I can understand how you would have felt after your interview with the hedge fund. During my college placements, I cleared the written programming round as well

I can understand how you would have felt after your interview with the hedge fund. During my college placements, I cleared the written programming round as well as the technical round interview with an international company (Non-FAANG but their salary package was quite high when compared to other companies visiting the campus). I went in for the final round with the HR team, and conversation went well until they asked if I got placed for another company that had visited the campus earlier. I replied "No, I was not eligible to attend the interview since I had an existing arrear due to a failed lab exam.". They immediately cut the interview short, and later I was informed that I was rejected. I could have just given any other answer and gotten away with it, because I would have cleared that exam before I had to join the company.