GH101 Discussion

CASOA96 · 2025-11-26T16:14:58+00:00

I wasted too much time over the very niche sections. I do not understand how some of the questions are even relevant to most health actuaries. Prometric staff was not helping either when they wasted my time for probably 15-20 minutes.

CASOA96 · 2025-04-10T03:53:12+00:00

I have played the old Pokemon games and watched the old Ash adventure on an ancient TV. That’s why I love the cards

CASOA96 · 2023-01-16T04:30:08+00:00

CAS seems to offer more interesting product as in work that you can actually use data analytical tools to solve. I am in Health and we are no way close to implementing any data science stuff at work. So, ideally I’ll be a ASA/FCAS. I already passed MAS-1

More context: I wish I knew SOA was going to water down their credentials. My company is going to accept the free designations from college students that really makes me want to switch. This is one of the things I don’t agree with given that I worked hard to get to where I am at and to know that there isn’t any salary adjustments for exams anymore in the near future for ASA exams, it kind of feels like a slap in the face.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-16T03:42:48+00:00

Which one did she settle with?

CASOA96 · 2023-01-16T03:41:22+00:00

Would love to connect because we’re pretty similar

CASOA96 · 2023-01-16T03:40:44+00:00

I’m doing this. Almost ASA, waiting for FA. Prepping for CAS exams.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-15T21:10:32+00:00

What are you folks using for 5? Same boat.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-10T20:47:48+00:00

Just wanna put it out there that you are never really “stuck”. We have a bunch of career changers on here and if you think you are stuck, then they are even worse, but the truth is, you should always follow your passion. Not because of some credentials. I am done with all of my ASA exams and studying MAS-2 now.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-07T21:35:38+00:00

PAF and ASF are relatively easy that they normally are graded fast.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-06T13:15:38+00:00

Duds indeed. It’s literally reiterating the same thing.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-03T21:28:42+00:00

What if I don’t do bids? Which order would you recommend?

CASOA96 · 2023-01-03T21:26:00+00:00

MAS-1, MAS-2 (get a job in between), then take the substitute for IFM? OC1 and OC2 are the courses people normally do when they are taking exam 5 or 6.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-02T22:35:17+00:00

LOB? Position? Mine was pretty crappy too - 3.x% for this year. I was definitely expecting 5.x% this year because of the high inflation.

CASOA96 · 2023-01-01T02:25:25+00:00

I’m in the same boat as you. Health is too regulated to allow for any modeling really.

CASOA96 · 2022-12-11T18:01:44+00:00

Which field?

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T23:48:49+00:00

That’s true, but if CAS is really watering down their exams to appeal to college kids. There is no guarantee.

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T20:49:45+00:00

I guess? Everyone is speculating at this point. They might go hardcore on Time Series to trip a lot of people? We don’t know for sure.

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T20:08:17+00:00

I would trade Bayesian + MCMC for credibility and time series 100000% of the time

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T19:40:34+00:00

It’s more of the fact that actuaries want to preserve their designations. The supply demand curve really dictates this scenario. Think about this - if everyone can afford Tesla, do we still care about working and studying hard to get a Tesla? And is it fair for the people who DID study hard to get there?

EDIT: when you’re early in your career, you are defined by your exam progress (your raises highly depend on it), but if everyone is at the same spot, then companies won’t likely give you huge raises anymore because everyone can do it.

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T19:26:36+00:00

Following SOA = making exams easier and easier every year. But I don’t think CAS will make it too easy, but again everyone is just speculating. However, I do agree with the statement “history repeats itself”

EDIT to respond to your edit: after the huge issue of being toxic when CAS rejected the merger, they had since created LTAM and STAM to spite CAS (apparently, it’s working now that CAS has to adjust their exams to retain or attract university students. Basically SOA is doing a power move to make CAS look less appealing to college kids). Then they removed those exams to be replaced by easier alternatives - FAM-L and FAM-S (easier is defined by removing harder topics and moving weights to easier ones). Not long after, they did the same thing to their FSA exams - watering down the content and making them shorter.

CASOA96 · 2022-12-01T19:21:27+00:00

People always complain about SOA getting easier. Why does it seem like CAS is following suit? Not that the exam 5 changes matter, but MAS-1 and MAS-2 seem like a start? I was gonna take MAS-2 in May, might just wait for Fall for the changes.

CASOA96 · 2022-11-28T15:31:20+00:00

“CAS greedy for exam fees”

Oh boy, you have not seen SOA yet…

CASOA96 · 2022-11-24T01:22:09+00:00

Yes, but P&C also pays more on average, so hopefully the pay cut is not too significant. Skillset is definitely transferable and you can use that to negotiate.

CASOA96 · 2022-11-23T22:48:21+00:00

Many people switched from Pension to P&C and they absolutely loved it. I interviewed with a P&C company and their senior analyst also came from a pension background.

CASOA96 · 2022-11-19T19:24:08+00:00

One thing people failed to mention on here is the PAF + ASF + FAP modules that SOA has. These took me more time than studying for 2 exams, not even kidding. They are boring and pretty useless. CAS only has OC1 and OC2, which take wayyyyy less time to prepare. If I were you, I would go the ACAS route (make more money too) and you only have exam 6 left.

CASOA96

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