Analysis of Past Exams spreadsheet updated for spring 2019

The Analysis of Past Exams spreadsheet in the Supplementary Materials section has been updated to include the fall 2018 exam. I’ve also updated all references to the old stat valuation book (VLIL) so that they point to the correct chapter in the new stat valuation book (SVILAC) as well as a number several other edits noted on the “Key Changes” tab of the spreadsheet.

Key purpose of the spreadsheet: Break down every relevant exam question going back to the early 2000s. By my most recent count, there are over 450 individual sub-questions (roughly 80 hours in point value) still on syllabus. This is way more than the average person can (or should) work, but one way to use it is to look for problems from specific readings (e.g. calculation type problems).

Just be careful with your time. Sometimes I see people spend weeks and weeks working the older CSP exams. While there are certainly many relevant questions in those older exams, the problem is that you will end up spending many hours practicing a fairly small percentage of the current syllabus. 

Another pitfall to avoid: Do not use this spreadsheet as a prediction tool for future exams. The testing frequency of past readings is highly biased toward readings that have been on the syllabus the longest. Some readings have been on the ILA syllabi for over a decade, while MANY others have been added only in the last 1–2 years. 

A better use of your time: I would focus mainly on the more recent exams first — especially trying to work them under exam conditions. Unfortunately there is only one past LFV-U exam that is still 100% on syllabus (fall 2016), so I would definitely work it in its entirety under exam conditions for practice. You can use other exams for topic-specific practice as you have time, but be sure to continue studying the entire current syllabus. Assume anything on the current syllabus will be tested with equal probability.

Also, please remember that I have solutions for many, many past problems posted on the SOA Exams tab of the online seminar. I will be posting solutions to the fall 2018 exam later this month as well, and will also be making some updates to our TIA-unique practice exams included in the course.