The Society welcomes the running of the tutorials outlined below. Though the Society is not directly involved in developing or reviewing the content of the tutorials, we believe that they will usefully extend the education opportunities available to our Student members.
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Online CP2 Tutorials
Online CP2 tutorials run by Classic Actuarial Education for the September 2024 exams will take place in July 2024.
Tutorials will be held online via Zoom.
The aim of the tutorials is to provide effective assistance to actuarial students who are studying to pass subject CP2 – the modelling practice examination of the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries.
Historical pass rate: The pass rate amongst the students who sat CP2 after attending previous tutorials for CA2/CP2 examinations has been exceptional. In recent years three consecutive cohorts achieved a 100% pass rate and the average pass rate since the inception of the tutorials eight years ago is greater than ninety percent.
Format and timing: The tutorials involve:
- Pre-tutorial individual advice for each registered student.
- A full-day tutorial covering the theory behind CP2 on Saturday July 6th.
- A series of homework exercises to complete the following week.
- A full-day tutorial covering the practical aspects of CP2 on Saturday July 13th.
- A CP2 assignment to be completed between the 2nd and 3rd tutorials. The 3rd tutorial provides group feedback on the assignment and is organised at a time/date that suits all registered students (typically this is a Saturday or an evening).
- Students are then encouraged to begin practicing past IFoA CP2 exam papers.
- Individual engagement with the tutor, on top of the group tuition, is flexible and is designed to meet the needs of the individual student. This typically ranges from 2 to 10 hours.
- A mock CP2 exam followed by individual feedback and advice take place in the week preceding the CP2 exam.
Tuition materials: CP2 course notes and materials are provided as part of registration – no other materials are needed in order to be well prepared to pass CP2. These course materials cover the principles behind CP2, including professionalism and workplace skills, the theory behind the CP2 Audit Trail, Model and Summary, practical homework exercises, an assignment, plus further notes.
Tutor: Dr Colm Fitzgerald FIA FSAI: Dr. Colm Fitzgerald was formerly the Lead Examiner for CP2. He has 16 years of experience as an IFoA Examiner. He is the primary author of the Core Reading for subject SA7 and was an original author for the Core Reading for subject SP9. He lectures in UCD and previously lectured in DCU and in Keele University. He was the IFoA Lead Assessor (tutor) when there was the first 100% pass rate in a CP2 exam and aims for 100% of his students to pass.
Testimonials:
“I sat CP2 in April 2021 and passed at first attempt after attending Colm’s tutorials. Like most students, I thought of CP2 as “the modelling exam” and having worked extensively with spreadsheets I wasn’t fazed at the prospect before looking at the notes and seeing some past papers. Colm’s tutorial does a fantastic job of breaking down the exam into defined sections and explains the different approaches required to achieve high marks in each. He provides practical help in setting yourself up with the correct mindset, planning and language required, all of which I plan on using as part of preparation for my remaining exams. Attending the tutorial is not a quick fix to guaranteeing success, ultimately study is required and that is dependent on the individual but in terms of giving yourself the best chance of passing CP2 I cannot recommend attending Colm’s tutorial highly enough.” – David Buckley
“I attended the CP2 tutorial course and cannot recommend it highly enough. The tutorial provided me with excellent guidance on exam strategy and it helped me to develop a clear and effective approach to tackling the exam. Colm was incredibly comprehensive and approachable – providing me with actionable feedback that helped me improve my understanding of the subject and identify areas where I needed to focus my efforts. Colm’s positive attitude and enthusiasm for teaching made the learning process enjoyable and engaging.” – Evan Tuffy
“I sat Colm’s tutorials for the IFoA Modelling Practice exam (CP2) and found them very useful. I especially appreciated the practice work given along with marking and model solutions. These really helped me to gain a better understanding of the subject and achieve a pass.” – Max Moriarty
“I attended Colm’s CP2 Tutorial for the September 2022 exam session. Colm’s passion, knowledge of the subject matter, combined with his teaching principles serve to guide students to develop their own tools for both the exam preparation process and the exam itself. Colm’s commitment was evident from our first meeting, as he sought to understand each student’s needs and challenges. His care and attention helped me to get the most out of each session, allowing me to understand the nature of the exam and give me the confidence to tackle the unexpected head on, which paid dividends during my exam. If you are an open and engaged student, you will benefit from Colm’s individualised approach. Colm’s tutoring provides excellent academic instruction but his emphasis on character development and empowering students to reach their full potential, will have a lasting benefit for me for the remainder of my exams. I would be happy to recommend Colm as a dedicated and impactful tutor.” – Liam Fannon
“As an experienced examiner, Colm was able to clearly explain the structure of the exam, the marking process and the key study areas to focus on. Most importantly though, Colm used unique methods to prepare us for this challenging exam both physically and mentally. I strongly recommend CP2 tutorial with Colm for those looking to significantly increase their chances of passing the exam.” – Alex Afonin
“Having successfully completed a master thesis under Colm’s mentorship and taking part in his CP2 tutorials I can confidently vouch for his teaching values. As a past examiner and passionate educator Colm instils through his tutorial a tried and tested exam strategy which assisted me in developing an efficient approach to taking the CP2 exam. The tutorial offers genuinely useful feedback which allowed me to gain a better understanding of the subject as a whole, and helped to refine my focus on areas that most needed my attention. Colm’s enthusiasm for teaching and extensive experience makes me wholeheartedly recommend this tutorial to anyone seeking to significantly improve their chances of passing CP2.” – Alan O’Reilly
“I had found myself stuck on CP2 and Colm’s calm and thoughtful approach helped unlock it for me. The beauty of Colm’s approach is that he seeks to drive the change needed from the inside out and not the outside in, which ultimately is considerably more powerful. He also provided some valuable insights on how to pass the exam.” – Stephen O’Sullivan
Cost: €750 inclusive of registration, tuition, course notes and feedback sessions.
Vocational and professional education is VAT exempt in Ireland and therefore the CP2 tutorials and the exam remediation tutorials and private tuition are not subject to VAT.
How do I book? Your place can be reserved by emailing Colm Fitzgerald at cp2tutorial@gmail.com.
Closing date for applications: Friday, 5th July 2024.
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CP3 Tutorials
CP3 tutorials run by an experienced tutor will take place in July 2024.
Tutorials will be held online via Zoom.
The aim of the tutorials is to provide effective assistance to actuarial students who are studying for subject CP3 (Communications Practice) – the communications examination of the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries.
The success rate enjoyed by students taking these tutorials has been close to 100%.
Outline of Tutorials
- Overview of Institute and Faculty of Actuaries' expectations for CP3
- Defining ‘Communication’
- Writing/business writing/ technical writing
- The basic requirements of CP3
- Dealing with Scenario Material
- Dealing with different types of questions
- Conventions of Business Writing
- Approaching the reflective CP3 question (Question 2)
- ‘High level’ skills
- Use of charts, tables and visual aids
- Information filtering
- Terminology and jargon
- Exam technique
- How to deal with nerves, habits, under-confidence
- Assessment of student progress
Format: Four two-hour tutorials running on the 20th July and 27th July 2024 (morning and afternoon), with written assignments, individual feedback and general feedback, followed by additional individual feedback, and a review of progress prior to sitting CP3.
Format aim: to prepare students to sit CP3 in September 2024.
Tutor: Des O’Sullivan
Des O’Sullivan lectured on the Graduate Certificate in Actuarial Applications programme at DCU, where he re-wrote the syllabus in 2009 and continued to develop the teaching programme in line with CA3 developments, and has lectured on the UCD Actuarial & Final Studies undergraduate programme. Des has an extensive background in the financial services industry, ranging from pension scheme documentation and trusteeship, to corporate advice, investment policy, product design and specialist client advice. He is a Fellow of the Irish Institute of Pension Management, a Revenue-approved Pensioner Trustee, and a Pensions Authority registered Trustee Trainer. Des has delivered talks at a number of Society of Actuaries’ events and has advised the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries on CA3 teaching and examining issues, and provided tutorials to students sitting CA3 online up to 2017 and CP3 thereafter.
How do I book? Your place can be reserved by emailing Des O’Sullivan at cp3tutorials@gmail.com.
Closing date for applications: 19th July 2024.
Students whose schedules do not fit the above dates and who wish to avail of CP3 tutorials should contact Des at cp3tutorials@gmail.com.
Individual tutorials, CP3 coaching and prep sessions are also available.