Part 5: Seminars

[Avi]

The only seminar I have heard of for Part 5 is NEAS. Are there others and if so how do they compare?

Thanks.

[ed999]

Hey AVI,

I am not sure, but to me, I don't think seminars are going to be any help with those "big" exams. I feel like it's very hard to learn tricks from seminars in about 5 days. I mean, exam 5 and those upper exams are almost like memorization exams (I could be wrong, as i ve never seen the material). What do you think?

I am also not sure when i should start studying. I was thinking after new years. I've always started after offical results were released. Anyway, it seems like a lot of folks are moving in from course 4 to the Cas forum, which is good!

P.S. I just looked at the syllabus, and much as I hate to admit, that exam 5 looks a lot more boring than 1-4!

[Ninjuary]

I was thinking just the opposite, Ed999. This stuff is much more directly related to my work, and that makes it more interesting to me.

[CantThinkOfaBetterNick]

The only seminar I have heard of for Part 5 is NEAS. Are there others and if so how do they compare?

I'd like an answer to that as well!

[Tex Act]

Everyone is different in how they learn the material, but many people do find the seminars very helpful. They usually help pull the concepts together, explain differences and similarities between methods and stuff like that.

I know of NEAS, CAMAR and All-10.

[aniasat]

All 10 is not offering a seminar for Spring 04.

I was thinking of the NEAS seminars.

It definitely helps a LOT to go to a seminar for these exams. Atleast my experience with Course 5 on the SOA side tells me so. The thing about the seminar is that it doesnt teach you anything new but what it does very well is that it condenses all the exam material into a form that you can revise in 4-5 days.

What tends to happen for these upper exams is that you have so much stuff to read and memorize that its easy to get lost in all the details. The seminars kinda help to get everything down to a form that you can remember and reproduce at the time of the exam. I think thats a BIG piece of passing any of the upper exams.

Anita.

[/list][/quote]

[jets fan]

For NEAS seminars, most of the upper-level exams have Sholom Feldblum as an instructor. Personally, I've never really learned anything useful from him during a seminar. But the study aids that he handed out usually helped me a lot - they were clear, organized and straight to the point, which was the opposite of how he was as an instructor.

[Sotally Tober]

I think for Part 5, the NEAS seminar is very helpful. The handouts, as mentioned, are excellent. Sholom, IMO, does a good job of helping to decipher some of the more involved articles (WC, Asset Share Pricing, Graves/Castillo, e.g.)

At the upper level exams, the seminars are less about learning "tricks" and more about actually learning the material as it is presented. It gives you a framework to work off of, and the semiar material has excellent explanations.

Does Brosius help on that seminar? I know he used to on the old Part 6, but I can't remember if he does on Part 5. He is also very good.

[Avi]

I have been told that he no longer teaches NEAS seminars, and that I will be the poorer for it :(

[Sotally Tober]

I don't know about "poorer for it". He's good, but so is Feldblum. You will gain a keen understanding of the basics to ratemaking from the exam and Feldblum and his materials does a very nice job of getting you through it all. Some give Feldblum a bad rap, but I don't believe it to have anything to do with the quality of the seminar. NEAS is a solid choice. I cannot speak for the others.

Who was the guy who did the Old Part 5B? Anybody remember? It was Richard...something. From Connecticut. He was very good too. Does he do the Part 8 for someone other than the NEAS? If he does, I would certainly consider it as an alternative to the NEAS. But I digress...this is about Part 5.

[Howard Mahler]

I will again this year be teaching the NEAS Part 5 seminars with Sholom Feldblum. (I took over from Eric Brosius and taught it in 2003.)

I will teach 2.5 days and Sholom will teach 2 days.

One outside Chicago and one in New Jersey.

http://www.neas-seminars.com/Misc/

Howard Mahler

[jmls]

Hi Avi,

I took NEAS CAS 5 from Feldblum and Mahler in 2003, helped me pass :) Feldblum is clearly very smart, I think the problem is that he speaks and goes very fast, you have to be prepared in advance (probably a good idea anyways!) Feldblum also has a fairly thick New York accent which might be difficult to understand... Mahler is good. Both of them write good notes

There is also the CAMAR seminar, I don't know much about it though...

[Avi]

Hi Avi,

I took NEAS CAS 5 from Feldblum and Mahler in 2003, helped me pass :) Feldblum is clearly very smart, I think the problem is that he speaks and goes very fast, you have to be prepared in advance (probably a good idea anyways!) Feldblum also has a fairly thick New York accent which might be difficult to understand... Mahler is good. Both of them write good notes

There is also the CAMAR seminar, I don't know much about it though...Thanks. I had Feldblum for the NEAS Exam 2 seminar.

In any event, the only one I would be able to attend of all the seminars seems to be the NEAS in Chicago, that's only over 1 Saturday (which I'll obviously miss), one fast day, and one minor holiday on which I could attend. Every day of the one in Iselin is over a minor holiday, except for the last one which is a Major holiday which I'd have to miss as well as the Saturday :( I actually was in contact with Feldblum and NEAS, but I was told that hotel schedules are such that nothing could be changed :( :wall:

CAMAR is over 2 Saturdays, so that would mean missing two days too.

So NEAS Chicago with only one day out seems to be my only choice so far.

/sigh

[GREI_78]

Hi Avi,

I took NEAS CAS 5 from Feldblum and Mahler in 2003, helped me pass :) Feldblum is clearly very smart, I think the problem is that he speaks and goes very fast, you have to be prepared in advance (probably a good idea anyways!) Feldblum also has a fairly thick New York accent which might be difficult to understand... Mahler is good. Both of them write good notes

There is also the CAMAR seminar, I don't know much about it though...Thanks. I had Feldblum for the NEAS Exam 2 seminar.

In any event, the only one I would be able to attend of all the seminars seems to be the NEAS in Chicago, that's only over 1 Saturday (which I'll obviously miss), one fast day, and one minor holiday on which I could attend. Every day of the one in Iselin is over a minor holiday, except for the last one which is a Major holiday which I'd have to miss as well as the Saturday :( I actually was in contact with Feldblum and NEAS, but I was told that hotel schedules are such that nothing could be changed :( :wall:

CAMAR is over 2 Saturdays, so that would mean missing two days too.

So NEAS Chicago with only one day out seems to be my only choice so far.

/sigh

Though I don't really care about jewish holidays I have to agree, NEAS has a pretty good timing. The one in Jersey, I mean. It is held only a month before the May exam, and gives plenty of time to prepare in advance of the seminar.

Edit:

I did not mean to offend anyone's religious feelings... I know it is important to some and is a big consideration for whether to take or not to take a certain seminar, it's just not so for me...

[JTBenson]

Hi Avi,

I took NEAS CAS 5 from Feldblum and Mahler in 2003, helped me pass :) Feldblum is clearly very smart, I think the problem is that he speaks and goes very fast, you have to be prepared in advance (probably a good idea anyways!) Feldblum also has a fairly thick New York accent which might be difficult to understand... Mahler is good. Both of them write good notes

There is also the CAMAR seminar, I don't know much about it though...Thanks. I had Feldblum for the NEAS Exam 2 seminar.

In any event, the only one I would be able to attend of all the seminars seems to be the NEAS in Chicago, that's only over 1 Saturday (which I'll obviously miss), one fast day, and one minor holiday on which I could attend. Every day of the one in Iselin is over a minor holiday, except for the last one which is a Major holiday which I'd have to miss as well as the Saturday :( I actually was in contact with Feldblum and NEAS, but I was told that hotel schedules are such that nothing could be changed :( :wall:

CAMAR is over 2 Saturdays, so that would mean missing two days too.

So NEAS Chicago with only one day out seems to be my only choice so far.

/sigh

Avi,
I know of a Jewish person that went to Part 8 seminar with me and she went on Saturday, but just didn't take any notes that day. I am not familiar with any Jewish laws, so I don't know if that is an option for you too?

[Avi]

There are various reasons why I would not want to do that, but thanks for the advice :D

[DOUGHBOY]

Anyone gonna be in Chicago that might be interested in getting a group together for dinner, etc?

[Avi]

I'll be in Chicago, but unless you suggest a Kosher restaurant, I'd have to politely decline :D

[DOUGHBOY]

I'll be in Chicago, but unless you suggest a Kosher restaurant, I'd have to politely decline :D

So you're a no on that trip to Hooters? :wink:

[Utanapishtim]

I'll be in Chicago, but unless you suggest a Kosher restaurant, I'd have to politely decline :D

So you're a no on that trip to Hooters? :wink:
...Did someone say Hooters? Count me in! (;

On the other hand, I've got nothing against a kosher evening, either, assuming someone can locate an appropriate location.

Anyone else?

[GREI_78]

I don't know about "poorer for it". He's good, but so is Feldblum. You will gain a keen understanding of the basics to ratemaking from the exam and Feldblum and his materials does a very nice job of getting you through it all. Some give Feldblum a bad rap, but I don't believe it to have anything to do with the quality of the seminar. NEAS is a solid choice. I cannot speak for the others.

Who was the guy who did the Old Part 5B? Anybody remember? It was Richard...something. From Connecticut. He was very good too. Does he do the Part 8 for someone other than the NEAS? If he does, I would certainly consider it as an alternative to the NEAS. But I digress...this is about Part 5.

Agree. Don't know about "poorer for it" - Brosius replacement, Howard Mahler is an excellent teacher; I have had him for one of the 1-4 seminars, and he's terriffic. Also, the notes he wrote for NEAS are very thorough. Therefore, I am looking forward to seeing him in person for NJ NEAS session.