Has anyone tried exam counselling?

Title says it all really! After screwing up my exams in September (there were mitigating circumstances, not least that I had major surgery in April) and failing CT1 for the second time (although granted I sat that the first time a week before I went into hospital!) I'm wondering what it was that I'm doing wrong. I'm not really significantly more stupid than anyone else

Has anyone else had exam counselling, and did it help?

Thanks,
s&s

 

Hi S&S

Many commiserations on your exam results (I'm still waiting for mine in two weeks!).

I've not tried exam counselling before, but I've heard from other people that it is more useful when you reach the later exams (CA's and ST's). But if you feel it would help then I think you should go for it.

Also, don't beat yourself up about failing. It takes loads of people a couple of goes to get used to the sort of exams we have to sit as actuarial students. I'm sure the exams you sat in April and Sept were much different to any exams you might have sat before. Besides, you have fairly impressive mitigating circumstances!!

If I were you I'd have another go at CT1. Approach it in April like a new subject again. I'm sure once you get going you'll fly through the other CT exams.

Good luck
LouiseF

 

agree with above.

Did you try some past papers, or mocks before the exam? If you were getting less than 65-70% (under true exam conditions) then it's unlikely that you were quite ready for the exam and so probably best saving your money and having another go after some more work.

 

Thanks very much for replying. The annoying thing was that I thought I was doing reasonably well with the past papers (and I did lots) so I don't know quite what went wrong there. Mind you, I last sat exams about seven or eight years ago, so maybe I just need more time to get back into the exam mindset...

After reading your replies, I think I'll leave the counselling for the time being (if I fail them again, then it might be worth asking some searching questions!!).

Good luck with yours, LouiseF!

s&s

 

You've got about 13 exams to pass if you're at the beginning - by the end you surely will have found what works best for you. I found exam counselling useful and have done it for 106 (now CT6), CT8 and CT4(103) and passed the exam the next sitting for the first 2 and the one after that for CT4(103).

What you're trying to find out is what the examiners want you to write down and whether you get this from feedback from marking or though looking at your past papers in Exam couselling doesn't matter.

My top tip is always have a different strategy each time you have to retake. Eg first time, do Acted regular tutorials or marking, second time, do a revision course or a block tutorial, third time and thereafter get exam counselling. Psychologically - and this is the important bit - you then always feel ahead of the pack.

 

Waste of time and money

 

This is true for the CT exams. With CT exams, you should aim for 90%+ in exam. This is different from what you need to do at the university.

 

ok aiming for 90+% in the CT exam seems reasonable
but surely u need much less to pass (i.e 60%) the CT

 

Exam councelling is for girls.

Sorry girls!

 

Firstly, if there are mitigating circumstances like illness affecting performance, I don't think counselling helps.

Where it can make the difference is if you keep failing with the same grade. It stops your selective memory kicking in. You see your actual script hence you should see your mistakes. I'd definitely say go to meet the counsellor rather than rely on the report.

Having seen your mistake, in your preparation make sure the same things don't creep back in.

Timing getting the counselling is important. Too soon after the results, you may still be too annoyed to be fully receptive. Too near a resit and you haven't chance to take remedial action.

Do look at the paper before going for the counselling. That can help. You are familiar with the qns so you don't spend valuable time in their struggling with that.

If you've tried everything else, it's always worth a shot.