New to FSA Exams, Any Study Tips?

[Sir Deicide]

I am planning on sitting for my first FSA exam (GH DP) in Fall 2012. There is a lot of info on the SOA website, so I want to make sure that I have all of this down. According to my research, do I just follow the syllabus by completing the textbook, online, and SOA study note readings? We then need to be able to link these readings to the syllabus topics and the case study? Am I missing anything?

It doesn't look like there many study guides out there. I am interested to hear how people have studied for the written exams.

Thanks.

[Jemaine Clement]

This is my first sitting as well, but here's some information I've found regarding study tips:

1. Most people use GRASP or MATE for their study manuals and notecards. There are significantly more GRASP notecards than MATE. Choosing between them seems to be a matter of preference (I'm using MATE).

2. If you use a manual, you have the option of reading a condensed outline of the source material instead of the full syllabus (e.g. 550 pages vs 2000). The decision is a matter of preference and the time you have available. Some people even skip readings entirely and just memorize lists (I wouldn't recommend this).

3. Here are some readings and threads on study advice:
http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actu...d.php?t=219210
http://www.soa.org/library/newslette...-campbell.aspx
http://www.soa.org/library/newslette...2011-iss66.pdf
http://www.soa.org/files/edu/edu-gui...tten-exams.pdf

4. Passing exams in the past has come down to regurgitating lists, churning out calculations, and disciplined time management. Supposedly the SOA is trying to focus questions and grading rubrics more on deeper understanding as opposed to memorization. Whether this will be the case remains to be seen.

Those who have taken the exam, am I missing anything or off target?

[Sir Deicide]

Thanks Jemaine, that's some good stuff.

So it sounds like GRASP or MATE are the way to go, in order to avoid reading 2K pages of material. Are you using MATE since they do a better job of condensing the material?

I'm still a bit confused about the SOA study notes. I've read that they are not a required part of the syllabus. Are these notes just a study guide published by the SOA?

Under the syllabus resources, their are textbook readings and other 'GH Dxxx-xx' readings. For instance, under Learning Objective #1, the first non-textbook reading is GH-D100-07. Where do I find (or do I have to purchase) these readings?

[campbell]

Originally Posted by Sir Deicide

Thanks Jemaine, that's some good stuff.

So it sounds like GRASP or MATE are the way to go, in order to avoid reading 2K pages of material. Are you using MATE since they do a better job of condensing the material?

I'm still a bit confused about the SOA study notes. I've read that they are not a required part of the syllabus. Are these notes just a study guide published by the SOA?

Under the syllabus resources, their are textbook readings and other 'GH Dxxx-xx' readings. For instance, under Learning Objective #1, the first non-textbook reading is GH-D100-07. Where do I find (or do I have to purchase) these readings?

Study notes are a required part of the syllabus.

Do not skip them.

[Mr F]

Yeah, what campbell said. The GH-D100-07 is part of the SOA study note. They are basically required readings from the syllabus that aren't in the textbooks.

[Sir Deicide]

Thanks for pointing that out Mary, it's all starting to come together.

[MATE Seminars]

It may also be helpful to read through a recent exam and solutions from the SOA website. That will help you get familiar with how they ask questions and what they expect you to be able to do to answer those questions.

Also, once you start studying, it may be useful after a week or so to evaluate if your approach is helping you learn the material. Many exam takers have told me that they read the books but wish they hadn't, since it is very time consuming and it is hard to remember it all from the books anyway. So they wish they had just started with a study guide as the first step. However, not everyone feels that way. Others insist that reading the books is key. So after you start studying, you might want to assess where you stand in this regard.

Study schedules can also be used to help you keep pace so that you get through everything you need before the exam date. You can look at last exam's study schedule at the following site. I will be updating it for the next exam soon after the SOA publishes the syllabus. http://www.mateseminars.com/5.html

Also, study early and often. It's a lot of work to pass these exams. If you can get started early and make lots of progress now, you will be better off for it in the end.

[moniccazz]

Re: Study notes, if you purchase MATE or GRASP, both will cover/summarize these study notes.

Don't forget to do practice exams/past exams as well, you need to get used to how they ask questions and "best approach" to answer questions.

[Jemaine Clement]

Also this:
http://www.soa.org/files/edu/edu-gui...tten-exams.pdf

[gosuruss]

Okay listen up -- you may not have struggled with time on your other exams. You may have even submitted exam C an hour early. But you will not have enough time. You need to practice timing yourself or you will be a bit overwhelmed in my opinion.

1) FIND SOME GOOD PENS. This is not something you do a day before the exam. I dont care if they cost $20 a piece. Make sure it writes very smooth and glides effortlessly across the page. And make sure you have at least 3 because 1 full pen will not last you the exam, that's for sure.

2) You need to be fast. I would suggest some type of timed writing test once a week so you learn how to push yourself to write faster but still remain neat. I suggest picking 10 medium to big sized cards every week, typing the questions, and set yourself an absurdly short time limit to write all the cards out. Push your ability to recall and write, and move on if you can't remember that last point on the card.

When you do practice tests, no bullshitting on time and thinking "oh, i'm just going to take my time and try and solve everything". You really need to FEEL how you are racing against the clock.. how you are looking up at the clock for what feels like a few seconds but 15 minutes has passed by. The experience is invaluable for this exam. After time runs out for your morning practice session, go ahead and take your time to solve the problems, because increasing understanding is still of course important.

3) This is something else I thought of. Case study questions. You need to know the most efficient way to set up the problem and solve it before you get to the exam. Those wellness case study questions? It's not enough to work a mock problem. You should know exactly how you will lay everything out so you can do it extremely quickly on the exam to get the maximum amount of points. The wellness questions are very similar just different wrinkles. Figuring it out when you get there is not fast enough. The morning is ridiculously crunched for time so you have to be ready. In my opinion, TIA has best case study questions. I didn't get to see the rest of TIA though.