Coronavirus effect on exams

Some speculations:

- Bookwork questions would be removed;
- Reworking paper and surrounding governance process requires exam postponement;
- Pass marks are going to be wonky - there's heavy selection with only better-prepared candidates taking the exam.

 

By removing bookwork questions - you are actually screwing over the people who has studies for the last few weeks -
I would say if no webcam is required - everybody will have a shot at the exam - lads who have done sweet FA now will have a shot of passing - and probably more so if bookwork have been removed

 

I think well-prepared candidates are getting screwed over regardless of whether bookwork questions are removed - it may be a case of which is the lesser evil. If bookwork questions remain and exam becomes open-book (actual, if rules change to allow; effective, if people cheat), there are now 'free' marks. This could mean there are fewer marks for the better-prepared candidates to differentiate themselves.

 

I'm feeling screwed over having studied for CM1 and not being able to sit it. Also in September everyone will have also had double the time to study, which could inflate the pass mark and increase the risk I fail and have to wait until April 2021 to sit it. I don't think anyone is in a good position right now :/ ugh

 

May the odds be ever in your favor

I think I read somewhere you can notify the institute that you didn't sit the exam under ideal conditions

Mitigating circumstances If you were ill whilst taking your exam, or other serious circumstances prevented you doing your best, you can apply for this to be taken into consideration.
Read more about mitigating circumstances

 

For what it's worth, you have my sympathy and I hope organisations are reasonable/flexible.

 

I think there has to be an appetite to take this further, the Institute's handling of this whole matter has been - and continues to be - absolutely shambolic. The disregard for students is truly beyond belief.

 

I agree! It shows a total lack of responsibility and no respect to the students who would have appreciated a sense of clarity and transparency in a time like this. What I don't get is how students just sit there and not react and try and do anything about any of this? Do they just don't care if it doesnt affect them ? Honestly, Actuarial students probably read too much into their studies and are probably one of the most risk averse people in the world. They dont want to 'rock the boat' or change the status quo and just want things to stay the same all the time! I urge everyone to email the IFoA and tell them how you feel! I also urge to use platforms such as Linkedin to post 'healthy' and respectable conversations making sure no foul language is used when discussing.

 

I cant think of a decision that would have been fair to every single candidate!

We have been given options - to cancel, or to write (if you can).

If you're prepared, you'll be alright, regardless of other people's circumstances.

Please share a decision you believe would have been fair to everyone..... including candidates who are not affected by the pandemic to the same extent as you are..

 

Yes but as someone earlier had posted this just means everyone can apply for the mitigating circumstances without any sort of proof! We are living in a bloody pandemic and governments are ordering lockdowns!

 

POSTPONEMENT!

 

The whole world is on standstill, with events being simply postponed. Even the CFA exams are taking place in December, which initally should have taken place in June. And the IFoA is now trying to play around with some online examination tools? What about simply postpone April to Mai/June and September exams to Oktober/November?

 

I think that's exactly what's going to happen. Postponement - April will be moved to May.

 

Surely a cancellation / postponement for ALL exams would’ve been the most fair?
I don’t even see how you can argue with that?

picking and choosing what can be wrote and what cannot doesn’t even have a shred of fairness in it.

 

Heard that exams being pushed back 2 weeks, and will be done on PSI browser
They will be using software to check for cheating but no need to record yourself and going to assume you don't cheat as it's no advantage having your notes - as pass mark may just be pushed higher.

 

It's worthwhile gaining a sense of perspective on things. This is an unprecedented event - it strikes me as if the IFoA was damned regardless.

Some people feel hard done by because they are unable to sit the CM/CS papers. Using that rationale - if they had cancelled everything bar CP2/CP3 then everyone could feel annoyed bar those candidates.

For what it's worth, I really feel for everyone who is sitting exams/had their exams cancelled/unsure on how to proceed - this pandemic isn't anybody's fault, it's just a thankfully very rare scenario we find ourselves in.

The IFoA have tried to please as many students as possible by offering students to sit the exams (bar CM/CS) or cancel if they wish. If everyone opts to cancel their exams then there will be no sitting. I think the IFoA should be applauded for at least taking in to account that candidates have put in so much time and effort that they have came up with an alternative. Admittedly it's unfortunate not all subjects were able to be included.

The opposing views on this thread highlight the difference of opinion. The communications were poor - it would've been preferable for them to have undertaken this work prior to announcing them. For what it's worth, I think the teams are trying their best - I don't think any examiner or assessment team member is enjoying the present situation at all.

It may seem like the end of the world now, but, trust me, a missed sitting is not the end of the world.

Most importantly, be kind, stay safe and healthy - the UK and world is in a situation just now that's far more important than any professional examination ever will be. It can be very easy to lose a sense of perspective (I'm as guilty as the next person).

 

Thanks, I think you make valid points in your comments and no doubt one sitting is not the end of the world (well lets hope in these trouble times its certainly not). Again I agree that they have put in an incredible amount of work to even try to accommodate the exams for student albeit online. I'm taking nothing away from them here.

However, after looking through all the options and all the things that students want and don't want, surely the best option would have been to just POSTPONE? Not only a few exams but ALL exams including CP2/CP3 until they come up with a solution! In that way no student will feel disadvantaged at all.

Instead they've decided to just opt for making some students feel that their voices and opinions aren't heard and from looking through countless of posts , it seems the IFoA have always had problems listening to the student's needs.

 

While i do appreciate you agreeing to both sides of any argument I can’t help but be much more cynical when thinking about the whole process.

As you quite rightly say, we are in a global pandemic, much more things to worry about than exams.

So why not cancel them all completely and forget about the sitting?

Thus meaning all candidates are in the same position, no one is having to re-adjust, no extra stress of different formatting, no inclusions/exclusions, only a 6 month delay to ALL candidates.

I’d love to hear the rationale behind not just doing this idea..

Although they still reserve the right to cancel 48 hours before so I could still be mistaken yet..

 

Hear hear.

It's an unfortunate situation for CM/CS students, but the reality is that the mathematical nature of these exams would be impractical to reproduce using a computer. For more "wordy" exams, these are easier to do on a computer. Indeed I personally know of a couple of students with mitigating circumstances who have written CP1/CB/SP/SA papers on laptops before because they had difficulty handwriting. I speculate that if this sitting goes well, online exams could even become the norm going forward.

For those that are going online, it's entirely appropriate that the option of cancellation with full refund is offered. You essentially have two cohorts of students at the moment, those who feel they are well prepared for the exams and don't want their progress to be impeded, and those who (understandably) feel that their studying has been disrupted by ongoing events and would welcome waiting until September.

Offering the choice between both options is entirely appropriate and the IFOA is in line with universities and schools with regards to ensuring people have the chance to obtain the qualifications they need and deserve.

The IFOA would be damned by one group if they fully cancelled and by the other if they went fully online with no cancellation option. They've gone for something to please both groups and IMO, they've gone for the best thing considering the circumstances. It's highly unfortunate for CM/CS students, but I think this is preferable than holding back everyone's progress.

 

I'm sorry but I cannot agree with this. The Institute have a responsibility to be completely fair on all students and not just a selected few.

 

You act diplomatic and I get you stating multiple times it’s ‘highly unfortunate’ for CM/CS students, but then go on to say it’s preferable than holding everyone back?

I confidently assume you are beyond these exams and are sitting further exams, and thus you are not really inconvenienced by this? Am I correct?

If so, does halting our progress mean less than halting yours?

This sense of entitlement and ‘what’s for the greater good’ (i.e. not impacting more senior students) does not constitute a FAIR or pleasurable institution to me.

I simply cannot agree with anything you have said, and I’m sure if you actually viewed this from a different angle you would see that.

I can tell from your posts you would be more than annoyed if you were unable to write your exam this sitting, and part of that minority, so instead of saying it’s ‘highly unfortunate’ why don’t you actually stand inside with your fellow students who are hard done by here and make your voice heard standing up for US rather than the IFOA body.

Thanks.