll help me with thinking all this through.

[MoJingly]

Sorry to hear this!  It definitely happens.  At least you won't have to do the WHOLE thing next year.  And just think, now you really know what it will be like going into it, so you should be a little calmer at least! 

 

Rooting for you.  Remember that ice creams helps everything.

[TMP]

Same here.  Just the oral part of the exam.  My brain froze out at the second question of the entire exam-- I hadn't even considered comparing two historical events that were a century apart.  It was tough to recover but as a marathon runner, I was used to tripping and falling and just getting back up again and continue running for as long as I didn't need to call for the medics.

 

Committee offered other options for passing the second time, which was good.  But it sucks because it meant that I would have to turn down a great opportunity to participate in a workshop with some of my favorite scholars in the fall in favor of studying instead of writing over the summer. So, OP, yup, I feel your pain.  It's just one of those things you just WANT to get done and over with.

 

Failing exams can happen but it's not spoken much.  I did hear of a student failing a written exam a few years back (through word of mouth).  But there's a very strong conviction among my grad peers in my department that rarely does anyone ever fail.  So my case was... a shock.

[dat_nerd]

Committee offered other options for passing the second time, which was good.  But it sucks because it meant that I would have to turn down a great opportunity to participate in a workshop with some of my favorite scholars in the fall in favor of studying instead of writing over the summer. So, OP, yup, I feel your pain.  It's just one of those things you just WANT to get done and over with.

 

Failing exams can happen but it's not spoken much.  I did hear of a student failing a written exam a few years back (through word of mouth).  But there's a very strong conviction among my grad peers in my department that rarely does anyone ever fail.  So my case was... a shock.

 

Same here. I went into the exam expecting to get it overwith. I had a similar case where very few people fail, so it was hard to be the only one of my peers who has to retake the exam. 

 

What's hardest is that I went into the exam expecting it to be difficult, but also expecting that I would come out of it feeling like victory like my peers had. When that didn't happen… I just didn't know what to think.

Edited June 10, 2015 by dat_nerd

[ron_swanson]

Well I failed part of it. I passed the oral exam, portfolio, and half of the written exam. I have to retake the other half of the written exam next year, and the committee said they're confident I'll do well enough next year. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't pass outright, and that I have to worry about all this again in a year from now.

 

I don't have anything particular to say, except that I hope it's some sort of consolation for others in the same boat. It's okay when this sort of stuff happens. We all fall down and it stings, but we've just got to pick ourselves up and try harder next time.

 

-"Why do we fall Bruce?  So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

[TMP]

Same here. I went into the exam expecting to get it overwith. I had a similar case where very few people fail, so it was hard to be the only one of my peers who has to retake the exam. 

 

What's hardest is that I went into the exam expecting it to be difficult, but also expecting that I would come out of it feeling like victory like my peers had. When that didn't happen… I just didn't know what to think.

OMG... SAME with feeling.  I had expected it to be easy because.... it was what everyone else said!

[shinigamiasuka]

OMG... SAME with feeling.  I had expected it to be easy because.... it was what everyone else said!

 

This isn't about quals, but I often found myself doing worse on the courses others called were "easy As," and doing better on the ones most others had a tough time achieving a good grade.