New ASAs*

[wat?]

Originally Posted by Continuously Discrete

tommie sounds like a guy who's going to benefit from the new system

And, IIRC, you may be incorrect again. I thought tommie was an FCAS.

[tommie frazier]

but I will benefit when I get my ASA*.

I have agreed elsewhere that ASA seems a lot easier to get than it used to be. I am not convinced that FSA is any closer than it used to be, as the gap from ASA to FSA seems wider to me.

[Schnobitz]

I am trying to work but my mind is drifting to some strange thought in which there is a conspiracy against the actuarial profession. That there are elements within who are aiming to destroy!! Slowly transitioning to an unproctored system. and actuaries slowly loosing their value... First exam changing to linking spreadsheets.. OMG.

Perhaps there is a rethinking required and a change in management of the profession.

[KernelSmooth]

I completely agree that, going from start to finish, the FSA designation is about the same difficulty to achieve.

My complaint is that I will now have to pass 4 essay exams. That is pretty ridiculous. I wish the conversion mapped better, as I think I may have gained something from modules/exercises. Instead, I'll continue to create flash cards and pound my head against my desk.

Basically, IMO the conversion wasn't the greatest.

All salute the Kernel!

[tommie frazier]

salute!

[campbell]

Originally Posted by Continuously Discrete

...and from what I hear, the new fellowship exams aren't as hard as the old Course 8s.

You heard wrong. At least for the investments track vs 8V.

[bdschobel]

Originally Posted by KernelSmooth

I hear they're thinking about changing the first exam to an exercise in linking spreadsheets. Any truth to this?

How are you getting this confidential information? We're going to track you down and take away your ASA!

Bruce

[bdschobel]

Originally Posted by Continuously Discrete

...and from what I hear, the new fellowship exams aren't as hard as the old Course 8s.

This is unmitigated nonsense. Ask anyone who took one of the new FSA-level exams. Good grief.

Bruce

[bdschobel]

Originally Posted by wat?

So, they were deficient at being actuaries because they couldn't pass Course 5 (which is regarded by some as one of the worst structured exams of 2000) and Course 6 (which may not have been all that much better)? I think the modules are a good way of teaching the information while requiring less rote memorization of an assortment of topics.

Not surprisingly, I totally agree. The FAP is a dramatic improvement over old Courses 5 and 6. Surveys of FAP completers tell us how successful it is.

Bruce

[bdschobel]

Originally Posted by tommie frazier

...ASA seems a lot easier to get than it used to be. I am not convinced that FSA is any closer than it used to be, as the gap from ASA to FSA seems wider to me.

You're quite right. These were explicit goals of the 2005-07 Education Redesign. Read the August 2003 exposure draft.

Bruce