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View Full Version : C4 - where is everybody?

Pi Man
10-01-2002, 03:19 PM
C2 takers have like this huge network - C4 almost doesn't get discussed at all. Is it because there are way fewer C4 takers, or that C4 takers are more independent/smarter/too dumb to speak up/whatever??

just curious.
retaker
10-01-2002, 03:29 PM
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing? The least worthy :D course has all the discussion.
slagheap
10-01-2002, 03:55 PM
Haven't started studying yet.
retaker
10-01-2002, 03:59 PM
Now that's a real man there. And he'll probably pass too.
aces219
10-01-2002, 04:00 PM
Once I get through the whole ASM, I have some questions to ask for which I didn't understand the solutions in the manual. Give it a couple more weeks.
IOWA ACTUARY
10-01-2002, 04:05 PM
None of the material is really super :viola: difficult.

But, all of it is fairly tough and there is so much of it.

Just need time to memorize and work 1,000s of problems.
thing
10-01-2002, 04:13 PM
section 59 of ASM. I've been through the Mahler and Dean study note before, so I hope the rest of the material will go quickly. Then practice test, practice test, practice test...

And the demographics are such that about half as many people are taking Course 4 as Course 2. So naturally there's only half as much discussion.
retaker
10-01-2002, 04:27 PM
How do you guys like course 4 vs. course 3.

Over all do you think it is easier?
waterpri
10-01-2002, 04:37 PM
I would say overall I find the exam alot tougher. But perhaps thats because Stats isn't my best subject. I thought Course 3 was easier only because I deal with Life Contingencies and was able to understand what some of the forumlas are doing. I dont find that with Course 4. It seems there are endless amounts of formulas which I dont understand what theyre doing, and the SOA will ask any of them. (E.G...Non Parametric Buhlman Credibility with weights method, Dear Lord!!!!)

Ultimately wether I pass on the first try will depend on how many formulas I can cram into my brain. That being said, the exam is very passable, you just need to have all the formulas. As far as studying goes, I only have Time Series left. I would have liked to be done already. Does anyone else feel there is alot less time to study before this exam. The exam is the 1st week in November.
retaker
10-01-2002, 04:46 PM
They should have the exams the second week in Nov!

Do the formula's follow nice patterns which facilitate their memorization?
aces219
10-01-2002, 05:23 PM
No.
Pi Man
10-01-2002, 06:21 PM
They should have the exams the second week in Nov!

Do the formula's follow nice patterns which facilitate their memorization?
No.
Course 5 Zoombie
10-01-2002, 09:06 PM
finally got some ppl chat about C4.
well, i am in C4 too ;)
everyday been checking this forum.
glenn
10-02-2002, 01:02 AM
For anyone who's missed it, there are two course 4 downloads on the homepage.

And don't hesitate to to a search and dredge up posts from past sittings. All the posts are still there, and Course 4 has been a hot topic in some past sittings.
IOWA ACTUARY
10-02-2002, 11:02 AM
I had formulas memorized pretty well last time. Probably was pushing 200 notecards.

But, it seems you also need to know how to do problems much more on this exam. You need the formulas for the problem, but they often don't ask you to find an answer where you can just plug 'n chug (unlike early C-4).

They also throw in a bunch with new wrinkles where you have little idea of what to do. They also throw in the obscure stuff where you have never seen them do one out of the 1000+ sample problems you have.

Not to mention the horrible theory questions.

All in all, this is the most challenging exam I have come across. Only because they choose to make it so.
retaker
10-02-2002, 11:27 AM
Great! :-?

I have noticed that they seem to have changed their exam-making paradigm for all the 2000 exams, especially course 3, and it looks like 4 too.

I have been doing old CAS 5B questions in preparation for course 2 and have noticed that the questions were very straight forward, and quite often they would repeat questions almost verbatim. Also, the old CAS questions were worded very well. No purposely tricky wording, unlike some other society we all know and love.
New at pd
10-02-2002, 11:46 AM
This exam is more plug and chug, so the only real questions to ask are:

I can't get the answer, where is my mistake?
When do I apply this formula?

I had a set of ~ 50 flashcards when I took it. They worked.
retaker
10-02-2002, 12:22 PM
There seems to be some disparity here.

Every sitting there is some elated individual who claims how easy course 4 is, how they got a 10 or their first try, and that the exam is pure memorization and crank and bang.
I have not seen this for any other exam?
AfroSoul
10-04-2002, 09:47 AM
It seems there are endless amounts of formulas which I dont understand what theyre doing, and the SOA will ask any of them. (E.G...Non Parametric Buhlman Credibility with weights method, Dear Lord!!!!)


How about that hellish arcsine square root confidence interval formula??? :swear:
thing
10-15-2002, 07:59 PM
Finished ASM last week.

I just finished making my stack of flashcards -- just about an inch thick stack of 3"x5"s. I was throwing in every little thing, including stuff I know. Gotta have something to boost my confidence as I go through them!

Took the May 2000 exam this past weekend and failed miserably. Thus the flashcards -- seemed like half the ones I missed it was because I misremembered or totally failed to remember a formula. On the other hand, I got through in 3 and 1/2 hours; so at least I failed quickly. :roll:

How's you doin'?
Pi Man
10-15-2002, 08:02 PM
can you say *r**q* in this forum?
thing
10-15-2002, 08:10 PM
Do you mean you, or me, or both of us? No wait, I'm not sure I want to know...