Welcome!

[Ian Senator]

Welcome to the Subject CA3 forum!

This forum is for you to discuss anything at all to do with Subject CA3 – although remember there is a separate forum for discussion about the CA3 exam itself.

Here’s something to get you started:

Communication skills is a subject of interest not only to actuaries. How do you think our learning and examination of communication skills compares to those of other disciplines? Do you think it should be different?

 

[steven74]

A is for "Applications"

First of all, I agree that quite a few actuaries or students desparately need to work on their communication skills. However, I strongly doubt CA3 would help in achieving that goal (to support my point, those who can't explain an interest rate even if their life depended on it actually passed 102 (one of them was actually a 102-marker!!), and other who really can explain things in simple terms, seem to keep failing 102 or CA3...)

* If I would use the style and vocab suggested by CA3 when writing a letter or whatever to the CFO, I'd be out of a job quite quickly for lack of respect, suggesting the CFO is an imbecil
* If I need to explain something to someone, I think that person would be less interested in whether my reply deviates by more than a certain percentage from 500 words; I think the main concern would be to get the point accross.
* The layout of slides; unfortunately, the company I work for has slide templates. I shall contact the communications department immediately to point out that their templates are useless because they are of a non-actuarial format
* I won't go on, except for this final point. I was lucky enough to have had communication trainings in Flemish, French, German and English (University and business communication). All of them were very useful and ALL of them were completely different from the CA3 nonsense: they could actually be used in practice.

If the A in CA3 stands for "applications", than I would really suggest someone goes out to the industry and has a look at what is really going on out there. Do you really believe it's all about jargon? You can use jargon, and then explain what it means. At least the person will then have picked up something.

And just to answer your question, yes, I did fail 102, although I did attend a 2 day tutorial where my writing was considered a definite pass. I even thought the exam went quite well. All this should explain the tone in this posting...

 

[FatSam]

The most stupid exam in the world .....ever. Volume II

I have to say that this exam is just absolutely ridiculous.
There is about a million different ways to interpret these questions and just because I happen to give an answer which Mr examiner doesn't feel his nan could understand, it doesn't mean that my nan couldn't!
And if any of my friends were as dufferish as that suggested by those scenarios then I would rather have no friends at all.

 

[CdT]

Agree

I agree. This was my 2nd attempt and I am sure I will fail it again.

Why not incorporate some sort of "essay style" question into a ST subject, which deals with subject matter for the ST subject only. This way you only test communication skills, as I am decidedly rusty on some of the technical matter in the CA exam?

 

[FatSam]

Or I think that if it is to be a real test of communication why not split the exam in to say 4 parts, each which has short questions.
The first part could be to give definitions to various terms
The second part could be on how to format letters, emails and memos
The third part could be on correcting bad English (SPAG)
The final part could be to do with what kind of information one should include to get the point across.

?

 

[parnell]

Or I think that if it is to be a real test of communication why not split the exam in to say 4 parts, each which has short questions.
The first part could be to give definitions to various terms
The second part could be on how to format letters, emails and memos
The third part could be on correcting bad English (SPAG)
The final part could be to do with what kind of information one should include to get the point across.

?

Because CA3 or Communications came about because so many failed the drafting questions on the later exams the first part would have no value.
The exam material is worthwhile studying IMHO even if I've failed this sucker twice - was very dissappointed to fail in April as I thought I had 5 solid paragraphs.

 

[steven74]

I guess CA3 is the perfect example of the total disconnect between the Institute and the Industry. You would expect the Institute to use the 2005-reform to actually improve not only the exam system but the material taught. A real shame, a missed opportunity.

I just live by the advice a tutor gave me: "never mind how unrealistic the material is; the exams are a kind of game; learn the rules, play the game and forget all the nonsense once you passed it". OK, I can live with that, but what's the point then?

 

[examstudent]

Hi

Steven

the point is

this game can be fun..

there are days u get the better of the examiner
but then he sometimes get the better of u
sometimes u dont knwo how the dice will land - it adds to the the drama
r u on the list? are u not? why? what if? but i did this? the clock ticks? the pen scribbles? the mind races?

all thismakes ur eventual victory more sweeter!!! lol

 

[steven74]

hm, I see your point...

I feel a whole lot better now, thanks. Thank God the next exams already start in March . I can hardly wait to play a few nore games, trying to out-smart some newbie examiner