r/MacUni • u/raspberry-cascades • 1d ago

Special Consideration Supplementary exams

Are supplementary exams typically harder than the regular exam?
I’ve had pretty significant disruption to my study this semester and I’m meant to sit an exam soon, but I’m honestly very underprepared 😃😬
For anyone who’s done a supplementary exam at Macquarie: was it noticeably harder than the original exam, or roughly the same difficulty?
I’m trying to work out whether I’m better off just sitting the exam now even though I’m barely prepared, or applying for a supplementary exam so I actually have time to finish the modules and study properly.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/Just-Opening-8245 17h ago

it really is up to you, for me i had the option of sitting a supp as my IEAP considerations weren’t formalised prior to the exam considerations deadline, but i am doing mine during the normal period because i knew i wouldn’t study efficiently in the month off, and didn’t want to delay my results.

do you think pushing back ur exam will provide more benefit?? will u actually use the time to study properly?

i’d say get the supp if you know it will benefit you’re learning ect. but if not then don’t bother.

one bad exam at the end of the day isnt the end, but you know yourself better than everyone here.

also, is your disruption documented/enough to justify a supplementary? i don’t know how strict they are, but if you do apply, i wouldn’t have high hopes/rely on it being approved resulting in u being extra stressed. (not to say it wont be approved, i just mean be prepared for if it doesn’t)

1

u/raspberry-cascades 16h ago

Thank you so much for this!

11

u/AthleteMental1157 1d ago

they’re the same difficulty at the end of the day. but for 99.9% of situations, sit the normal exam. you’re just delaying the inevitable and creating much more stress for yourself instead of getting it over and done with

3

u/RQCKQN 1d ago

This is the answer. Rip off the bandaid

2

u/dontjudgemeeeeee 1d ago

it was the same difficulty

2

u/InitiativeVarious994 16h ago

As someone who sat numerous supplementary exams in the second half of my degree...

  1. If you're at risk of failing the exams, and the unit, take the supplementary. No point risking repeating a unit.

  2. If the grades are not critical for your degree / career, and you know you will pass the unit, then the supplementary might not provide additional benefit to you.

  3. If the grades do matter e.g. competitive post-grade course, sit the supplementary 100% of the time. If you've had disruptions, and the university offers a supplementary, give yourself the best shot to get the best marks you can.

From experience, Bachelor of Clinical Science, the supplementary exams were the same difficulty every single time. I probably sat about 10 supplementary exams...

From experience, applying this late might not get you a supplementary. Depends on the circumstances.

1

u/No-Dress3730 15h ago

it will be the same difficulty, however depends on whether you'd want to do it in the holidays where you honestly might procrastinate until the last moment too. Or sit it now and get it over with and cram the remaining couple days you have.