workload 3 CTs vs CA1 & STs

Hi everyone

I sat three CT exams in September - CT2, CT7, CT6... and found them ok. Confident of passing all three which would mean CT series completed. Don't think I could have taken on any more workload than this. I smell blood now and want to finish them all off ASAP.

Please tell me what the workload is like to compare with CA1, ST1 & ST2 as I'm considering doing those three in April.

Then sit SA2 in Oct and clean up CA2 & CA3 by the end of 2011.

Is this achievable given that I managed CT2, 6, 7 quite well in one sitting? Thanks.

Also is there someone in Acted that I can call for some advice as my situation is unusual (sorry won't elaborate on the forum).

 

I think trying to take CA1, and two STs will be practically double the work of three CTs. I haven't taken CA1 yet, but did an ST last session, and the volume of work is more like 1.5-2 CTs, and then there's the fact that it's a very different style of exam. CA1 looks to be at least 2 CTs worth, given that you sit two papers for it. I think you're better of just taking CA1, or if you are feeling like taking on a lot, you could do two STs, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

wow, this is really impressive to be able to take on this much....the key question is how many hours per week do you actually have to work?
with a 40 h per week working, taking CA1 and 2 STs for me would be absolutely impossible.

 

cheers guys

this link looks useful, although rather scary!

http://www.actuaries.org.uk/sites/all/files/documents/pdf/suggested-study-hours.pdf

 

workloads

CA1 i'd say is about the same as three CTs in terms of workload. Its 50 chapters of notes, although nothing too tough really, its just a huge volume of stuff to work through and remember.

So I think if you just did CA1 you'd have a similar workload, and if you did an ST too, you'd have another 50% to 70% on top.

If you've got the brainpower, the motivation and the time, it might be do-able. Why not just start on CA1 and see where you are in a couple of months?

 

50 chapters... God help me! Are the chapters about the same volume as CT chapters or nice smaller ones (think I already know the answer )

 

CA1 is a handful all by itself. Look at the study guide (link) to see table of contents with page count etc.

Not only is it voluminous, but the exam style is different. Much more breadth and depth is required.

 

workloads

the average number of pages is probably 20-25 (excluding question solutions), so probably a little less than for the CTs. There isn't much maths, so you don't really have to think very hard about most of it, and alot of it you'll remember from the CTs anyway, but its alot of material, and by the time you've got to the end you've probably forgotten the stuff at the beginning! It suits some people better than the CTs - if you're not a maths wizz, but are more interested in the ideas and applications - but others find it harder, as it quite a different style of exam from the CTs. I think a few years work experience is a real advantage for CA1.

 

Can I also ask:-

For the CT subjects, my winning/passing formula is CMP, block tutorials, flashcards, revision books/past papers, then exam.

For CA1, ST & SA... do you think this would still work or would you recommend additional products? Maybe some regular marking would be useful I guess.

 

workloads

i've just sat CA1, and did the regular tutorials and assignments, mainly as I knew the exams style was quite different, so wanted to get some understanding of how best to approach exam questions etc

personally, i found the tuturials useful, as usual. The assignments I found less useful, as the questions are mostly (but not all) bookwork based, so I don't think it really prepares you for the exam as well as they could. I think a better use of time would be more time looking at actual past papers - perhaps getting ASSET to fully understand what the examiners are looking for, and how the papers are marked. If I have to retake I think the ASSET pack will be the main focus for next time.

I don't know about revision books or flashcards as i've never used them.

 

cheers for the tips Matt. I like revision books as they force me to go through the core reading again and they've collected past exams questions on similar topics together and categorised them which saves a lot of time and can focus on weak aspects more efficiently.

 

First of all, scarlets, let me apologise on behalf of the respondents on here who are, quite frankly, too accommodating of your insane proposal.

CA1, ST1 and ST2 in one sitting? Do you have an eidetic memory or something? Ridiculous! And such thoughts should be immediately purged from your mind.

That load is equivalent to maybe 6 CTs in total page count, and that's not even the whole story. To have a decent chance of passing the later exams you not only need to have a thorough understanding of the reading, but you must have a vivid recollection of it as well. Which is the harder because there isn't much math, and a page of math requires much less time to process than a page of purely sentences, especially during revision.

Consider CT6 (which you took). A long chapter is Run-off
Triangles. Thing is, though, for the exam you just really need to undertand the methods explained. Say that takes 6 hours. How long do you think it would take to do the chapter if in addition you were expected to be able to reproduce the text of the chapter in the exam? Exactly. And this stuff would need to be re-read frequently and in entirety if you are to remember most of it on exam day.

Like somebody said, do your CA1 and see how that goes. I'd say you can add ST1 but only with the understanding it will be ruthlessly discarded if it any way compromises the necessarily frequent revisions of CA1 material.

Or do ST1 and ST2, with SA2 in the role of ST1 above.

Do you work, by the way, and were you exempted from some CTs?

PS: Bookmark this thread. A year, year and a half from now you can come back to it and laugh at yourself for once having had such silly thoughts.

 

Zhin2000, your descriptions are hilarious and have had a good laugh.

On a more serious note, Scarlets, are you pulling a fast one on us or are you a genius at processing lots of bookwork and not needing to re-read the material again?
Of course assuming you are not working or if you do, you have lots of study time per week, say 2 days off per week.

I have sat CA1, ST2 and ST5 and it is crazy or let me say reckless to even think of sitting 3 of such a type in the same exam session, let alone over 2 sessions.

If I were you, I'd first of all look at the April 2011 exam time table and gauge how well your 3 exams are spaced. You need breathing space after an exam to just gather your thoughts. After doing CA11 and CA12, trust me it will take a lot of energy to do the remaining.

CA11- 18th April (AM), ST2-18th April (PM) so on this day you will need lots of energy as you are doing CA1 and ST2!

CA12-19th April (PM)

ST1-21st April (AM)

so you have some breathing space between CA12 & ST1 to focus on ST1

Granted, there may be some overlap between CA1, ST1, ST2 in terms of risk chapters and probably generic products.

My advice- take the STs first....they may make CA1 more manageable
or
Take CA1 only in April 2011
or

Read for all the 3 over 2 sessions and do all of them in Sept 2011 or April 2012!!
or

if you are working, resign eek: ) or take a sabbatical of 6 months(assuming your employer will want you back!!) and take them all 3 in April 2011, pass them all and prove to us skeptics that it is do-able cool: )
in one clean sweep!

ALL THE BEST WITH YOUR CHOICES

 

Hey guys don't worry I often propose something more extreme than I intend to do to spark a debate. That's how I am :-s.

I value your thoughts and concerns, trust me

Would CA1, two STs and one SA not be considered a reasonable workload for an MSc course, say? I'm aware a diploma gets you CT1-8 in 9 months if you work hard. Thought I'd seen MSc courses for the later exams too which allows you to clean up CA & ST series. Although it would appear more cost-effective to just purchase materials and tutorials from Acted than pay an University for the expensive fees and accomodation (not to mention the social side which I'd probably get too carried away with!)

Thinking CA1 & ST1 in April, ST2 & SA2 in October. Then clean up CA2 & CA3 before Christmas next year. Nuts? Probably.

But hey, is what I'm proposing really that crazy? How else would these people who pass all the exams in 2.5 years do it?

 

workloads

are you serious? How many people do you really think pass ALL the exams (i.e. without exemptions) in 5 sittings (whilst working full time (with or without study leave))?

Surely not many! I'd guess no more than 1 or 2% of students, and they must be either extremely clever (even relative to other actuarial students who are generally pretty clever), or unbelievably hard working (i.e. no social life for 2.5 yrs) or both.