CP3 April 2019

Discussion in 'CP3' started by Ace123, Apr 22, 2019.

  1. Ace123

    Ace123 Member

    Finally a CP3 exam sitting with no technical problems.

    The exam seemed a lot more straight forward this year than last few sittings - what did others think?
     
  2. Lewin

    Lewin Member

    So.....a higher pass mark??
    Not necessarily good
     
  3. I think a lot of students would be happy for a standard pass mark over the disaster that was September 2018 :)
     
  4. almost_there

    almost_there Member

    Somehow I doubt IFoA will ever allow this exam to get a pass rate of 70% such as the Society of Actuaries's DMAC module... more likely to revert to CA3 historical average of 36%.
     
  5. Viki2010

    Viki2010 Member

    Easier exam means that most students do really well but only circa 50% can pass anyway :)
     
  6. Furiously_treading_water

    Furiously_treading_water Active Member

    I can't help but feel I missed something. In previous exams there always seemed to be something you had to work out to get the right answer, but it felt like in this one it was all there in black and white, you just had to communicate it clearly. What did I miss??
     
  7. almost_there

    almost_there Member

    I feel it was always rather unfair in the past that students had to perform some calculations before arriving at what they had to communicate. Other exams are meant to deal with calculation competency. Plus having to perform calculations wasted time that couldn't be spent on figuring out how best to communicate.
     
    Muppet likes this.
  8. MindFull

    MindFull Ton up Member

    Yup! I feel the same. Sigh
     
  9. MindFull

    MindFull Ton up Member

    Finally made it! Thanks to everyone for the support! Also Helen was amazing in the online tutorial. I definitely recommend it.
     
    Calm and rskk0702 like this.
  10. Furiously_treading_water

    Furiously_treading_water Active Member

    Me too! Congrats JamaicanJem!
     
    rskk0702 and MindFull like this.
  11. KevinB

    KevinB Member

    I failed CP3, it was my last exam. I passed the acted mock comfortably, thought the exam went very well, i even work in pensions so this was the perfect paper! Would love to be able to see my marked script.
     
  12. Furiously_treading_water

    Furiously_treading_water Active Member

  13. rskk0702

    rskk0702 Member

    Can we get feedback on the paper if it's not the last paper? I read Acted's notes and recommended book on plain English. I practiced using X-series assignments and past exam papers. This was my second attempt and I have no clue how to prepare well enough to crack it. I passed CA2 in the first attempt so how bad my communication can be.
     
  14. Amigo

    Amigo Member

    This is my last exam too. Unfortunately did not pass it. I completed all assignments and Mock under exam conditions and averaged 78. I am getting very concerned, either the acted material and very few past papers are simply not enough preparation or my script was marked very "harshly". The CP3 exam is like a lottery for me...am quite deflated...
     
    Calm and black_bird like this.
  15. RPS

    RPS Member

    Really bummed failing this paper a second time. And its my last one. Just can’t seem to understand whats needed to pass it.
     
  16. black_bird

    black_bird Member

    Likewise. Sat this paper before but failed again. My average mark for all assignments and mock is 82.

    I remember being quietly confident after writing the paper this time....

    easy paper, 54% passed this paper. I must have done something really wrong but cant figure out exactly what.

    Please is it possible to pay for tutor to mark the actual past papers (for extra practices and feedback) ?


    PS AMIGO for information I have made subject access request before. I was out by half a mark but it was rounded down instead of up....
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 5, 2019
  17. MindFull

    MindFull Ton up Member

    Sorry to everyone that didn't make it. I've been there! I found a lot of the advice in this thread very helpful for this last attempt. I would definitely give it a read and change your approach if needed. I found in the end that there seems to be a method to passing. Example, always include a graph/table, signpost backwards, etc. Good luck again! You'll get it!
     
  18. KoLDB

    KoLDB Member

    I failed by....1 mark, unbeliveable.
    I thought I absolutely did everything needed for a pass, yet somehow it is still not enough.

    It is for me the 2nd time on CP3, 4th time in total including CA3, my verbal presentation scored way above pass but now they dropped it. For me the verbal side is way more important than writing a sorry letter as a benchmark for actuarial communication skill.
    This only reinforces the sterotypes of actuaries afraid to "speak up".

    The point is to ensure actuaries pay attentions when communicating with others, a test in a single day will not help drive this cause. We need the profession to actively engage with organisations to drive better standards and communiations, not just make-up some tests to prove to the outside world we can actually communicate.

    This is my last last exam on Fellowship for over 2 years and it is very very deflating.
    My compensation are way ahead of senior qualified actuaries for actuarial skills and experiences, yet ironically I cannot call myself an actuary, not even an AIA after I passed all the later exams.

    It does not hold back my career development but massively adding unnecessary stress, making me doubt the point of pursuing the qualifcation itself even I am this close!
     
    almost_there and Calm like this.
  19. almost_there

    almost_there Member

    KolDB, the situation is unacceptable. European actuaries don't get held back in this manner from qualifying. There is not even a written communication exam to qualify as an actuary in Switzerland and IFoA deem their qualifications equivalent...!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 19, 2019
  20. PeteC

    PeteC Active Member


    An SAR will get you a rough breakdown of your marks.

    It will not help explain how you failed each of those points.

    My previous SARs lead to complaints to the Institute that were looked at, but ignored/rejected. They will never remark it. They will reject any complaints questioning how the mark scheme has been applied.

    Getting an SAR will do a few things:

    1) Frustrate you that you missed out on a mark or two.
    2) Make you question the markers and how they applied marks or if they are aware of the mark scheme.
    3) If you are lucky, point to an area of weakness that you can improve on.
    4) Give a clear indication that you answered the questions incorrectly.

    Get an SAR and focus on 3)
     
  21. KevinB

    KevinB Member

    I just received my subject access request, and i think it has just made me more angry. First marker give me 71.5, second marker give me 54 and the script reviewer agreed with the second marker so i failed, pass mark was 58. How can there be a 17.5 mark difference between two markers, even with that my average score was well above the pass mark and i still failed. The whole process seems so shady to me.
     

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