Index

I have finished my first round of exams and only received unsatisfying grades so far. What should I do?

Many (international) students are surprised or even shocked when they receive their first exam results. If you received several grades between 3,0 and 4,0 it means that you are struggling with your studies. It is not uncommon for students who join a completely foreign academic system to find out that their lecturers’ expectations and exam design differs extremely from what they are used to. If this “shock” has happened to you once, it is time to adapt your strategies for studying and exam preparation:

  • Go to the exam inspections of all of your exams and find out where you made mistakes and what you can improve in the future. Ask the tutors of the exam inspection any question you might have.
  • Make it a habit to attend all of your courses physically and regularly. If you need to work a lot alongside your studies and have trouble attending your courses physically, choose fewer courses (15 – 20 ECTS) that do not clash with your work schedule and invest your full energy into those courses.
  • Start preparing your courses from the first week of the lecture period on. Prepare each course session by looking up the material that is available in StudOn and writing down questions. Attend the physical lecture and ask your questions there. It is important to know that our lecturers love it when their students engage in class and ask questions (if this is different in your home country, adapt this new mindset of “asking questions is showing interest and respect for your lecturer’s work”). Sit down after every course session and revise the contents. If you are still unsure about some topics, look them up online or get additional literature from the library. You can also ask your lecturer for recommended literature. Always attend the last course session of the lecture period, as your lecturers will sum up the course content and oftentimes will give you hints regarding the exam.
  • If your lectures are accompanied by additional exercises and/or tutorials, attend them regularly and use this time to clear your doubts. The tutors are literally being paid for helping you with your questions.
  • Observe the other students in your lecture and find out who seems to have a good understanding of the topic. Approach those students after class and suggest to form a study group. Important: You cannot be passive and expect your study buddies to be your teachers, you have to do your part, too. But studying in a group can help you to stay motivated and to compare your learning progress with others. Go through the lecture slides on your own and meet up weekly or bi-weekly with your study group to work through old exams, which you can get from the study association for Medical Engineering (FSI MedTech). Increase your study sessions as the exam date approaches.
  • Make a time schedule for your exam preparation. For example, you can plan to study from Monday to Friday for 6 hours each day, but rest on the weekend. Use your online calendar and mark in advance on which day you are going to study for which exam for which amount of time. Develop a strategy to prepare for several exams in parallel. It can help to study for one exam in the morning and for the other one in the afternoon or to study in the library for one exam and at home for the other etc. Map out how many topics/lecture slides you need to revise for each exam and estimate the time you will need to complete each task. Start studying early! As a rule of thumb, you should start at least 8 -12 weeks before the exam dates. Organize your study time in chunks – the pomodoro technique has proven to be very helpful for many students and can also be facilitated via several online tools. Be consistent but also plan in time for breaks and unforeseeable events such as illness etc. When in doubt, rather plan in more time so that you can stay ahead of your schedule and don’t experience time pressure.
  • Talk to fellow students who have already passed the exam you are studying for. Ask them about their experience, how they prepared for the exam and how much time in advance they started studying.
  • If you feel stressed or anxious and these feelings are keeping you from studying, make an appointment with our psychologists early on. The earlier you tackle this problem, the more successful you will be in your studies.

If you have adapted your exam preparation strategies according to the above tips but your grades are not improving and you feel that your studies are torturing you, start thinking about an exit strategy:

  • With a grade average between 3,0 and 4,0 you will have a hard time finding a supervisor for a master’s thesis as well as applying for a job in Germany. If you are planning to return to your home country after your studies anyway and believe that your grade average will be considered acceptable on your local job market, you can take the risk and continue your studies. It might still make sense to look into the options outlined below.
  • Start looking for English-taught master’s programs at German Universities for Applied Sciences. They are less theory-based and teach with a more hands-on approach. Therefore, our FAU students usually find that they receive better grades when they transfer to a University of Applied Sciences. You can find an overview of all German Universities of Applied Sciences and their study programs in this database. Study programs at Universities for Applied Sciences are often more structured and students are usually guided more by their professors regarding their course selection, their final thesis etc. If you feel our study system at FAU is too free for you, a University for Applied Sciences might be better suited for you.
  • If your main goal is to work in Germany you need to develop a plan of action:
    • Take German classes every lecture period (for free) and in every lecture-free period (with a fee) to improve your Germans skills. Make it your top priority to learn German fast. Being an enrolled student at FAU is the last time you will get German courses for free or at a low fee. Your German skills are going to be one of the crucial criteria for your job hunt.
    • Improve your programming skills in C/C++, Java, Python and Matlab as much as you can. Take any course you can find at FAU and VHB to improve your skills in this area.
    • Consult with our officer of the German Employment Agency (michael.huemmer[at]arbeitsagentur.de) about your chances to enter the German job market. Use your remaining study time to acquire the necessary skills and qualifications. With the help of Mr. Hümmer’s advice, apply for jobs based on your bachelor’s degree, German skills and solidified programming skills. It might not be necessary for you to finish your master’s degree in order to find a well-paid job in the STEM area.
    • Consult with Mr. Hümmer about options to join an apprenticeship program at one of our local global players (Siemens, adidas, DATEV etc.). The German apprenticeship system is highly renowned worldwide and offers you attractive career options. To start an apprenticeship in Germany, usually German skills on B2 level are required.
  • If you are having a hard time taking a decision about your academic and professional future, our psychologists are here to support you.