CA1 exam in Sept

[misterh]

Is 10 weeks enough time to prepare to sit exam in Sept? Have done a quick flick over the notes already. How much of the exam is typically directly asking core reading reproduction? Are there sections that hardly ever come up that could be brushed over? I know from studying other later subjects that directly related course questions can be as little as 10 to 15 % and that some of the course material (one could speculate) is there for completeness but is very rarely examined. I know you can never say never but am just looking for typically - thanks in advance for any help.

 

[ZimboActuary]

My friend, what you are proposing is pure suicide and fundraising for the profession, as your exam fee may be lost over a failed attempt.

however, depending on your past experience, you may be able to overcome this subject in such a short time.

basically, the exam is 30% bookwork, 30/40% application questions and 40/30% higher order skills.

Now if you did a 'quick flick' over 50 chapters of notes, just bear in mind that from those chaptetrs, bookwork worth about 30% is going to be in.the exam. For you to score these 'free' marks, u better know your notes like the back of your hand.

in the following ten weeks, you will also need to master the art of answering applications questions, and the wizardry of answering higher order skills questions.

ill let you be the judge as to whether this can.be done in 10weeks

 

[misterh]

Ok thanks for reply. I did the exam 3 or 4 years ago for first time and got FA but it would be completely gone out of my head in the meantime (didn't do exam CA1 again - have got the ST's and SA since - so would have useful "related" knowledge eg. models, products, pricing, reserving, reinsurance etc from life insurance exams). If I had a month off before the exam would it make any difference? I remember that the CA1 exam i did had only 10% that was directly related to the notes (disappointingly and probably what stopped me passing). I'm trying to decide whether to put the head down or not. I don't think its likely but is possible (I think I'd have a 1 in 10 shot - could be pessimistic at that though)

 

[Charlie]

The CA1 tutor I had warned us of "hidden bookwork" questions - questions that aren't obvious "regurgitate list X from chapter Y", but require you to reproduce ideas from the Core Reading nonetheless.

From my experience with past papers - and armed with my knowledge of the existence of this hidden bookwork - I'd say I agree with Zimbo Actuary that somewhere around 30% of the marks (if not more) can be found in the Core Reading ...

Oh, and another thing the tutor said:

"You have to do a lot of work to pass CA1. You can either do it now and pass this session, or spread it over the next few. It's your call ..."

 

[misterh]

Ok thanks again
My thoughts are:
+ exam technique (i have done the exam before and have the other later exams so i understand how to answer questions ( i have a good idea of what they're looking for))
+ i have studied a chunk of the course under the other exams
- time (only 10 weeks)
- i just won't get through as much papers as i should so i won't have underlying insight to situations they may have asked before (i.e. if they ask for project to fund a new bridge they look at x, y and z). this won't be a major factor unless something that came up before comes up again.
Rather than looking to pass i am really just wondering will i be able to do a decent paper or will i be left there with nothing to write?
My strategy would involve me dumping the notes (i had quick read over them - in fairness there is just too much to know them all off anyway) and just going over the revision notes and making lists from the revision notes and also chapter summaries. So my material will be limited to Revision notes (+ lists therein learnt off) + Chapter summaries. Could this be enough to do a "decent" passable paper? I plan on taking 4 or 5 weeks off before the exam.
Thanks for listening and any help is greatly appreciated

 

[ryan11]

The CA1 tutor I had warned us of "hidden bookwork" questions - questions that aren't obvious "regurgitate list X from chapter Y", but require you to reproduce ideas from the Core Reading nonetheless.

From my experience with past papers - and armed with my knowledge of the existence of this hidden bookwork - I'd say I agree with Zimbo Actuary that somewhere around 30% of the marks (if not more) can be found in the Core Reading ...

Oh, and another thing the tutor said:

"You have to do a lot of work to pass CA1. You can either do it now and pass this session, or spread it over the next few. It's your call ..."

You are so much correct about the existence of this hidden book work, because not every chunk in core reading lends itself into a list to regurgiate.

but I am at a loss of how to earmark these chunks of hidden book work from the enormous syllabus, does QnA bank or assignments help with this hidden book work?

 

[Charlie]

I think the point is that you can't earmark them. The Core Reading is all examinable.

The ideal would be to learn all the Core Reading and then you're covered. Obviously this would take hours and hours and most people won't do this (although I do know a few who have!).

The more practice questions you do, the more you get a feel for what gets tested the most, how it gets tested, and what Core Reading ideas tend to score.

I think that a handful of people take shortcuts and somehow manage to fluke a pass in CA1, but I think that for the majority shortcuts don't work too well. From my experience, there's no substitute for getting your head down if you want to pass CA1.

 

[ryan11]

I think the point is that you can't earmark them. The Core Reading is all examinable.

The ideal would be to learn all the Core Reading and then you're covered. Obviously this would take hours and hours and most people won't do this (although I do know a few who have!).

The more practice questions you do, the more you get a feel for what gets tested the most, how it gets tested, and what Core Reading ideas tend to score.

I think that a handful of people take shortcuts and somehow manage to fluke a pass in CA1, but I think that for the majority shortcuts don't work too well. From my experience, there's no substitute for getting your head down if you want to pass CA1.

True, there is no substitute to the real hard work, I am wondering with the enormity of this course and most of us being modestly intelligent, it still is a huge task to rememer all of the core reading.

Hats off to the few you know did it, only if I could get some guidance from these smart souls.

 

[bystander]

with 4-5 weeks solid study and practise I still think its a long shot, but its your decision. You will get nowhere without self belief.

I just hope you are realistic and realise it is a gamble (one I wouldn't make but we aren't all alike).

If nothing else, you will have learned something in the event it doesn't go your way but be mindful that a resit will involve having to check for syllabus cahnges.

Best of luck - you'll need that

 

[Rambler]

I assume that you have already paid the fee to sit this exam? If that is the only exam you are due to take, why not get your head down and go for it? Ok you may not pass but you'll get valuable experience for the next attempt.

Rather more tricky though if you've entered for another subject. The danger there is that you'll put too much effort into CA1 but still fail and also fail the other subject as well! Only you can decide on that. Much would depend on how strong you feel about the other subject.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on.

 

[misterh]

Got my pass. Just as well i don't listen to what i don't want to hear