Any tutor.. help

Hey guys... So I've failed CT4 twice now and I'm getting really concerned. First I failed while taking CT2 which I passed and recently I failed with CT5 which I failed... Planning to take both again in April, but I was wondering what tips the tutors may have for CT4. I live in Jamaica (low-income) so it's hard to sign up for webinars, etc. Would it be a good idea to buy the revision pack?

Thanks.

 

Hi
FIrst of all commiserations. It's not an easy ride being an actuarial student.
Before we consider any other options, let's rule one out - I presume that attending a tutorial is totally out of the question? (Because I think a face-to-face meeting could do more than anything else to increase your chances.)
Come back to me on that first, and then we'll consider the other options!
Regards, Robert

 

Well I'm not a tutor but have failed my 'fair share' or more!!!!

Ideas....
Are you under pressure to do more than 1?
If not, just do one and restore your confidence.

Do something different. Eg Revision notes if available. Don't just slavishly re-read the old stuff. Be active in what you do rather than think 'Oh hell, not that again'. Its an old adage, but quality means more than quantity.

All the best next time around!

 

Yes, face to face would be out of the ques... Jamaica has few actuarial students and even fewer actuaries so that would be impossible... I must confess that there are certain topics that I'm not really good at understanding - 2 exam sessions later. For eg. Markov and I don't get along, and though I think I understand exposed to risk in my studies, the exam just comes with a ques. that completely tests my understanding of the topic...
So it may be that I need some other resources in regards to those troublesome topics but I'm just not sure how to get them.

 

Bystander gives good advice!
OK, I think the revision notes would be a good idea. They're in separate booklets by topic, so there's one totally devoted to exposed to risk, and two devoted to Markov jump processes. They include questions to test your knowledge of Core Reading, the Core Reading itself, all the past subject 103, 104 and CT4 exam questions (and solutions) related to each topic, and a batch of practice questions that are designed to instill the correct concepts and procedures for those who initially can't get on with the full exam questions themselves. I think these practice questions on their own could help you quite a lot.
Details of how to get hold of them are on our website. I really hope these help next time around.
As bystander says, I would just get stuck into these from day 1, and only refer to the main notes if you need to check something out.
Best of luck!

 

I would pull off the Indian actuarial exam papers too, as the CT's are exactly the same

http://www.actuariesindia.org/Examination/examination papers and reports.htm

 

Thank you so much guys. It feels really good to have you all help me out here. Will order my revision materials now - should take about a week or so to get them here and then I'll just dig in.

Thanks a lot.

P.S. Thanks for the tip Cardano - I'll download those too.

 

Just another last thought.

If its a mathematical thing you get stuck on, remember ActEd/Institute isn't the only info source --- (sorry ActEd).

Try a suitable level maths text book - don't need to buy, just use a library.

I remember someone couldn't pass economics - can't remember where that fits these days, but in the end they used a book devised for A level students here in the UK. And lo & behold.... pass!

 

i had the same as you with CT4 - how i managed to pass was to do lots of questions from the revision booklets... So that is good advice. I kept track of the questions by making brief notes next to an index of each question (sort of like NBs) and ** if i needed to review before the exam. At the end i just glanced over my notes i made from attempting each question. But yip its just practice

 

Thanks again! All your advice is very helpful and hopefully it'll all pay off.

 

I was on the same boat as you, failed CT4 twice with FA but somehow managed to pass in this sitting. (I was so convinced after taking the exam I had failed because I hardly wrote much in the last 4 questions in this paper...looking at the examiner’s report, you can even find the word ‘disappointing’ for each of the comments for the last 4 questions)

Are there any topics you are having trouble with? i.e. exposed to risk/Markov jump process/significance tests?

For me before taking CT4 the 3rd time I had always skipped the exposed to risk question because I never understood the topic. And then I realise maybe the ETR question is the one which will push me from a FA to a pass. So when I studied for the 3rd time I just gathered all the questions I can find on exposed to risk (past papers, Q&A bank, assignments, tutorial questions) and try to work out some logic on them. Eventually I managed to find a set of rules/logic which allow me to apply to all these ETR questions and get the answer. (I guess its same as how people use the Lexis chart to figure out how to do these questions, but then again I didn’t understand how the Lexis chart work so I had to make up something that works for me).

So I guess my advice is you should concentrate on individual topics which you had trouble with during the last exam. (sometimes I might think I know a topic well, and able to understand the past papers, but may find myself struggle in the real exam as the question look so different…so this is the time I realise maybe I didn’t know that topic that well afterall and can work on it in the next study session.) For me I tried to do all the past papers I can find (not just CT4, but also the old 103 as well) and also redo’ing some of them as well. I was nearly up to the point where I can “remember” the answers to the past paper questions.

Another thing is if you have problems understanding ETR and find the ActEd notes not easy to understand (i.e. Lexis chart), another choice would be to think of your own method of solving these questions. At the end of the day all the ETR are quite standard in how they ask the questions (i.e. working out how to change from one age label to match a different age label.), it’s a matter of going through all the possible combinations they can ask you and trying to find some pattern. This certainly worked for me cause I am now able to do the ETR questions in my own way, which I think was the 5% I needed to get a pass.

I hope I didn’t confuse you even more….
Anyway the CT4 pass rates have just fluctuate so much in the last few sittings, 27%, 63% and now 39%. I originally thought if I didn’t pass this time I will just take it every time until I get a nice paper similar to last april….

 

I'm doing CT4 for the first time and a bit nervous about it.

If anyone wants an email study buddy, I'm up for it.. we could set ourselves deadlines to do some sample papers and send them across to each other to mark. I'm a terrible procrastinator so this would be great for me, if anyone else is interested?!

 

Putting Fear in Me

I shall be writing the CT4 paper for the first time this April but from the discussion on this paper it seem its not an easy paper at all and am beginning to shiver. Do i drop it for another paper since i still have CT8 to go in the CTs coupled with the fact that I am also struggling with CT6 at the moment.

 

Am interested

Hi MissAussie, your suggestion is not bad, I will like to be part of it am also writing the paper for the first time.

 

Email study buddies

OK - if anyone is interested, please PM me and I'll put together a little mailing list. It won't be big, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

 

Am interested

Please I am still interested but really dont understand what you mean by PM you...

 

Ok - a "PM" is just a private message. I don't want to list my email address here publicly but am happy for people to PM me to join the emailing list.

i've PM'd you, maryam, hope you receive it.

I'm just starting on CT4 now, if anyone's interested in being a CT4 study buddy, send me a PM. we can discuss how we're coming along with the course.

 

I guess that might be ok... I'm trying to go through everything slower, and testing myself after each chapt. with the revision booklets. I was having a problem with one of the ques in the first revision booklet though. It was about probability and joint distr. with a Markiv Chain. The part I didn't get was when they asked for x3|F2... i think that's it... i was completely lost. Anyone with the booklet can help?

Thanks.

 

Pm

Hi Miss Aussie,
Thanks for the enlightment. I did not receive the message. So i might be forced to send my email to you or what do u think cos i dont want to be left out of the group. I am reading the materials all over again and i think am getting a bit comfortable.

Thanks,

 

OK - I've made a new email address that I feel comfortable publishing on the web: (created specially for ct4 study!!)

It's <<email address removed... no longer studying ct4>>

Anyway, drop me a line if you want to discuss anything. I'm doing all the assignments in time for assignment marking (X1 is due tomorrow) so I'll have written answers that I'm happy to share & discuss. I plan to do a really thorough revision as my employer only pays for 1 sitting and I want to pass 1st go!

 

Thanks alot Miss Aussie... there's no way to do marking here (from Jamaica) so this could be very helpful.