[1][2] In many United States institutions the term "Prelims" is used for the preliminary examinations required before a graduate student is permitted to begin working on a doctoral dissertation.
In some university departments, graduate students seeking a Ph.D. degree must take a series of written cumulative examinations on the subject of their study in the first year or two of the Ph.D. program.
At Cornell University, however, the term has been expanded to refer to any examination that is preliminary to the final exam even for undergraduate courses.
For some of these (such as History, Classics & English) there exist preliminary examinations, which are sat at the end of the first year of study towards that Part.
[5] Whilst they do not count towards a student's final degree classification, a very poor performance in prelims can result in disciplinary measures.
The highest results in prelims will be awarded a "Distinction", which also entitles the bearer to wear a scholar's gown.
[citation needed] The papers are generally more challenging than the actual examination to prepare the students.