I did the old pre-JAR exams in 1997/8, though I don't think there's a lot of difference. I passed all at the first attempt except RT. But I don't think they're all that easy. Sure, if you have a scientific background and/or have done at least A levels and possibly a degree, preferably recently, then they're not that big a deal. But I recently taught groundschool to a chap in his 50s who left school at 15 having never passed an exam in his life, and hadn't studied anything for over 30 years. He had no idea how to study, and very little confidence. Most of what I did was to help him with a study plan and assure him he could do it. But he really wasn't helped by the people who told him the exams were easy. Everyone's different, and there are a surprising number of people who are very intelligent, know lots about aviation, but seem to have ****** all in the way of knowledge of or empathy with a large proportion of their fellow human beings.