torstai 1. toukokuuta 2014

Exams

Ok finally something important. Exams enrollment here are a bit fuzzy.

1st: the enrollment period varies per exam quite arbitrarily! Usually, but only usually, it ends a few (2-3) days before the exam takes place. I, however, had one exam for which the period closed 21 days before the exam, and I missed that by one day. No late enrollment was possible! Also the enrollment window stays open for varying time. For this exam it had been open for months! For others typically 1 week or whatsoever. They might not be told in materials, being maybe told in class or at least when asked from the course secretariat (or lecturer).

Enrolling process: For most exams in WIWI (unlike in Maschinenbau or some other faculties) as an Erasmus -student you sign up in Meine Studiume -portal. However, if you don't see a course listed there, then online sign up isn't available for Erasmus. In that case you can ask for a blue paper from the course secretary. With this paper you go to student office or somewhere, I don't quite remember and after you have the stamps from there you bring it back to secretary, or to whoever instructed to. This paper process was typical for my engineering friends, but for most business courses, the online enrollment should work. Always confirm the way beforehand! The courses are visible in the list throughout whole year and if they are not there, ask for instructions!

2st: you got 2 changes per exam. The second exam typically takes place some half an year after the first one! Good time to forget everything and start all over.

At this moment the exam calendar can be found under: https://www.wiwi.kit.edu/english/pruefungstermine.php
You should in my opinion check this already when planning your course selection for the semester.
The lists for different faculties are located elsewhere, use google maybe.

Results can be published where-ever. Meaning, on faculty website or physical wall, or trough study-portal ILIAS or even by Email I guess, maybe with smoke signals also if sky is clear and wind limited. Notes will eventually come to "mein studiumen" -portal also but it may take some 2-3 months as they go automatically trough appeal process before being finalized. During this period you could go whine about your grade on a certain date given somewhere.

Prepare well! Students are crowding the whole library trough the whole semester, but during exam weeks they do it already from 8 a.m. onwards! If you enter library after that, you can't find a place! Just to give you the idea how seriously some people take the exams, and for a reason sometimes. I found SCC computer rooms after semester end to be rather quiet and empty! They are probably meant for the purpose but no questions were asked. You better have earplugs or something though because there is quite always at least one group working and speaking. I used stopwatch to clock my preparations because that's good way for me to focus on a matter I have limited interest in. I spent some 20 hours for writing and rehearsing Entrepreneurship, 40 hours for Management accounting 2, 40 hours for Business and IT service management, 40 for Immobilienwirtschaft und Nachhaltigkeit. Entrepreneurship yielded 3.0, and BITSEM 2.7 as grades. I missed the date for MA2 course (oops) and will attend the exam on re-exam date in July I guess. My class participating rate was quite low as usual because attending lectures isn't my strongest way of learning.

And one peculiarity! The exams are typically 60 minutes long and contain 60 points worth of questions. Use your time wisely and pay attention to point worthiness of a question. You don't have time to think, you should know immediately. If smoke is not coming out of your pen, you are slow! On the good side, the struggle is over very fast.