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ST5 or ST3

F

FatSam

Member
Does anyone have any advice for me please?
I have recently switched from Pensions work to GI and currently have one ST subject left to take. Common sense would obviously dictate that I should do ST3 with my remaining choice seeing as I have to take SA3 one day. I have spoken to a few people though and am just a bit confused. Some people have told me that I dont necessarily have to take ST3 in order to do SA3 and in fact I may just find ST5 easier. They have therefore advised me to do ST5 and then SA3 when I get there
Is this right?
 
Hi Sam,

I work in GI and I can inform you that who ever gave you that info is mistaken.

You need ST3! - firstly to help in understanding your daily job and as background forSA3. In SA3 you need to be able to apply what you know by studies and experience to pass and if yu haven't done ST3 you are cutting your chances of passing as you will be competing with pepople who have done ST3 and who have been in the GI market from the start of their actuarial training.

Additionally, does your study policy note state that you are required to do ST3 and SA3 with other subjects being optional?
 
Deniese,
thanks for your reply
funnily enough, we dont have to do ST3 although SA3 is compulsory.
I guess what you say makes sense. In a way I guess I am a tad intimidated by doing ST3 competing with all the other guys and thought that I may stand a better chance passing ST5 as everyone keeps going on about how easy it is!
 
I have a similar dilemma Fatman.

I've sat ST3 twice and failed. I'm considering sitting ST5.

However the advice I've had is to stay clear from ST5, due to it not being that easy and the lack of past papers.

Note also that the April pass rate was lower than ST3 :eek: Whoever says it is easy is not talking from their mouth :D
 
I sat the ST5 paper in april and I found it quite stuff, mainly because of 2 20 mark questions in which i didn't know what they were going on about.

To be honest, I prefer the ST3 subject to ST5 because it is mor3 interesting than ST5 - particuarly because of all the regulation bits...also it may be becasue I don't use the knowledge in my job.

I don't think any subject is easy than another, instead I think it boils down to the exam paper set on the day. If the examiners are feeling evil, ST5 exam may be harder or easier than ST3 exams. It all epends on whether or not the sun is hining downon you that day!
 
To be honest, interest doesn't really come in to it with me. I just want to get these wretched exams over and done with and the quicker I can do that the better.

I noticed the ST5 pass mark was low last time but traditionally it has been relatively high. Also, I think that one stands a better chance doing a more memory orientated paper cause then at least there is an opportunitiy to dump some of that bookwork on to the exam script.
 
Fat Sma
u say the pass mark was low last time

did u mean the pass rate as i undertsand pass marks arent published

or if u did mean pass mark

wat mark was it???/
 
you shouldn't worry about competition when doing ST3 as there will be life and pensions people sitting this exam as well (as you have to do 2 ST subjects)

also, some say its an advantage not to know too much in the ST3 paper as you can start to drift away from the core reading - absolutely no outside reading / knowledge is assumed for ST3 (unlike SA3)

if you do SA3 without having done ST3, I do feel you could be making things more difficult for yourself as most people will have done ST3, and ST5 will only help a little with SA3

finally, the core reading for ST5 is much, much more than that for ST3
 
examstudent said:
Fat Sma
u say the pass mark was low last timedid u mean the pass rate as i undertsand pass marks arent published or if u did mean pass mark. wat mark was it???/
Click to expand...

Apologies, I did mean the pass rate and not the pass mark. Although I imagine the two are quite closely correlated.
 
I also think if you haven't done ST3, you would be in comparative disadvantage with SA3.
 
SA3 and ST3

Let's clear up this part of the debate.

There is no way that you could realistically expect to study and pass SA3 without having at least studied ST3 (either previously, or simultaneously).

I also advise my SA3 students to dig out their old ST3 (or 303) notes when they are studying for SA3, as one builds very heavily on the other.

Hope this helps.
 
Oh yeah, I dont doubt for a second that one needs to have studied ST3 to do SA3 and would therefore read ST3 at a later date. However, my question relates to actually sitting the exam. I think I may have a better chance of passing ST5 you see hence my dilemma.
 
easy choice then!

In that case, it sounds like you are down to two options:

1) Sit ST5 now, sit SA3 later but study ST3 too.

2) Sit ST3 now, sit SA3 later but re-read ST3.

The first option involves studying 3 subjects, the second option involves studying two subjects (although re-studying one of them a bit more). So surely it's an easy choice?!
 
I suppose when you put it like that it does make sense and I do take your point.
The thing that was making me indecisive I guess was that option 1, although harder, may have meant that I reached the final hurdle of SA3 quicker.
 
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