Well, often it's about time management going wrong during the exam. You might get stuck on one question for too long and then run out of time for the others. Also, technical problems can be a part of it. For example, if it's an online exam and your internet connection fails. Or in a paper - based exam, your pen runs out of ink and you don't have a spare. These kinds of things can turn an exam into a horror story.
One common element is lack of preparation. Maybe you didn't study enough or studied the wrong things. Another is unexpected situations like getting sick or having a family emergency right before the exam. And sometimes it's the exam itself being much harder or different in format than expected.
One common element is being unprepared. Like forgetting to study a key chapter. Another is technical issues, such as a broken pen or a computer malfunction during an online exam.
Technical problems can also be part of it. Like a person whose computer crashed during an online bar exam. They lost some of their work and had to redo it in a very short time. Also, unexpected topics showing up on the exam that students haven't fully prepared for are a common horror story element.
Often, there are personal issues that interfere with preparation. For example, family problems or work - related stress. Also, technical glitches can be a part of it. Sometimes, the exam room environment can be a factor too. If it's too noisy or uncomfortable, it can throw off the candidates. Moreover, misreading instructions during the exam seems to be a recurring theme in these horror stories.
There was this time when the final exam format was completely different from what we were used to. Instead of multiple - choice and short - answer questions, it was all essays. We had no idea this was coming and hardly had enough time to plan and write all the essays. I felt so stressed and was sure I did poorly.
One of the most common elements is when the exam content doesn't match what was taught in class or what students prepared for. It could be that the professor decides to focus on a very small, overlooked part of the curriculum. Also, technical issues can be a big part of horror stories. Like if there are problems with the test software or if the room is too noisy or uncomfortable to concentrate properly.
Technical glitches can be a real horror. Like the power going out in the exam center. This happened to a group of candidates once. They had to wait for the power to come back on and then try to resume the exam. But the interruption really threw them off their rhythm, and they were worried about time management for the rest of the exam.
One common element is strange noises. Like creaking floors or whispering voices when there should be no one else there. Another is unexplained phenomena such as objects moving on their own. For example, a picture falling off the wall during the walk through. Also, feelings of being watched are very common. It makes the person doing the walk through feel uneasy and scared.
One common element is hard work. People who succeed in competitive exams usually put in a lot of hours studying. Another is having a proper plan. For example, they know which topics to cover first and how much time to allocate to each. Also, practice is key. Many successful candidates practice with old exam papers or take mock tests.
Hard work is a common element. People who succeed in the bar exam usually study for long hours.
One common horror story is the discomfort during the digital rectal exam. Some men say it's extremely embarrassing as well. Another is when there are miscommunications during the exam process, like not being properly informed about what to expect.