Ransom for Study Materials!

[Abducens]

I thought of this when I realized I'd left my materials for November in a conference room for the last couple weeks and had taken it for granted that they'd still be there today, and what a nightmare it would be if they'd disappeared.

So, how much?

[Troy McClure]

It's clearly related to my chances for passing - if I'm not planning on passing anyway, then it's $0.

[Abducens]

This is true.

I would think on math exams people would be willing to pay less too. Just borrow a friend's books and a calculator. People tend to personalize their written answer notes a lot more.

[Nanae7]

Well, I did have my study guide stolen in March of this year. The book was in a nice looking bag and the poor thief only got a crummy actuary book and a calculator, nothing worth anything to him! So i forked out $100 for a new one.

[whisper]

There is only so much that the study material can be worth. If the ransom is higher than the expense of the materials, why pay the ransom?

[Cannonball]

There is only so much that the study material can be worth. If the ransom is higher than the expense of the materials, why pay the ransom?

Well, if the marginal benefit of passing now is greater than the ransom, why wouldn't you? There are times when a pass can mean an immediate promotion and a hefty raise. If that's better than waiting a year for another chance, then you pay, even if it's above $2,500.

This is a cool economics experiment. Let's steal a bunch of people's books and see what happens! :lol:

[Abducens]

I'm going to take a stab that whisper has yet to sit for a WA exam??

[whisper]

I'm going to take a stab that whisper has yet to sit for a WA exam??

What is a WA exam?

[whisper]

Well, if the marginal benefit of passing now is greater than the ransom, why wouldn't you? There are times when a pass can mean an immediate promotion and a hefty raise. If that's better than waiting a year for another chance, then you pay, even if it's above $2,500.


If someone stole your study manual which costs $300 and he wants you to pay $1,000 for it back, why would you not just buy a new study manual for $300 and save $700? Especially, if you bought a new book your guaranteed to get it; if you pay the ransomer, you aren't.

[Abducens]

Written Answer exam. As I said above, people tend to personalize their notes more on essay exams. Lots of time spent writing extra notes, making note cards, etc.

Basically the poll question asks what $$ value you'd attach to all that work that, come April/October, is nigh-irreplaceable.

I know in the example I stated above where I had to hope that my stuff was still sitting in the conference room, it'd be gigantic pain in the butt for me to have to redo all my note cards.

[Cannonball]

Yeah, I was thinking along the lines of not having time to order another study manual (2-3 week wait) PLUS not being able to re-do one's note cards.

My note cards are what got me through the exams. They were DEFINITELY worth more than the nominal price of the exam materials.

Also assume that the kidnapper will deliver.

[whisper]

No, I have been taking written answer exams. I still stand by my answer that the ransom is limited to the expense of the materials. So late in the study program, the note cards that cover the simple concepts are less important than the ones that are covering the complex or obscure concepts.

If my note cards were lost, it might take a 1 week of constant work to recreate them. But, I might not need all of my note cards. If it would take me 1 day to recreate the ones I think I need, I would be much less inclined to pay much money. If I thought it would take me 5 days to recreate the note cards I need, I'd be willing to pay more.

[Cannonball]

Whisper, just wait til you get to the upper-level exams. It WILL take you longer than a day to recreate your note cards (if yours are anything like mine, that is).

[Troy McClure]

Agreed with CMacD. 24 hours (one interrupted day with no sleep) would get me through about half of my notecards. I usually end up with about 300-400 notecards, and many have complex graphs drawn out or photocopied from the book with extra notes added, etc.

[Kitten]

Don't you people keep backups? :o
I have a printed copy, and copies on my computer at home and at work.

[Troy McClure]

Do you scan them in or create them on the computer? I write mine by hand, and no I don't keep backups. I keep them with me at all times and defent them with my life. If somebody manages to wrest them from my cold, dead hands, I figure I won't really need them anymore.

[Kitten]

I create all my notes on the computer. My handwriting has seriously suffered as a result. :shake:

[Stagger Lee]

I create all my notes on the computer. My handwriting has seriously suffered as a result. :shake:

I have this feeling that we'll meet again, in our next life.

[Troy McClure]

I create all my notes on the computer. My handwriting has seriously suffered as a result. :shake:

Wouldn't really be a problem for me, as there is no lower level for my handwriting to sink to, but it's so much faster to create it by hand - just scribble a note wherever you happen to be.

[Kitten]

laptop, baby, laptop. ;)

[Stagger Lee]

Study in the library. An angel will slowly go over your shoulder and listen to your thoughts and calm you down. We have this power. I had this power.

[Troy McClure]

Laptop, Palm - neither one does very well when I'm studying on the beach... or a plane, or during class, or in a lot of other situations where I find myself studying.

I should have my secretary type them up for me, but she can't read my handwriting - that's generally a sign you have a bad secretary, but this is not her fault.

[Cynic]

By the time I finish taking notes, I've already remembered 70% of them. I would thank those who would steal my notes because that gives me another chance to go through the materials again and probably remember the remaining 30%. So, no, I'll pay $0.

[Actuarybert]

For a multiple choice exam, I would just buy another Actex. For the written answer exams, I usually relied quite a bit on my own outlines and flash cards. I'm pretty low-tech, so I always just wrote the outlines by hand--hence, no back-up copies. If someone had stolen my outlines or flash cards, I think I would have been willing to pay at least a couple thousand to get them back (seriously). Our exam raises are usually $3000-$4000, so I think it would be worth at least that much.

[Abducens]

>>I would thank those who would steal my notes because that gives me another chance to go through the materials again and probably remember the remaining 30%. So, no, I'll pay $0.

Listen to you talking big saying 0. I'm not buying it. Good idea on going through the materials again, until I remind that those are being held for ransom, too. Whatever you have to do to answer zero, though. :)

[Troy McClure]

By the time I finish taking notes, I've already remembered 70% of them. I would thank those who would steal my notes because that gives me another chance to go through the materials again and probably remember the remaining 30%. So, no, I'll pay $0.

Of course, if it's such a benefit to you to have them gone that you want to thank the people, you might consider just throwing the stuff out on your own????

[Pi Man]

...it would seem there is some cash to be made around these parts...

[Troy McClure]

Hi Bob

[Cynic]

By the time I finish taking notes, I've already remembered 70% of them. I would thank those who would steal my notes because that gives me another chance to go through the materials again and probably remember the remaining 30%. So, no, I'll pay $0.

Of course, if it's such a benefit to you to have them gone that you want to thank the people, you might consider just throwing the stuff out on your own????

Of course not! You obviously don't see the psychological complex of human behaviors. What I'm saying here is exactly equivalent to the idea of thanking God for your near-death experience. You don't intentionally run into a car and break your leg, but you thank God after what happened because it was a wonderful experience and you now can appreciate life, blah, blah, blah...

(I've got to get out of here before some religious people come buzzing over.)

[Troy McClure]

Of course not! You obviously don't see the psychological complex of human behaviors.


Oh. OK. Whatever

[Abducens]

I've seen the Psychological Complex of Human Behaviors. It's in Boise. Nice facility.

[Pi Man]

i should have read the whole thread first. i just got off the phone with my insurance adjuster... my auto claim is not payable because it was intentional... THANKS a lot.... :evil:

[Tim><]

This is still a good question.

[MountainHawk]

Market research Tim?

[Tim><]

Are we really ready for this thread to die?

[carrot]

I thought of this when I realized I'd left my materials for November in a conference room for the last couple weeks and had taken it for granted that they'd still be there today, and what a nightmare it would be if they'd disappeared.

So, how much?Shouldn't this be in Sports?

[Happy Skunk]

Who is rans?