This study explores the impact of free choice of examination format on student performance in the ‘Programming of Mobile Applications’ (PMA) course at the Saxon University of Cooperative Education. The PMA course, offered in both Information Technology (IT) and Media Informatics (MI) curricula, underwent changes in examination format, allowing students to choose between a traditional written examination, a programming assignment, or a seminar paper. The investigation spans data from 2018 to 2023, encompassing 67 written examinations and 111 choice examinations. Results indicate a nuanced improvement in overall grades when students opt for non-traditional examination formats. Disregarding fails due to non-submission, the average grade for choice examinations improves (lower grade is better) to 1.89 compared to 2.10 for written exams. Notably, students exhibit a nearly one sub-grade enhancement in performance. The choice between programming assignments and seminar papers does not significantly impact grades. However, compared to traditional written examinations, flexibility in assessment formats positively influences student outcomes, enhancing overall student performance and emphasising the benefits of creative flexibility and alignment with individual interests in assessment practices.