[pandler]

I had this too in Mechanical Engineering, especially on exams where you have e.g. an hour and a half to solve 5 problems and more so as you take higher level classes. There would often be room for interpretation in the questions, and part of the problem was to make sure you're making the right assumptions about the system.

I remember one test in particular in a class about heat transfer where one question was essentially "Same problem as the previous question, but now assume <something less simplistic>". My answer was something along the lines of, "Whoops, I already made that assumption in the previous question. Extra points?" The professor was kind enough to grant me a few bonus points.