We're not nerds!

[King]

That post should come with a free sick bag.

 

[examstudent]

That post should come with a free sick bag.

i agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scarlets]

not necessarily scarlets..

this situation could easily occur. Lets assume two new student actuaries, one male and one female. Both work at same firm, same study leave , same academic background, identical in all respects etc and both very much in love (the most important assumption !). both study and support each other over three years.
-their holidays are together, and on holiday they study as there being in love means time spent together doing anything (even if its study) is most important),
-their mutual hobbies is study (again this is no problem as there together)
-they study together.

result= both pass quickly!

(in fact they get 100% in CT5 as their union means they love joint life questions! lol)

OH DEAR

 

[Louisa]

Trouble is, if you try and squeeze them all into 3 years then you have no time for anything else, surely. Forget relationships, hobbies, holidays...

Doesn't seem to follow. I can think of a couple (no, not in that sense) of people who've taken the speedy route; they seemed to have inordinately busy social lives and regular exotic holidays too. Perhaps they just don't sleep?
I know i need my hobbies to keep me sane enough to study, so don't think the drop everything approach would work for me. Or that's my excuse

L

 

[scarlets]

I just don't see how people can find the time to speed through the exams like that. I mean what's the most generous study allowance an employer would give you, 9 hours a week at the most I'd imagine. That wouldn't be enough. So how much of your spare time per week? 10? 20?

 

[examstudent]

but people have done the speedy thing,
there are some people (must be geniuses) who have sat and passed all actuarial exams in two years in the 1980s, where the exams were probably a lot harder than we have now

 

[scarlets]

how?

 

[examstudent]

What Is Your Question?

 

[igitur]

Doesn't seem to follow. I can think of a couple (no, not in that sense) of people who've taken the speedy route; they seemed to have inordinately busy social lives and regular exotic holidays too. Perhaps they just don't sleep?
I know i need my hobbies to keep me sane enough to study, so don't think the drop everything approach would work for me. Or that's my excuse

L

I agree.

I hate (no, actually I love) to make this about me. I'm 28 and I'm still struggling with CA1. Do the maths... I've been doing this damn course for over 10 years now (if you include university).

Ashamed? No, not at all! I play in that touch rugby league (by the way, tomorrow evening is our semi-finals), I sing in two choirs, I take opera lessons, I take music theory lessons, I sing in a boyband (that has been on TV), I arrange the boyband's music, I have a girlfriend, I work in IT, I design websites in my spare time, I write my friend's shipping logistics company's software, and I never go to sleep before midnight.

So, when I'm 65, I'll receive my pension. Actuaries who qualified within a few years will sit down and verify that their pension is correct. I will look back at a full life where I never missed an opportunity.

 

[scarlets]

What Is Your Question?

how do people pass so quickly?
I don't buy the "genius" argument too much. Sure some people can wizz through the material quicker/more efficiently than others. But it takes time to pick up all the definitions and so on.
How many hours do they put in over this 2-3 year period?

 

[anon2]

We all have the same decision to make:

Pass quickly - its all over quicker; you get payrises sooner.

Pass slowly - spend more time doing other things during your youth.


Those who pass quickly will say that they didn't miss out on the other things at all. Chances are that one day they will realise they should have spent more time having fun and less time working.

Those who pass slowly will say that they do not care about the payrises if the cost is their social life. Chances are that one day they will realise they should have spent more time working and less time having fun.


It is rather arrogant for one to state categorically that one is making the right decisions in life. In the end we will all look back and realise that we could have done things better.


Let us not quibble over who has the "right" approach - the only thing that matters is whether it is right for you. Instead, let us step back and appreciate life's rich tapestry. Individually we are merely stitches, and it is our differences that make us interesting.

 

[igitur]

Let us not quibble over who has the "right" approach - the only thing that matters is whether it is right for you. Instead, let us step back and appreciate life's rich tapestry. Individually we are merely stitches, and it is our differences that make us interesting.

This is true, but is in no way contributing to the flame war we're trying to start.

 

[avanbuiten]

sorry, second message for igitur not avabiten!

Don't worry ... I'm still unmarried!

 

[Gareth]

We all have the same decision to make:

Pass quickly - its all over quicker; you get payrises sooner.

Pass slowly - spend more time doing other things during your youth.

There's a third option. Pass at whatever speed you feel comfortable with and instead focus on performing best in your actual job (as opposed to being a paid to pass exams). You may find these pay rises well exceed what you could achieve through getting your exams quickly.