Difference between SA5 and SA6

I need some help here!

I just wonder what is the difference between SA5 and SA6? Has anyone done both or can give me some idea/insight?

Thanks!

 

Hi

Ive looked through core reading for both, but sat SA6 in end

SA5 is more finance related - MM theorem , hedging, M&A, + bits on Basel 2, Economic capital

SA6 covers investment issues - asset allocation, fund managers, benchmarks construction,

 

Thanks - just wonder why did you choose SA6 at the end?

 

There is a good tactical reason to choose SA6 rather than SA5. There is a much greater availability of past exam papers and so you are much less likely to be surprised by an unusual question

 

sa5 had more bookwork to learn,
plus Coz i never sat ST5, so did not fancy learning ST5 just to sit SA5!

 

can you sit SA6 without sitting St5? I thought ST5 is the pre-requisit for both SA5/6!

 

ST5 = prerequisite for both, but the exam is different matter!
Ive never seen ST5 b/work been examined in SA6 (in fact hardly any b/work is examined in there at all) but ST5 b/work has crept into SA5

 

Is work experience essential for SA6?? If I have only ever worked in life, would that matters?

 

I am writing SA6 next monday.
I think work experience does not matter but the closeness to the real time issues in financial and investment is definitely a plus (but if you are working in the relevant field, then it would helps.)

I have same background as you in life, and I find it a bit tough when deal with pension and pension investment related issues (especially in last few exam papers). I have no other channel to have access to these real time issues except start picking up from exam papers and finance and investment conference papers in actuarial website. But the difficult part is how to select those discussion papers that might potentially appear in exam because there are wide ranges of discussed issues?

So, if your aim is to qualify, then I would suggest that you stick back to SA2 where work experience helps a lot.

But, no gut no glory! If you really interested in investment, then it is not a bad idea to try. And I would say, it is plausible to take ST5 and SA6 together.

Good luck!