For those who passed Course 4

[dukeskywalker]

Please reply to the survey below. Thanks for your help.

1)Number of Study Hours
2)Manuals used
3)Seminar if any
4)Number of attempts
5)Score

Thanks again.

[FoxtrotFool]

(1) Hours
First try, about 250-300 hours
Second try, about 350 hours

(2) Study Material
First try, ACTEX and CSM (not very good)
Second try, Mahler and Pai

(3) Seminar
Boverman's on the first try

(4) 2 attempts

(5) 3 on the first try, 9 on the second

[erickson]

1) 202 (I kept very careful track)
- 97 Mahler half (all non-Pai stuff below)
- 105 Pai half (Reg, Time Series, Surv Models)

2) Only used NEAS: Mahler and Pai both, though I occasionally opened the Econometrics book.

3) No Seminar

4) First Attempt

5) 9 (29 correct)

Mahler made all the differences. I've said here before that using Mahler probably cut my study time at least in half for his section of the material.

[ASA_Woman]

.

[Alya]

First try:
1)300
2)Actex, Mahler, Pai
3)NEAS
5)5

Second try:
1)250
2)ASM,Mahler
5)8

[C8 Guy]

1. 375 1st attempt, 240 2nd

2. Mahler/Pai, How-to-Pass

3. Mahler/Pai on 1st try

4. 2 attempts

5. 5, 9

[Cheshire]

1. Approx 200 hours
2. My main strategy was to read the textbooks. I used the CSM for practice problems. HTP was only useful after I knew the material.
3. No seminar
4. First attempt
5. Score = 8

[Anonymous]

1) 250 +- hours (1st try)
300 hours (2nd try)
2) Mahler + Mehta + HTP + Actex
3) No seminar
4) 2 attempts
5) 9

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: apple on 2002-01-10 10:53 ]</font>

[NYHeel]

90-120 hours
used Mahler and ASM with HTP for the Survival
no seminar
first sitting
6 with 23 right

I don't mean to brag about the hours but most of the Mahler stuff was a continuation of course 3 and the Econometrics stuff didn't take that long to go through.

[Sydney Bristow]

225 hours
ASM manual
GSU seminar
8-1st attempt

[Joe]

1)200 hours, first try and 150 hours, second try

2)Mahler(rules), Pai(survival only), Mehta (rules)

3)Mahler seminar on the first try

4)5-8

[Anonymous]

300 hours first try, 200 second try
I used Actex and How To Pass
No seminar
Got a 6.

Some sections of the HTP book seem irrelevant. I never found questions on iterations of P(n,m), for example. In addition, there are many sections he does not cover. Also, many of his answers were incorrect -- he has an ever-growing errata section on his web site. He did offer new ways of looking at material, however.

[New at pd]

1) 300 hours
2) ASM, Actex
3) No seminar
4) First try
5) 10

[Jen]

1)200
2)Actex
3)GSU
4)1
5)9

P.S. I was not actuarial major at College and never had any statistics class at all.

[dukeskywalker]

TO CB AND NEW ON C6:

I just got my ASM Friday. I know it is different for every one, but I would like to know that what is the best way to use it.

I just passed C3 and would like to do my best to pass C4 on first try.

Thanks for your help.

[dukeskywalker]

TO CB AND NEW ON C6:

I just got my ASM Friday. I know it is different for every one, but I would like to know that what is the best way to use it.

I just passed C3 and would like to do my best to pass C4 on first try.

Thanks for your help.

[New at pd]

I used the ASM as it was intended -- breaking down each section into bite size portions. My routine was as follows:

For each section:
1) Read ASM, copy formulas onto single sheet
2) Do every problem in ASM
3) Refer to corresponding book (or Actex) to "fill in the holes" with additional formula.
4) Do Actex problems (there aren't that many)

I hope this helps. I'd be willing to part with Actex at a cheap rate if you don't already have it.

BTW, I had never seen any of this material before, and my only statistics experience was taking 110 (which I got a 6 on.) This exam is not as difficult as exam 3, in my opinion, because the types of problems are more limited than in exam 3.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: New at c6 on 2002-01-12 11:40 ]</font>

[Sydney Bristow]

dukeskywalker,

Here was my approach for each section of ASM:
1. Read corresponding textbook sections
2. Read ASM
3. Work all ASM problems

Once that was complete, I worked on problems given to us at the GSU seminar, and finished up with working the old exams and memorizing, memorizing, memorizing...

[the ladies man]

I have heard that the Survival textbook is horrid. Any suggestions on how to prepare for the survival material. Does ASM explain it enough without referring to the text?

Also, in anybody's opinion, which study material contains the best 'exam type' problems.