A third attempt is always an exceptional situation. This makes it all the more important that you tackle your third attempt in a focused and efficient manner. Here are resources and tips to help you study.

Resources

• Know the framework. In some degree programs, it is possible to take an additional oral examination before or after the third attempt. You can find information about this in your respective examination regulations.
• Contact the relevant chair at the beginning of the semester. Many chairs support examinees in the third attempt with advice and help you to prepare optimally.
• Use the exam review to see where you made mistakes.
• Attend all exercises, lectures or tutorials.
• Ask for old exams and use them to check your level of knowledge.
• Take advantage of additional services such as the LuDis (learn and discussion centers).
• Learn together with fellow students and ask them specifically about their learning methods. In an exchange, gaps in your knowledge become much more visible.
• Ask fellow students who have already passed this exam what helped them.
• Research alternative learning opportunities on your own, e.g. explanatory videos or online courses. Attention: Never rely only on them, always check the accuracy of such material!
• If you feel that you cannot understand the material on your own, ask fellow students for tutoring.

Study tips

• Create a study plan early. Look at the material early and divide it up so that you still have enough buffer at the end to repeat everything again.
• Study continuously. If you repeat the material over and over again over a period of weeks, you will memorize what you have learned much more firmly and it will be easier to recall in the exam situation. Start studying for your third attempt no later than the beginning of the semester.
• Use mnemonic techniques against blackouts. The crazier or simpler, the more likely you are to be able to recall your mnemonic even during exam stress.
• Focus on the third attempt. Other exams that are close to the exam date should be postponed - as much as possible. This is especially true if they are also exams that are difficult for you. Remember: studying one semester longer is better than not being allowed to continue your studies.

Prepare mentally

• Find a suitable mental attitude to keep you motivated. This can be motivation to prove your abilities to yourself, a reward after passing (not writing!) an exam, or a way to make hated material interesting after all.
• Visualize your success: Imagine again and again how you sit in the exam with a good feeling and how you succeed in it. Visualize this scene again and again as realistically as you can: What do you feel? What do you see? How do you feel about it? If you like, also visualize the moment when you turn in your exam feeling confident that you have passed. Work toward that goal and visualize your success when you lose motivation.
• Critically question your attitude: if you are convinced that you will never be able to pass this event, you should first work on releasing your mental block. Psychological counseling centers can help you with this.
• Critically question what was wrong with the previous two attempts and make sure that these problems do not affect you this time.
• Only take the exam if you are sure you can pass it. Be honest with yourself. Don't lie to yourself just to get past the "third attempt" hurdle. 

Speaking in front of others costs many people an effort. Here you will find tips for a successful presentation and a confident appearance.

Designing successful presentations

• Your slides are a support for your presentation, not the main point. Therefore, the slides should not distract from you.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. Your slides should contain only bullet points, not full sentences. This way, you won't be tempted to read off and your audience won't get bored. Where possible, you can omit the text completely and use only an symbolic image instead.
• Use the speaker mode of PowerPoint. This allows you to see the presentation notes on your laptop screen while the projector is running the presentation.
• When presenting figures or analysis, convert them to charts so the message is quick and easy to grasp.
• Place references as well as relevant info (e.g., study evaluation details) that no longer fit into the presentation behind the last official slide. This way, it can be referred back to if relevant questions arise. However, show this page as well as the sources only when prompted. A quick "Oh, and these are the references" will not get you anywhere and seems half-hearted.

Presenting with confidence

• Create a good presentation as a basis and adapt it until it supports your presentation in a meaningful way - and does not distract you in the worst case.
• Practice the final presentation over and over for several days. Record your talk with your smartphone to see where there is room for improvement.
• If you are reluctant to speak in front of others, you can approach a public talk slowly: first record your talk on your smartphone, then ask friends or family to listen to you, and lastly present to the class or department chair.
• If you don't know where to put your hands when presenting, get a presenter to be able to hold something while presenting more freely without having to stand next to your laptop. If you don't have a presenter, take a pen or roll yourself a tiny paper ball that you can hold unnoticed while presenting.
• Practice sticking strictly to the time allotted. In most cases, your talk can be better three minutes too short than one minute too long.
  • Pro tip: When practicing, build "time markers" into your presentation ('I need five more minutes from slide 15.') and skippable slides ("I'll skip this slide because of time.").
• Practice not only the presentation, but also the lead-in. For example, 'Thank you for taking the time to listen to the results of my thesis today as part of my colloquium. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. My topic is..." In this way, you gain confidence and don't put yourself out by suddenly standing in front and not knowing what to say.