Which Study Manual(s)?

[wat]

Just curious as to which ones people are using.

I've got several: ACTEX, ARCH, Batten, Broverman, Mahler and the texts/solution manuals.

I'm using most of them, but I may be persuaded to part with one or two of them. (Not the ACTEX or ARCH, though - those apply to Exam M, while the other ones are from 2004 and prior.)

[Monty Carlow]

I speak only knowing of the former-Exam-2, but I really liked BPP's study guide. It didn't give me the headache that the ACTEX guide did.

[wat]

I speak only knowing of the former-Exam-2, but I really liked BPP's study guide. It didn't give me the headache that the ACTEX guide did.

For 2, BPP was good because it gave a good explanation of the economics and finance material. But, for 3 --> M, I didn't think BPP was sufficient. I tried their sample chapter, but it wasn't what I was looking for. I appreciate the other manuals for their extensive question banks.

[MCBUDDHA]

I thought BPP also has a large question bank?

BPP seems good but for me its really hard to get, its also very expensive.

I m gonna use ARCH this time since it seems they specialize in just exam M (must be their competitive advantage!).

[wat]

I thought BPP also has a large question bank?

BPP seems good but for me its really hard to get, its also very expensive.

I m gonna use ARCH this time since it seems they specialize in just exam M (must be their competitive advantage!).

It's definitely expensive. What is it, $400 for the Exam M BPP? That's a bit much.

The reason why I didn't like BPP all that much for the Exam M is because they tend to oversimplify things a little. I felt like that there was a little too much hand-waving at the life contingencies material than I was comfortable with. Plus, the problems did not seem on the order of ACTEX/ARCH. I guarantee you will have good practice if you work through all the ARCH/ACTEX materials. It's a pretty good set of mind exercises. Doing all those problems sets you up for the "BTDT" feeling ("Been There, Done That" - thanks, Dr. Ostaszewski), which is a good thing to have on the day of the exam.

[krzysio]

Well, I pride myself in my notes for the Life Contingencies portion of exam M that New England Actuarial Seminars sell:
[url]http://www.neas-seminars.com[/url]
I do not think anyone else out there points out these items that have been absolutely crucial on the exams 3 since 2000:
- "David Ricardo" formulas,
- Recursive formulas for reserves and asset shares and their simplification when net amount at risk is constant,
- "Poohsticks" formulas (nearly all problems on multiple lives are Poosticks problems),
- De Moivre's implication for life insurance (and resulting "David Ricardo" identities for life annuities).
These topics are made artificially hard in many texts, and I would suggest you consider my ideas for making them smooth and easy. And if you came to my seminar (unfortunately finished), I would have shown you how you can simplify multiple decrements by counting people as they die from various causes (again, this is a topic made too hard in all SOA published solutions).

Yours,
Krzys'

[Irish Blues]

And if you came to my seminar (unfortunately finished), I would have shown you how you can simplify multiple decrements by counting people as they die from various causes (again, this is a topic made too hard in all SOA published solutions).

Yours,
Krzys'

Don't worry - I'm sure I'll see you at one this fall.

[MarsLasar]

Personally, I am going with the new ASM. I have started the first two chapters and it rocks.

[sundwarf]

So for those who never learned the exam M materials which study manual(s) would you recommend?

[wat]

So for those who never learned the exam M materials which study manual(s) would you recommend?

I'm guessing ASM might be pretty good (from a few people's initial reports and advertising and everything).

Arch is a good "teaching" manual. It is fairly easy to pick up the ideas and concepts with the manual.

I took Exam M without ever having taking an class in life contingencies/loss models before. I used Arch & Actex, with Actex being my primary manual. It was difficult, but after doing all those problems, the concepts stuck with me.