Cumulative Exams, or "cumes" as they’re normally referred to, are an inevitable part of being a low level graduate student. The way they work in our Chemistry department is like this:
-On the first Saturday of every month during the school year (usually September through May) there is a cume offered at 9:00 am in Ekeley E1B20. Check the schedule by the mailboxes for exact dates, times, and locations.
-There is a cume in every division, but you can take whichever one you want. (See your division guidelines.) They’re written by a different professor each month, and topics are usually posted a few weeks ahead of time in the mail room in CHEM 100. Topics can be very general - “Organic synthesis reactions” - or very specific - “Read this paper…”. The more specific cumes are usually easier to study for.
-You don’t have to decide which test to take until that morning. Once you are there, you can only choose to look at one exam, and you can’t leave without turning it in.
-The Graduate Secretary, Hilary, has all previous cumes on file. Many professors use similar questions, topics, or formats from year to year, so it's a good idea to get their previous cumes to help study for their cume.
There is some debate as to whether you should take cumes as a first year. It’s generally a good idea, and most people would encourage you to get them over with as soon as possible, before you have to start studying for orals. Often, if you are in a class with a professor writing the cume for that month, the test will be geared toward the course material. Definitely take these tests – you have an excellent chance of passing! As a first year, passing counts as “1” pass, but failing only counts as “1/2” a fail. The rule is that you need to pass 6 before you fail 11, so you could fail every cume you try your first year without coming close to the fail limit, and odds are you’ll pass a few of them. Your second year of graduate school you will be required to take every cume until you pass 6. (See the divisional pages for more specific advice.)