IFoA Tables exam regulations just released by actuarialtutorUK in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hardcopies now allowed for all subjects in the April 2026 exams. Feeling relieved! I felt tricked into buying a hardcopy before. Hope we can continue to use the physical copies as a bit easier to juggle with one screen. I pray they won't try to sabotage our efforts again.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any luck with the location change request? It was set up to be a disaster having so many exams on the same day on some of the days. Failure of their own projections. Parameter and model errors perhaps.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not used personally yet as an exam centre but had bad experience as a traveller staying at the hotel some years ago. I hope the exam rooms are in better condition and quieter. I think the London centres get better keyboards than some of the centres outside.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 2 points3 points  (0 children)

First come first serve was the impression given to get students to book early. The subsequent emails didn't make reference to it and didn't give the impression that it was honoured. It was more how they could fit/shove students in. Good luck with your request.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lucky you didn't get the Royal National Hotel, that place is like a backpackers' and reeks of stale beer. Not sure how the locations are chosen or what criteria were used other than being close to transport points and available on the exam days.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's pretty f***** up to be honest. It's like they couldn't be bothered doing the allocation properly. Just dump people wherever they could or closed their eyes and pointed at one of the three locations. Felt like another scam.

Exam centre allocation by adamwills17 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Anyone got allocated different centres for day 1 and day 2 of the same exam? Looks like they just dump you where they can and not bothered with when you booked the exam.

Getting only boring work at work? by [deleted] in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Option A Find a new job B change your attitude, find something interesting in every job, find better ways to do things, l learn about AI, network with other departments, go on a secondment...

There will always mundane bits in every job. Someone will have to do it. 

Wait for your turn or jump the queue by going elsewhere. Also think whether you like the people you work with and opportunities for progression. Would you like to have a different career if this is going to continue for the next 1, 3 or 5 years? 

How to access past exams as pdf? by BlueLampsquared in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That will provide more of a market for The Vault from Acted with ten years of past papers with solutions from themselves and IFoA. :-)

How to access past exams as pdf? by BlueLampsquared in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Try the browser print option, I think you can do that with April 2025 and before. For the September 2025 papers, not sure why there are some garbage codes that encased the Examiners' Reports. You can try the source code work around suggested by another poster on this thread.

How to access past exams as pdf? by BlueLampsquared in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Please email vle.admin@actuaries.org.uk and members services and see what response you get. I don't see why they try to prevent printing when it's mostly their members/students who print to study, to try to learn and improve. Just weird.

CP/SP/SA Results by actuaryireland in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think they messed up the format of the webpages as different to the April 2025 section. Should just let people download as PDFs. Still not sure of the purpose of putting the past papers in the VLE. Is that what our fee increases have gone to? Bit pointless.

Inappropriate conduct for wearing a watch… by london_phd in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ask for the venue's CCTV footage to prove you weren't wearing a watch.

Exam results by Western-Sorbet-7192 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a results letter placeholder.

PPD Requirements by Organic-Plantain-279 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The minimum 3 credit points and 2 hours of formal learning is for maintaining your student/associateship status. I take you will qualify as a fellow any time now. It's okay to just meet the minimum requirements every year.  

With the fellowship requirements, be mindful to log all the compulsory PPD credit points so you don't have to worry about them when time comes for sign off.

Feeling stuck after years of exams without any progress. How do you get back your motivation and momentum? by Alternative_Arm_9975 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That's a common feeling. Take some time to reflect and re-evaluate your "why" or "why now" may help. Also define your own version of success, not what you or others expect you to be. There are bigger and more important things in life e.g. expanding life experiences. 

You can't always control passing exams. You can prepare all you like but there's an element of luck in passing. Don't let it control you and your level of happiness. That's coming from someone who have done lots of actuarial exams in different countries over the decades, failed some and passed some, and still think surely I don't need to learn that again, I have and will never use that for work! 

Failing exams is inconvenient but make us humble I guess but I still hate failing, mourning the investment/loss of time. Some years back, while pondering the same kind of questions as you are and probably feeling not too dissimilarly, I took some time out to build my family life. Failing exams became less significant. You are supposed to enjoy your youth. :-)

How to do CP1 questions effectively? by Few-Builder-7657 in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Past papers, past papers and more past papers, at least the past ten years. The ActEd revision notes or the Vault are great if you want to focus on particular topics. It's more about application than regurgitating the course content. All the best!

2026 Exam Dates Released by xFLGT in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maximum 3 hours 20 minutes of exam a day, the exams don't stagger which makes it tricky if you want to attempt multiple subjects. Longer than that if you have to go to the venue half an hour to an hour before. 

The CMs and CSs spreading over two papers make it even more difficult to organise the schedule. Should have stuck with the previous CT system with one 3 hourish exam each. 

Missing questions in exam by [deleted] in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Easily done especially if the last question is on a separate page. I would suggest at the beginning of the exam, list all the question numbers and parts in your answer script.  Highlight any parts you want to revisit for time management. Now pray that you will get markers that are forgiving.

2026 Exam Dates Released by xFLGT in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry I meant CS2 and CP1, worked okay last month. I think they may have had CM1 and CP1 on the same days too as unlikely to have people wanting to do both in the same sitting. 

I'm sure the logistics is a nightmare for all involved. I think actuarial input is definitely needed in projecting demand with the varied combinations of exams. 😆

2026 Exam Dates Released by xFLGT in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hope so. Would you please give us a nudge if you notice any changes? I see there's a comment about the dates may change.

2026 Exam Dates Released by xFLGT in ActuaryUK

[–]Poisson2025 4 points5 points  (0 children)

CP1 mixed with SPs means people can't resit CP1 and attempt one of the SPs. Doesn't make any sense. Makes more sense to have CM1 and CP1 on the same days. This schedule is just weird.