Blogs

MythBusters: 2020 CAS Computer-Based Testing Edition

By Laura Hemmer posted 07-07-2021
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With the recent decision to move all Fall 2020 CAS exams to the computer-based testing format, the Candidate Liaison Committee (CLC) knows that candidates have a lot of questions and have heard a lot of rumors. The CAS has provided an overview of CBT Exams Information as well as a FAQ and is updating both often to provide more information to candidates, but the CLC wanted to help candidates in our own style by busting some exam-related myths! The myths below are separated into three categories: Myths about Cheating, Myths about COVID-19 Precautions, and Myths about CBT Exam Format. Have another myth or question that’s not addressed? Let the ...
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Taking Advantage of Your CAS Academic Central Benefits!

By Tamar Gertner posted 04-07-2021
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Are you taking advantage of your membership benefits available through CAS Academic Central? Here is a quick refresher on the various benefits available to you as valued members of our community! Free Registration to CAS Conferences Through your Academic Central membership, the CAS offers complimentary attendance at up to three conferences annually! With CAS meetings and seminars taking place virtually, attending an event has never been easier. Check out the CAS Calendar of Events for upcoming opportunities. The CAS hosts its Spring and Annual Meetings in May and November, and hosts various seminars including the Ratemaking, Product, ...
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An Open Letter from a CAS Grader

By Laura Hemmer posted 03-23-2021
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The Fall 2020 exam sitting, being the first sitting fully administered using computer-based testing (CBT), was a challenge for candidates in many ways as they adapted to the new format of exams. It probably doesn’t surprise candidates to know that the new CBT format presented a learning opportunity for exam graders as well. In particular, while CAS members continued to grade all answers for Exams 5-9, candidate work was conveyed to graders through a new grading vendor for the first time. Thankfully, gone are the days of pages and pages of photocopies. Most candidate questions about CBT have centered on what is needed to show work in the new Pearson ...
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What's the CLC Reading?

By Holley Rouse posted 03-12-2021
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The prolonged “Stay at Home” orders have left many of us with extra time on our hands. Reading is a great way to pass the time, to escape to another world, or to learn. It’s also a great break from the monotony of studying for actuarial exams! One of the great things about books is that you don’t actually have to read them! Audiobooks, if read by decent narrators, help make books accessible to all and are easy to transport. One of our committee members, Nate Williams, listens to audiobooks checked out from the library while he walks in the evenings. We asked the CLC what they are reading to learn more about our committee members and get some ...
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Recruiting Experience in 2020- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Matt Ringler posted 11-05-2020
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Authors: Ashley Thyes, Giancarlo Cimaglia, Matt Ringler Matt Ringler: As we all know, 2020 has impacted everyone. And, no matter how you slice it: this year has provided numerous opportunities for all of us to face adversity and foster strength. For those in the actuarial science community, the recruiting process presented several novel hurdles. Our connectivity, or lack thereof, offers a good example, inasmuch as we are now newly dependent upon the virtual world for interviewing. In this new world, if our WIFI connections, webcams, Zoom, Webex or other platforms malfunctioned, a coveted job opportunity could be lost. I can, as a result, confidently say ...
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CAS Elections Turnout

By Donald Williams posted 10-05-2020
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“I don’t like Adams. Well, he’s gonna lose, that’s just defeatist.” Perhaps, like me, you recently heard these lyrics from Hamilton ’s “The Election of 1800” either from watching it on Disney+, or listening to the soundtrack in the car…or the shower. Perhaps, like me, it reminded you of today’s political defeatism where many people end up voting for someone they don’t actually want, either because they don’t think their candidate of choice could realistically win or because they just want to prevent someone they like even less from getting into office. And perhaps, like me, you thought of the importance of voting in elections. No? Well, that’s okay, too. But ...
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Balancing Work, Kids, and Studying Through COVID-19

By Melinda Moss posted 09-09-2020
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As a working mother of an overly energetic 2-year old, I wanted to share some QUICK tips on how to find balance during this pandemic (especially since now many of us are starting to study again!) Special emphasis on the word quick: since anyone needing to read this won’t have time to read more, and I won’t have time to write it. Before the tips, here is a brief background on why this is so important. Aside from the obvious lack of daycares and schools, this pandemic has also caused us to become isolated from our “village”. No more babysitters, no more play dates with friends, no more getting our energy out at the playground, no more weekends with Nana – it ...
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Virtual Course on Professionalism

By Katie Inman posted 07-07-2020
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Back in January, I was thrilled to have finally arrived at the point in my exam process where I was registering for the CAS Course on Professionalism (COP). Not only did it mean that I would be one step closer to earning the ACAS title, but it meant I would have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with actuaries from various companies across the country. However, as we all know, the world changed significantly between January and the June COP course dates. When it was announced that Spring exams were canceled, I knew it was only a matter of time until the COP was also formally announced as canceled. While the course was inevitably canceled, I was both relieved ...
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How COVID-19 Brought Me Closer to the Tightly-Knit Actuarial Community

By Matt Ringler posted 06-23-2020
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Over the past few months, we have all experienced COVID’s toll. As students, we have seen internships and job offers rescinded, watched on-campus professional development opportunities disappear, and have felt the periodic realization that the best four years of our lives have been placed on hold. As an incoming senior actuarial student at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and active CAS Student Central member, I personally struggled with my new normal and felt keenly disheartened by the loss of on-campus professional development opportunities at a time when we needed them most. As time passed, I struggled to find a solution regarding how to fill this void. ...
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“Insuring” Your Career Against Pandemic Risk

By Jacob Galecki posted 04-16-2020
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The COVID-19 Pandemic is potentially the single most transformational event to occur to the U. S. Economy since the Great Depression of the 20 th Century. What that means for the job market and the property & casualty insurance industry remains unclear. The one certainty is that this event will change how we interact and conduct business for the foreseeable future and perhaps indefinitely. Below you will find a quick summary of what Galecki Search Associates has seen in the job market since the beginning of the crisis. Also, you will see some recommendations on how to shore up your career, and more importantly, stay motivated to advance your career ...
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How to Stay up to Date on Current Industry News!

By Kate Niswander posted 04-13-2020
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In any profession, staying current with industry news is critical for career success. In my role as marketing and communications manager at the CAS, I work with insurance industry publications to place CAS members for media interviews. These same publications can be a useful tool for members of CAS Student Central to keep informed about the industry. Subscribing to daily news updates, for example, can help you to identify topics that interest you professionally, remain current with industry trends, and even gain you a leg up as you apply for internships and jobs. Luckily for you, a multitude of publications serve to keep actuarial professionals informed on ...
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The CLC Reacts to Work and Life Impacts of COVID-19

By Rachel Hunter posted 04-10-2020
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Last week we shared our reactions to the delay of spring CAS exams. As you have probably seen, the CAS ultimately decided to cancel the spring sitting and offer exams 7 and 9 in the fall of 2020. This week the Candidate Liaison Committee (CLC) would like to share more on how COVID-19 changes are impacting us and how we are adapting. As you will see in the responses, we are all impacted in different ways by COVID-19. We are also curious how you are handing the disruption, feel free to share your tips for working from home and managing isolation in this uncertain time in the comments section. This week's panel consists of the following committee members ...
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The CLC Reacts to Exams Being Postponed in Response to COVID-19

By Rachel Hunter posted 04-03-2020
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Since this was posted, the CAS announced plans to cancel the spring exam sitting. Click here to view the announcement. The CAS recently shared its decision to postpone administration of the April 2020 CAS exam sittings. When this announcement came out, many of us were already adjusting to work from home and practicing social distancing in our communities. For those studying for CAS exams, disruption to regular work was probably already impacting study and there were likely a range of emotions upon hearing the announcement that the CAS would postpone exams. The Candidate Liaison Committee (CLC) would like to share how we are impacted and how ...
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Actuarial Students: Stay Sharp and On Track While at Home!

By Margaret Gaddy posted 04-01-2020
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CAS Student Central members, our thoughts and support are with you during this challenging time. To help you stay sharp and on track while home for the remainder of the semester, we’ve compiled the following list of resources to check out! Webinars on a variety of topics ranging from technical training to career advice. Here are the most recent webinar recordings: The Travelers Predictive Modeling Cooking Show How to Pass Your Actuarial Exams: Learn More Study Less A Day in the Life of a P&C Actuary Your Actuarial Job Search- Guidance on Resumes, Interviews, and Networking Blog Posts that offer perspectives ...
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Managing Disability and Actuarial Exams: Holley's Story

By Holley Rouse posted 03-30-2020
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My struggle with disability has been life-long, but I only received a diagnosis about five years ago just after I decided to start on the actuarial career path. It is extremely difficult to figure out how to take exams with new or worsening disabilities. Heck, it’s extremely difficult for most actuarial students to figure out how to take exams under normal circumstances! To give you an idea of why it took so long to get a diagnosis and why I am still struggling with accommodations, I will take you through my journey to diagnosis. Childhood I do not remember a day when my body didn’t hurt. I was an active child, participating in dance classes, ...
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Managing Disability and Actuarial Exams: My Story

By Agatha Caleo posted 03-10-2020
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If you or someone you know has a disability and is struggling to pass exams, please see the main article, Managing Disability and Actuarial Exams in the Future Fellows Newsletter . My Experience with Vestibular Migraine It started with mild motion sickness, just feeling a little bit queasy after taking the bus into the city. For the first almost 30 years of my life, I loved motion! As a kid, I selfishly monopolized the tire swing every time I went to the local playground. As a teenager, I spent every summer eagerly anticipating the Nez Perce County Fair, when I could ride the Zipper for three days straight. When I passed my first actuarial ...
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Micro Time-Saving Techniques

By Elizabeth End posted 02-28-2020
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I never once had the time to answer all the questions on an upper-level, handwritten CAS Exam. Initially this bothered me, but it eventually became a non-issue as I realized it was the status quo for me and that not finishing the exam did not necessarily equate to not passing the exam. By the time I earned my FCAS, I felt that I had become pretty good at making smart choices on how to spend my limited time. The methods I’m sharing below might not collectively buy you a lot of time, but they just might buy you enough to pass. Find the pen that is right for you. You should not use pencils on the written exams (in my opinion). Pens will allow you to write ...
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A Student’s Perspective on Succeeding in the Actuarial Profession

By Jack Richards posted 02-20-2020
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My name is Jack Richards, and I am a senior actuarial science student at Drake University in Des Moines, IA! After my graduation in May, I’ll be joining Deloitte Consulting as an actuarial analyst in their Human Capital practice. I have interned at a variety of different companies (Deloitte, Travelers, and Sammons Financial), and am fortunate to have experienced the P&C, Life, and Health industries! Back in high school, I wanted to explore a career that sat at the intersection of math and business, and one of my neighbors recommended that I explore the actuarial profession. I was intrigued by the high level of respect the actuarial profession has, along ...
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The CAS Trust Scholarship: An Unforgettable Experience

By Tommy Anderson posted 12-17-2019
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I am honored to be a recipient of a 2019 CAS Trust Scholarship. I was encouraged to apply by a St. Thomas grad and Travelers employee with whom I interacted with in my internships at Travelers. I immediately gained an appreciation for the prestige of the award when I read about it on casact.org and when I saw the list of previous winners. The application process was straightforward, requiring candidates to submit an application, essay, official transcript, and two letters of recommendation. I was elated when I received an email a few short months later informing me that I had been selected as a recipient of the award. I am truly humbled to be in the company of ...
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Meet the New Candidate Liaison Committee Candidate Representatives

By Elizabeth End posted 12-10-2019
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The CAS’s Candidate Liaison Committee (CLC) has four new candidate representatives to share their voices and perspectives on the candidate experience with the CAS and to communicate news from the CAS to the candidate community. I’ve asked our new representatives to introduce themselves and share a little bit regarding their background, interests, and plans for a future Future Fellows article. On behalf of the CLC veterans, we are delighted to welcome Emma, Chandler, Holley, and Victor. Emma Casehart Hi everyone! I’m Emma Casehart, and I’m an Actuarial Assistant working for Allstate. I work in personal lines pricing on specialty products like condo, boat, ...
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