C2 study manual survey

[Jen]

What would be the best choice study guide for course 2? Especially for finance and economics part?

[Rhizome]

I liked the CSM manual the best. Actex was good for interest theory and extra practice problems-- but that is about it.

[tesla_styx]

I agree... CSM was very helpful.

[glenn]

Some new stuff as well:
Gord Klein has a new How To Pass 2 coming out in January. Some folks dislike his approach, others rave about it.

The folks at Temple (Averback, Mehta, Weiss) are also bringing out a C2 study guide, but they've split it up into interest theory, finance, and econ. You can buy the three sections individually for about $50 each which is nice if you only want a boost in one area.

[tryinghard]

Hi,
Sorry for sounding stupid,but what exactly is CSM?I am a totally new entrant into the exam system,just made up my mind to give the exams,I keep hearing about CSM,and though I can maybe guess what it is,I would still like to hear it from people who know..
Thanks

[glenn]

http://www.csmanuals.com

[tesla_styx]

CSM is a study manual developed with the backing of the CAS (casualty actuarial society). While I never actually bought the manual, I did purchase the supplement to it which contains thousands of practice problems from old exams that I found extremely helpful (the most helpful of anything i used). I would have bought the main CSM pack too if I had known they existed earlier (my stupidity).

p.s. IF any of you are college students or unemployed and have to pay for your own packs and stuff, I'd be glad to send you some of my stuff free (if you are serious about using it - honors system).

[Toonces]

I've been very unimpressed with Actex for tests 1 and 2. On test 1, they kept asking weird problems because they assumed we would have a table of integrals. Test 2 was only useful for interest theory. Otherwise, it's just a chapter outline.

[Anonymous]

I used books for developing a basic background for Finance and Macro notes from the society, and then I practiced a lot of questions from CSM. That's waht worked for me.

[Drzy]

Well, it looks like I'll be taking course 2 again, so... does anyone have any recommendations on Klein's how to pass manual? A hundred bucks is a lot to shell out, and I'd like to hear any opinions anyone has on it before I pay up.

[Macroman]

Drz: 1st, the HTP #2 is just interest theory as I understand it, unless there is a new edition. So, don't order it for help with economics.

2nd, Klein is great at getting to the point, but not always great at fleshing out all the important details. His manuals do not contain detailed solutions to exercises, so errors can be hard to figure out. There are some errors in his manuals.

On the positive side, Klein is very good at distilling the complex down to understandable elements. He made his reputation by doing this with the Life Contingencies material (course #3). He also does a good job of identifying what is likely to be tested, which is very valuable.

If you do get Klein's stuff get the errata too and make the corrections, it will drive you crazy otherwise.

[glenn]

There is a new edition (What Macroman is referring to is the How-To-Pass 140, which is interest theory only. The How To Pass 2 is replacing the HTP 140.).

This is what Gordon Klein sent me:
"It will cover the four topics on that exam
(Theory of Interest, Corporate Finance, Macroeconomics, and Microeconomics).
The authors are Gordon E. Klein, FSA, EA, MAAA and Gary Barnes, Ph.D. It
will be available when results come out."

[Dr T Non-Fan]

In January? What's keeping him/them?

[pylejosh]

Does anybody have any exam 2 material that they don't need anymore? I still have to pay for everything, since I'm a student, and it gets pretty expensive, so I thought it'd be nice if anybody had anything they weren't ever going to use again anyway.
Let me know!