<p>Just to add to the point that nearly everyone has some rough exams / assignments during their time at Mudd, here are some of my personal experiences:</p>
<p>1) Spacing out during my first ever physics midterm out of nerves and getting in the 50’s, significantly below average.
2) Failing a hum 1 paper.
3) Scoring in the 50’s and lowest quartiles on my first two chemistry midterms.
4) Getting a D on my first ever tech report in frosh physics lab (For what it’s worth, I talked to the professor and he let me rewrite it and boosted my final grade because of my efforts).
5) Working my butt off in CS 60 and still not getting assignments done, having to drop the class eventually.
6) Getting 42% on an astrophysics final dropping my overall grade down one letter grade (granted though, this one was my fault because I was lazy and did not study).</p>
<p>…and guess what? In the end, I graduated summa cum laude (with highest distinction), with special departmental honors in physics. It was hard, but things got better with time. So indeed, EVERYONE at Mudd is going to have some tough times. The key to success is not avoiding failure or struggles with material, it is persistence and getting back up.</p>