Course 3 studying suggestions

[6Maxxx9]

I'm taking Course3 in Nov and so far I've been using the text books. It's been pretty slow. Can anyone recommend some good study manuals? I've heard a few people speak highly Mahlers notes, Batten's book for Life Cons, and ARCH. Would you recommend buying these? Thanks in advance for any suggestions....

[Toonces]

Buy Arch. Check out my other 17 recommendations for it. Download the free chapter at www.archactuarial.com to see if you like the style.

[bg23516]

I'm using Arch for LifeCons. It's better written than the textbook. I've done 3,4 and 5 so far and I like it. I agree that you should download the chapters.

I have Mahler for the rest of it.

I also bought Actex for practice problems. Arch doesn't supply enough, IMO, though the in-chapter examples are very explanatory.

I've heard Batten's book, though excellent, is more advanced than necesssary. This may be the case with Mahler's notes as well, but as I am a CAS candidate, I'd rather do overkill on the LossModels stuff.

So far, I feel that if you understand Interest Theory well, the material is difficult, but still makes sense. As in interest theory, lots to remember and lots of relations between constructs.

[Double Down Trent]

Mahler's notes, I find, are definitely excellent.

Don't have ARCH, but the free chapter looked promising.

Actex for C3 is the best Actex manual I've seen, which doesn't say much. But it is a pretty good manual. Lots of problems.

The Batten book is only good if you've either attended his seminar or as a supplemement to Bowers. I have taken his seminar before, and found his book ok. Actually decided to read the text this time around (First worked out of this text in 1997 in a college course, but still hadn't read it), and his book is EXCELLENT if you have a basic understanding of the actual text, not just how to do the problems based on the text.

[4sigma]

I'm very pleased with the Arch manual. It is refreshing to find a study manual that is written from the point of view of trying to help you understand the subject matter, as well as passing the exam.

The only thing I wish it had more of is problems, but I'm using last May's Actex for that.

[Brutè]

I too have founf Arch to be refreshingly readable. Not as impressed with the Actex, though it got lots of thumbs up here. What is the Batten book people keep referring to - "A guide for the actuarial student, life con and ruin theory"?

[ARCH]

Originally Posted by 4sigma

I'm very pleased with the Arch manual. It is refreshing to find a study manual that is written from the point of view of trying to help you understand the subject matter, as well as passing the exam.

The only thing I wish it had more of is problems, but I'm using last May's Actex for that.

4sig -We have gotten several comments along the same line! We hope to add plenty more exam-like problems in a future edition.