The Student Room Group

Failing exam on purpose

Hi. I don't know what to do, I have got 3 exams coming up, and I don't feel ready for any of them, and as it is now, I think I will fail or get Ds because of the coursework component.

I have ADHD, and really struggle focusing, and retaining information. I think I have some sort of memory retention problem, I tried to google it, but all that comes up was dementia/alzheimers sort of stuff, and that's not it. It's not just in an exam context, it's in all sorts of situations, like when I walk out of a meeting, I will have forgotten everything I talked with them about.

So I have kinda already given up. Exams just don't work for me. I get As and Bs in coursework, and I really enjoy coursework. But I know I am going to walk into the exam, and not remember anything of what I have learnt.

I am considering failing one of my exams on purpose, because then I will have May and June to study for the resit. Sounds crazy? Help! What do I do? My first exam is in less than two weeks, and then the 2nd and 3rd in less than 3 weeks.


I am a third year Physics student at uni.
Reply 1
Original post by LaniRae
Hi. I don't know what to do, I have got 3 exams coming up, and I don't feel ready for any of them, and as it is now, I think I will fail or get Ds because of the coursework component.

I have ADHD, and really struggle focusing, and retaining information. I think I have some sort of memory retention problem, I tried to google it, but all that comes up was dementia/alzheimers sort of stuff, and that's not it. It's not just in an exam context, it's in all sorts of situations, like when I walk out of a meeting, I will have forgotten everything I talked with them about.

So I have kinda already given up. Exams just don't work for me. I get As and Bs in coursework, and I really enjoy coursework. But I know I am going to walk into the exam, and not remember anything of what I have learnt.

I am considering failing one of my exams on purpose, because then I will have May and June to study for the resit. Sounds crazy? Help! What do I do? My first exam is in less than two weeks, and then the 2nd and 3rd in less than 3 weeks.


I am a third year Physics student at uni.


How well did you do in Year 2?

Are you in your final year or do you have another year to go?

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Why haven't you gotten a formal diagnosis for this if you believe you have such a condition? Also if you resit (going by how my uni works) you can only get the minimum for a pass which is 40% so you will be guaranteed to do worse than if you don't fail.
Reply 3
Doonesbury - Same pattern in Year 2. Excellent coursework grades (A or B), Ds in exams. I did have an exam that went alright, but that was proper easy. I have one more year, and then I want to do a masters, for which I need upper second. I am properly stressed out and overwhelmed.

Vikingninja - I had an assessment from the Educational Psychologist who said I had ADHD, I had never thought about it before, I knew there was something but I was thinking in the direction of anxiety or autism. I have been referred for a formal diagnosis, and will probably have the appointment next month, I hope. It has been a while because my GP (who also has ADHD) is super forgetful and forgot to do the referral and tell me they needed the Educational Psychologist report. I don't know how it is, I don't think it's 40 %, because if you have extenuating circumstances, your resit counts as your first attempt, but I will go ask about that.
Reply 4
Original post by LaniRae
Doonesbury - Same pattern in Year 2. Excellent coursework grades (A or B), Ds in exams. I did have an exam that went alright, but that was proper easy. I have one more year, and then I want to do a masters, for which I need upper second. I am properly stressed out and overwhelmed.


So did you end up with a 2.i for your Year 2?


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Reply 5
Original post by Doonesbury
So did you end up with a 2.i for your Year 2?


Posted from TSR Mobile


Yes, a low 2.i. But it doesn't count, only the 3rd and 4th year counts. In the first semester in this year (3rd), I also ended up with a low 2.i because I got As in the two coursework courses, and Ds in the courses with an exam component.
Reply 6
Original post by LaniRae
Yes, a low 2.i. But it doesn't count, only the 3rd and 4th year counts. In the first semester I also ended up with a low 2.i because I got As in the two coursework courses, and Ds in the courses with an exam component.


It may or may not count (usually the 2nd year does count - hold on, are you in Scotland?) but that's not my real point. Last year you were in a similar situation and yet it all worked out ok...

The same can happen this year. Don't get too stressed by it, do the best you can and see what happens.

You must be doing something right if you are in the 3rd year of a course and sitting on a 2.i.

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(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by Doonesbury
It may or may not count (usually the 2nd year does count - hold on, are you in Scotland?) but that's not my real point. Last year you were in a similar situation and yet it all worked out ok...

The same can happen this year. Don't get too stressed by it, do the best you can and see what happens.

You must be doing something right if you are in the 3rd year of a course and sitting on a 2.i.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Scotland, yes. I suppose. I just have 3 difficult exams. And the course with only coursework, I probably will only get a B. I lie on a low A/high B, but think I will end up with a B, because of the physics report, which I found hard to format. Made it look messy.
Original post by LaniRae
Hi. I don't know what to do, I have got 3 exams coming up, and I don't feel ready for any of them, and as it is now, I think I will fail or get Ds because of the coursework component.

I have ADHD, and really struggle focusing, and retaining information. I think I have some sort of memory retention problem, I tried to google it, but all that comes up was dementia/alzheimers sort of stuff, and that's not it. It's not just in an exam context, it's in all sorts of situations, like when I walk out of a meeting, I will have forgotten everything I talked with them about.

So I have kinda already given up. Exams just don't work for me. I get As and Bs in coursework, and I really enjoy coursework. But I know I am going to walk into the exam, and not remember anything of what I have learnt.

I am considering failing one of my exams on purpose, because then I will have May and June to study for the resit. Sounds crazy? Help! What do I do? My first exam is in less than two weeks, and then the 2nd and 3rd in less than 3 weeks.


I am a third year Physics student at uni.



I also have ADHD and it can be very hard to concentrate, however your probability best of trying to get a decent grade at the exam first time round rather than chancing a resit.
also the memory thing is part of ADHD, the walking out of a lesson and completely forgetting all homework and what and was meant to be do done is something i do for almost all lessons, it sucks :P
have you tried either taking notes (i can't the ADHD combined with dyslexia makes it impossible to keep up) or buy a cheep recording device and use that so you can listen back later when you inevitably forgot everything, its what i do.
good luck with the exams :smile:
Original post by LaniRae
Hi. I don't know what to do, I have got 3 exams coming up, and I don't feel ready for any of them, and as it is now, I think I will fail or get Ds because of the coursework component.

I have ADHD, and really struggle focusing, and retaining information. I think I have some sort of memory retention problem, I tried to google it, but all that comes up was dementia/alzheimers sort of stuff, and that's not it. It's not just in an exam context, it's in all sorts of situations, like when I walk out of a meeting, I will have forgotten everything I talked with them about.

So I have kinda already given up. Exams just don't work for me. I get As and Bs in coursework, and I really enjoy coursework. But I know I am going to walk into the exam, and not remember anything of what I have learnt.

I am considering failing one of my exams on purpose, because then I will have May and June to study for the resit. Sounds crazy? Help! What do I do? My first exam is in less than two weeks, and then the 2nd and 3rd in less than 3 weeks.


I am a third year Physics student at uni.


good morning,
i also have ADHD and struggle to stay focused on specific tings, however i have not heard of any connection between memory and ADHD. have you been diagnosed and medicated for ADHD? and if so when was your last ADHD review (ARC)? it may be that you need to go back and get an increased dosage or even a diffrent medication.
with people like us, we have to make sure there are NO distractions, so make sure your room is clean and your desk is clear.
please feel free to PM me if you need any more help
Dont worry if you revise you should be fine as far as im aware people who revise a lot will pass and go on to do great things :smile: so stop stressing you'll do great if you revise its important to remember what you want to be when you leave school you'll succeed im sure of it. I have not done gcse's get but i know that much......:wink:
Original post by LaniRae
Scotland, yes. I suppose. I just have 3 difficult exams. And the course with only coursework, I probably will only get a B. I lie on a low A/high B, but think I will end up with a B, because of the physics report, which I found hard to format. Made it look messy.


You should have additional time and rest breaks in exams; have you asked for this? Also a smaller room can help ...

Do go and see your tutor or Student Support for help.
Original post by LaniRae
Hi. I don't know what to do, I have got 3 exams coming up, and I don't feel ready for any of them, and as it is now, I think I will fail or get Ds because of the coursework component.

I have ADHD, and really struggle focusing, and retaining information. I think I have some sort of memory retention problem, I tried to google it, but all that comes up was dementia/alzheimers sort of stuff, and that's not it. It's not just in an exam context, it's in all sorts of situations, like when I walk out of a meeting, I will have forgotten everything I talked with them about.

So I have kinda already given up. Exams just don't work for me. I get As and Bs in coursework, and I really enjoy coursework. But I know I am going to walk into the exam, and not remember anything of what I have learnt.

I am considering failing one of my exams on purpose, because then I will have May and June to study for the resit. Sounds crazy? Help! What do I do? My first exam is in less than two weeks, and then the 2nd and 3rd in less than 3 weeks.


I am a third year Physics student at uni.


If you are struggling with revising for so many exams at once, and your uni offers resits (check their policy on these though, and if they cap your grades), it may be worth just focusing your attention on two of your exams (e.g. the first and last one, thus giving you more time to revise) and resitting the other one.

Have you tried talking to your uni's study support/ disability support centre about your problems retaining information? There is obviously a lot of stuff to learn for a degree compared to A levels, so it's totally understandable that any problems are revealing themselves now, particularly with the amount of pressure and stress you're under. Asking for some support for your studies could really help - this could be anything from simple advice available to anyone on how to write notes/ prepare for exams/ deal with stress/ learn stuff, to support for a diagnosed learning disability such as extra time, permission to record lectures, a scribe, access to a computer to type your exam answers, etc. I would go to them ASAP though, so you can put their advice into action as soon as possible, and also because your uni may have deadlines to report to them any extra support you need in exams - particularly if e.g. if they need to arrange a silent, private room for you (which they need pre-warning to arrange!) or if you need extra time.
Reply 13
Original post by LaniRae


I am a third year Physics student at uni.

(i hope this doesn't offend you, if it does just ignore it, i'm trying to help)

Hang in there, you made it that far you've done year 1 and year 2, you had to learn new things, you did it right? You've been in this situation before and handled it.

I know how you feel with ADHD, sometimes you get bored and wanna just walk out the class, and can't concentrate on your work and make yourself sit down and do it but it's your CHOICE

you can either CHOOSE to give in, fail and not get the result you want

or(despite having ADHD) you can CHOOSE to be DISCIPLINED and force yourself to GET THE JOB DONE.

To get diagnosed with ADHD all you have to do is when they ask you say you can't concentrate and you get agitated, and you start getting hyper all the time and can't sit still (basically lots of us when we get bored and really don't wanna be there )
I know people with adhd who can't focus in class for 5 minutes but they can sit and watch a movie for 2 hours (it's just means you find studying boring)

Being diagnosed with ADHD just means that you either get a medication or you just have to put up with it.
do you not get allowances in exams such as extra time and rest breaks?

I get that for my anxiety disorder and Autism.

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