Interesting to note what it says on length of time to qualification & dropout rates on page 57:
It was noted that more than 40% of entrants withdrew within four years, that about 30% "... can then expect to qualify within a tolerable period, say nine years, a further 10% in ten years or more while the remaining 20% struggle on for periods of five, ten, fifteen years or even longer without completing the examinations. ... "
and in terms of the actuarial qualification system being more harsh on women, page 55:
"Nearly half of the respondents' felt that there were aspects peculiar to the actuarial field which hinder women more than men ... The most frequently cited aspect was the length of study time, meaning that women either deferred starting a family (or, some said, even starting a relationship) until qualification, or faced the prospect of studying with a young family"