Food for comprehensive or qualifying exam? So it's pretty much an unwritten rule at least in biology departments in the USA that when a student is defending his or her thesis/dissertation that they provide some sort of food or refreshments. There has been at least coffee and pastries provided by the student for their committee and audience at every defense I've ever attended.

My question is, how often do students do this for qualifying or comprehensive exams? Since they are private I have never attended one to know... Would committee members expect at least some coffee?
My question is, how often do students do this for qualifying or comprehensive exams?


At my previous department (in ECE, if it matters), students do for qualifiers/prelims what they do for their defense, the only difference being that you scale down the total quantity of refreshments that you provide/purchase a bit if the exam is not open to the public.


  Would committee members expect at least some coffee?


I don't know about "expect," but it's nice to have some on hand: at all of my exams, all of my committee members went straight for the coffee upon arrival to the exam. 

Edited to add — The oral portion of the qualifying exam at my previous department consisted of a presentation which was meant to showcase any research highlights the student had achieved up to that point and future directions. If your qualifying/comprehensive exam is like that described by @CameronWilliams below in the comments, then bringing refreshments may not make any sense, i.e. your mileage may vary.