Month: September 2013

In case you were wondering, I confirmed with the SOA that you will get a 15-minute read-through time for both the morning and afternoon sessions of the LFV exam even though the afternoon session exam time will only be 2 hours.

Several of you asked for this, so I just put up a copy of the Analysis of Past Exams in spreadsheet format. Enjoy!

A few days ago, on the SOA Exams tab of the online seminar, I posted a new video and PDF in the Analysis of Past Exams subsection. In the video, which should appeal to fans of 2001: A Space Odyssey, I talk about how to use the various exam problems that have been published by the SOA since 2000.

In the accompanying PDF, I’ve listed all published SOA exam problems relevant to the current syllabus dating back to the 2001 8I exam. It shows the point value of the question, categorizes each one as “verbal” or “calculation,” and indicates the current syllabus source that each solution is based on.

Please note that while I will not be able to add a video for every exam problem listed in the PDF, we still have quite a few videos available. If you have questions about any past exam problems, feel free to post a question in our forums or email me.

To Canadian students:

There are several videos of past CSP-C exams that I’m planning to upload to the SOA Exam tab shortly. They will be clearly labeled once they show up. 

Today, September 24, is the last day to register to take the LFV exam with the SOA. If you are planning to take the fall 2013 LFV exam, don’t forget to register with the SOA!

These were previously excluded from the Section C flashcard set by mistake. I’ve added them to the flashcard file for both the US and Canadian sets.

The original video posted for lesson E.2.1. (SOA Research on Future International Standards) was based on an older copy of that SOA paper. This was an error on our part, but it is now fixed. The video and lesson handouts have been updated in the online seminar to reflect the correct version of this SOA paper (2010 version). Sorry for this hiccup.

Please note that the detailed study guide, condensed outline, and flashcards were all based on the correct version, so this does not affect those items.

Recently I added a number of exam-style practice problems in the Supplementary Materials section. There are separate sets for the US and Canadian versions of the exam, so be sure you grab the right set to avoid having a heart attack. 🙂

The US set admittedly has more problems in it for now. There are roughly two 5-hour exams worth of problems included. Be sure to read the intro page for my advice on how to best use those problems.

The Canadian set has a 3-hour practice exam, which is on par with the 3-hour morning session you’ll experience on exam day.

You are welcome to work these problems any time you like, but for most people, I think working practice exams is most beneficial during the final 4 to 5 weeks after you’ve had a chance to make multiple passes over the syllabus material. I also think it’s critical to practice your exam day time management skills while working these problems. Remember to allocate 3 minutes or less for each question point.

These were accidentally left out of the original Section C flashcard PDF file. I just uploaded a revised zip file for both the US and Canadian flash card sets. The revised zip file has a PDF with the VLIL Ch. 16 cards, and the card numbers start right after the original Section C cards.

By now you’re likely feeling the effects of having studied for a massive exam for weeks on end. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. It’s normal to feel fatigue at this point.

Mid September is a lot like the 20th mile of a marathon. You’re hurting, but you’ve gone too far to turn back! Just remember that late October will get here before you know it, and you can take a break after the exam.

That said, if you feel like your mind is going numb, now would be a good time to shuffle around your study strategy. While I think it’s important to continually read the detailed study guide and condensed study guide, it’s also important to begin working practice problems. The online seminar already has a number of practice problems, and more are on the way.

If you have not made a full pass through the syllabus, you should focus on doing that quickly. You’ll want to spend the remaining weeks iterating over the syllabus faster and faster—spending extra time as needed on any topics you struggle with the most. But remember to keep everything as fresh as possible.

Taking a day off—especially a Saturday—to do something fun other than studying is also not a bad idea at this stage, especially if your mind is getting sick of the material. It’s better to take a little break now so that you maximize your studying energy in October, when you’ll need it the most.

Hang in there! If it was easy, anybody could get their FSA. But it takes hard work. If you keep working hard, you’ll be rewarded.

Located in the Supplementary Materials section.