Greg Schneider (known elsewhere on this blog as Compatriot G) and I recently did a department workshop on the comprehensive exams process, along with John Logie and Mary Wrobel. The DGS asked to include our handout in future editions of the grad student handbook, so I thought I’d also post it here in case it might be useful to others. It’s licensed as noncommercial/attribution/share-alike, so borrow and modify it for your own graduate program’s needs if you like.

There’s three pages of practical tips, the things that you learn as you go along but really wish you had known going in. One of the most useful things in it is the resources section, which includes links to AKMA’s recent take on exams as well as Becky Howard, Tim Burke, and Matt Cornell’s posts on reading effectively. Go take a look. And if there are other things that should have been on there, please feel free to leave them in the comments for future stressed-out examinees.