The Hardest Exam you ever sat....

[DrSuage]

What was it? What was the context?

I'd say mine was the Lie Theory and Particle Physics paper I sat today. Universal consensus was that most people felt they'd be lucky to get over 50%. I reckon I did maybe mid 60's, which doesn't seem to be that bad relative to what other people are saying, but I went into the exam hoping for high 80's.

What were the factors that made it hard? I would say our lecturer set challenging problems with minimal "bookwork" but also that I was very tired on the day due to a dreadful nights sleep the night before.
Coupled with a paper that involved some very long calculations (21 dimensional weight diagram for reps so(5) ) and I was pushed for time.

I've done worse in exams before but that was because I was unprepared.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Does high school count? I'm always worried about exams that require me to prove theorems and/or verify identities. Sometimes I find myself going in circles until I eventually realize the horrible truth: I'm stuck

 

[Mondayman]

The hardest exams I've ever had weren't from math or science classes, but history classes. Having to answer a half dozen short answer questions and write two fully developed essays in 2 hours is difficult. Even if you know the material in and out and studied extensively, it's so much to accomplish in such a short time frame.

 

[DrSuage]

of course high school counts! Its about how relatively hard it was for you at the time.

 

[Pepper Mint]

Same here, all my exams were hard to me. I went into them always thinking I could reach at least 90% but the results always disappointed me, 60% at most. I failed at several and had to retake the courses.
Now in my daily routine, I find detecting logical fallacies is the hardest exam to sit. You can always ask, say, an adviser/supervisor/consultant etc any problem you run into and you will always have answers from him.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Same here, all my exams were hard to me. I went into them always thinking I could reach at least 90% but the results always disappointed me, 60% at most. I failed at several and had to retake the courses.
Now in my daily routine, I find detecting logical fallacies are hardest exams to sit. You can always ask, say, an adviser/supervisor/consultant etc any problem you run into and you will always have answers from him.

Are you still in school, Pepper Mint?

 

[Pepper Mint]

Are you still in school, Pepper Mint?

I am still too young to be a professor but already too old to go back to school.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Gotcha :)

You're never to old to go back to school, though.

 

[OrangeDog]

My first probability exam was tough.

 

[Hercuflea]

Putnam exam...I got a 0. So did 50% of everyone else who took it...

 

[axmls]

Putnam exam...I got a 0. So did 50% of everyone else who took it...

Oh dear. I'm an engineering major and I was overjoyed when I got a 12 two years ago, so I took it again this past year and wasn't able to answer a single question.

 

[houlahound]

In a large hall with several subjects. The hired help gave us the wrong exam. All in my subject thought they studied wrong content sighs were heard all around the room.