> but at least at US universities most higher level courses are part of a sequence and are thus only offered at a specific time of year. Thus failing delays you

> but at least at US universities most higher level courses are part of a sequence and are thus only offered at a specific time of year. Thus failing delays your degree by a year and creates all sorts of logistical issues for the student. This often also holds in Germany. And indeed if you thus fail an exam, your degree is delayed and you might have logistical issues. The moral of this: learn hard so that you don't fail exams. :-)