Given the tremendous volume of information that must be absorbed to perform successfully on an exam, many students have benefited from these study groups. Groups have ranged from two to six students. Some students have found smaller groups to be more valuable both for logistical as well as academic reasons. Groups may apply at the beginning of the year for funding to hire a tutor. The group may ask any student who has already passed the exam to be a tutor.
Some students choose to prepare for their exams alone.
However, even these students seek some assistance from students who have previously taken exams and who are currently taking the exam. No student passes the exams without some kind of support from their peers. Developing a strong support network becomes perhaps even more important once the two comprehensive exams have been passed. Informal dissertation groups sometimes form, providing students writing prospecti and dissertations to read and comment on each others' work. Even if students do not form groups that meet regularly, all students are encouraged to build a network of peers who will routinely read and critique their work.