Course 2 pass rate [Archive] - Actuarial Outpost

The Drunken Actuary

01-08-2002, 10:28 AM

According to my score-card, the SOA pass rate was 40.7% for course 2 this time. This is way up from about 32% in May if memory serves, but according to other threads here, the number of correctly answered questions to pass was 30 both last may and in november. Anyway, just wondering what this all means for the future of course 2, if anything. DO you think the SOA will lower the pass percentage, raise the number needed to pass, or is 40.7 closer to what the SOA would like to see the pass rate at in the future regardless of the number of correct answers that would deliver that rate.

I know the grading system is a secret, just wondering what other's thoughts were?

3rookie

01-08-2002, 10:51 AM

How did you obtain 40.7%? I crudely calculated 37%. I do believe that there were many 2, 3, or 4-time takers of Exam 2, and the powers that be wanted to let more through than in the past.

Anonymous

01-08-2002, 11:18 AM

For those of us who were unfortunate enough to not pass course two, the SOA sent us a letter saying that 40.7% of the takers passed, and we were not amoung them. I am hoping that they decide to keep the pass rate at a higher percent, so next time I won't get that letter sent out by the SOA.

The Drunken Actuary

01-08-2002, 11:20 AM

On 2002-01-08 10:51, 3rookie wrote:
How did you obtain 40.7%? I crudely calculated 37%. I do believe that there were many 2, 3, or 4-time takers of Exam 2, and the powers that be wanted to let more through than in the past.

Got it straight from the SOA. How did you get 37%?

3rookie

01-08-2002, 11:38 AM

I used the highest candidate number of the May01 sitting to determine what % of all candidates for all Exams passed Exam 2 (6.12%). I then looked at what % of all candidates passed Exam 2 this time around (7.06%). Then calculated (7.06/6.12)*32% to get 37%. 32% being the passing % in May01. Very, very crude with questionable assumptions.
I failed too in May, but did not remember the SOA telling me what % passed the Exam.

Anonymous

01-08-2002, 12:11 PM

From the SOA website the actual percentages for May:

http://www.soa.org/eande/pc0105per.html

In a few days / weeks, the same data will be available for November, 2001.

For November, 2001, there were 1952 Course 2 takers, 1870 Effective Course 2 takers and 629 Course 2 passers, for an overall pass rate of 32.2%.