Probability Exam (Exam P/1)

Canadian Institute of Actuaries		Casualty Actuarial Society		Society of Actuaries

Winter 2006 Administration

Benefits of CBT

The exam will be offered via CBT four times during 2006. The exam will also be offered by paper and pencil in a limited number of localities where CBT is not available.

In addition to the benefit of more frequent administrations in 2006, we anticipate that by the second half of the year, candidates taking the CBT version will be able to receive grades immediately upon completion of the exam.

This document includes important details about registration and the exam day. Please read it carefully. Please also watch this Web site for announcements and updates.

2006 Exam Dates

Readings and Instructions

Registration

Step One: Select the exam center and application
There are three different applications. To determine which application is appropriate for you, please follow these steps below:

A. Click here for a list of computer-based testing centers. If there is a CBT center in your area, you are expected to take your exams there. For the Winter (February) 2006 administration, CBT sites are available in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Click here for your application for Exam P/1 at a CBT center.

B. For the Winter (February) 2006 administration, if there is no CBT center in your area, click here for a list of "Limited Canadian and International Paper/Pencil Exam Centers." These are traditional test localities that do not have CBT centers within a reasonable distance. A paper and pencil version of the three-hour Exam P will be administered at these sites on February 21, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. local time. Click here for your application for Exam P/1 at Limited Canadian and International Centers. The Instructions to Candidates and Examination Center Locations are available online as well.

C. Some colleges/universities in the U.S. that traditionally have offered actuarial exams have requested to remain as special paper and pencil exam centers during the February 2006 administration. Only a few colleges have been approved to continue the paper and pencil format in February-they are located in areas without direct access to CBT centers or in locations where there may be CBT center capacity challenges. Click here Special Centers for a list of "Special College/University Exam Centers." Candidates at these universities may elect to take Exam P/1 by CBT as described above or in the paper and pencil version at the university center on February 21, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. local time. Click here for your application for Exam P/1 at a Special College/University Exam Center." The Instructions to Candidates and Examination Center Locations are available online as well. Special exam centers may be arranged at the discretion of the SOA Office. Please contact the jlesch@soa.org for details.

Step Two: Submit application by December 15, 2005
All applications must arrive at Preliminary Actuarial Exams/SOA Office by December 15, 2005. No late applications will be accepted.

Important Note for CBT Candidates: Candidates are required to bring a government-issued photo ID to the CBT center (see Step Five-A below). It is critical that the name you enter on your application form should match the same form of your name as it appears on your government issued photo ID. Do not change the spelling and do not change the order of your name. If you use an initial or middle name on your government-issued photo ID, be sure to include that as well. Discrepancies in names may prevent the candidates from testing.

Step Three: Receive confirmation

A. Candidates who submit the Exam P/1 application for computer-based testing will receive confirmation by e-mail as well as a confirmation letter by mail. The e-mail will include the unique candidate number for the Winter 2006 administration. It is very important to schedule your exam appointment IMMEDIATELY upon receipt of your confirmation (see Step Four for details).

B. Candidates who submit the Exam P/1 application for the "Limited" or "Special" paper and pencil exam centers will receive their confirmation letter by e-mail and mail for the exam. Please check the information carefully. The letter will include the exact location of the exam center and your unique candidate number. There is nothing else that you must do before the exam, except study!

Step Four: IMMEDIATELY schedule an appointment at CBT center

As noted above, if you are taking Exam P/1 by CBT, you are strongly encouraged to schedule your exam appointment at a CBT center IMMEDIATELY upon receipt of your Winter 2006 candidate number. Candidates who do not make an appointment at a CBT center as soon as possible may find their local CBT center is filled on the day when Exam P/1 is offered. You may schedule online or by telephone as follows:

Schedule Online
Scheduling online is the most efficient method and candidates are encouraged to schedule their test appointments online as follows:

• After receiving their confirmations with candidate numbers, candidates may schedule their test appointments at www.Prometric.com. The system allows candidates access to real-time scheduling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Canadian, International and U.S. candidates are able to select their preferred testing date from the available window. All candidates are able to select their preferred location, receive immediate on-screen confirmation, and a follow-up e-mail confirmation of their appointment details.
• For "Testing Program," select "SOA/CAS/CIA." The opening page for scheduling your appointment will appear. Continue by following the instructions.
• Note to Candidates with Special Needs: Only candidates who have already received approval for special accommodation from the SOA Office may schedule an appointment that includes special accommodations. Candidates requiring special needs accommodations may not make an appointment on the Internet but should call the Special Accommodations Department at Thomson Prometric to schedule their examination. Click here for a list of telephone numbers.

• After receiving their confirmations with candidate numbers, candidates may schedule their test appointments by calling Thomson Prometric's Candidate Services Contact Center. To schedule their appointments, candidates must reference the "SOA/CAS/CIA" exam. Click here for a list of telephone numbers for the Candidate Services Contact Centers. This information can also be found at www.Prometric.com selecting Contact Us and then selecting over the phone from the Test Takers section of the page. Then, select the region you wish to contact. Select Professional Licensure as the area of study or certification. Next, look on the page displayed for the telephone number of the Thomson Prometric Call Center in your region.
• Candidates requiring Special Needs Accommodations should call the Special Accommodations Department at Thomson Prometric to schedule their test appointments. Click here for a list of telephone numbers.

Step Five: Secure appropriate identification and calculator(s) for exam day
Candidates should bring the following items to the exam center:

A. REQUIRED: Valid government-issued photo identification
All candidates must present a valid government-issued photo identification with the candidate's signature. Please note the following requirements:
• If you need to contact Thomson Prometric for any assistance, use the same form of your name that is on your Exam P/1 application form and your government issued photo ID. Do not change the spelling and do not change the order of your name. If you use an initial or middle name on your government-issued photo ID be sure to include that as well.
• When you arrive at the test center, you will be required to present your government-issued identification with a signature and a photograph (e.g., driver's license, passport, or other government-issued identification). University or employer identification will NOT be accepted. If a photo ID is not available, you may present two forms of secondary identification with a signature, with at least one form containing a physical description (height, weight, hair color, eye color, etc.). Each candidate will be required to sign in at the test center. A candidate who does not present the required identification or who refuses or is unable to provide a matching signature will not be permitted to take the examination.
• Acceptable forms of primary identification (which must include your signature and photograph) are: current (valid) driver's license, state identification card, a current (valid) passport, or other government-issued identification. Secondary forms of identification must include your signature. Acceptable forms of secondary identification include valid military identification card, citizenship card, or current (valid) driver's license without a photo, or other government-issued identification.
• All test takers in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan MUST use valid passports as their ID documents.

B. Approved calculators
Only the following models of Texas Instruments calculators are approved:
• BA-35
• BA II Plus
• BA II Plus Professional
• TI-30Xa
• TI-30X II (IIS solar or IIB battery)

Calculator covers and instructions will not be permitted in the examination room. Please note that upon entrance to the exam room, candidates using the BA II Plus Professional Edition, TI-30X IIS or TI-30XB (solar or battery) must show the supervisor that the memory has been cleared. For the BA II Plus and the BA II Plus Professional Edition, clearing the calculator will reset the calculator to the factory default settings. No other calculators will be provided for those who fail to bring an approved model. Candidates may bring more than one calculator into the examination room, provided each calculator is on the 'approved' list.

Step Six: Check out the CBT Tutorial
The CBT tutorial demonstrates the screens and basic functionality of the CBT. It is available online. Please note the following:

• The tutorial is a "snapshot" of screens in an htm format and is not live. The questions are presented to assist the candidate in navigating through the exam and to provide a simulation of the actual testing experience. Because the "snapshot" is not live, when an answer choice is selected, it will NOT be recorded for scoring and the selection will not be saved once another question is viewed. Therefore, if you return to a question in the practice exam, the choice that you selected will not appear as it would in the live exam.
• The live exam will have 30 questions, but the tutorial is a sample with only 10 questions.
• In the tutorial, the answer will appear at the top of the screen which, obviously, will not happen with the live exam!

Exam Fee

CBT Test Centers

Procedures for Changing or Canceling a CBT Appointment

• Call the test center where you are scheduled to take the exam. Notification must be left directly with the administrator at the test center. Do NOT leave a message on the answering machine-this does not constitute official notification.
• Notify Preliminary Actuarial Exams at the exams@soa.org.
• Special needs candidates must call the Special Conditions Coordinator to reschedule or cancel.

A cancellation does not automatically ensure a refund (see next section on Refund Policy.) If a candidate fails to arrive for a scheduled appointment or cancels without giving the required notice as described above, no refund will be given.

CBT Refund Policy

• Cancel the appointment by noon of the third business day (includes Saturdays) before the test appointment. For example, to cancel an examination for Tuesday, a candidate must notify the test center by noon on the Friday before the Tuesday appointment.
• Submit a refund request by e-mail (refund@soa.org) to Preliminary Actuarial Examinations by noon of the third business day before the test appointment. Examination fee refunds will be issued following the testing administration.

Any candidate who submits an application for Exam P/1 and decides not to take the exam and has NOT scheduled with Thomson Prometric may receive a refund (less the $60 administrative fee) by doing the following:

• Submit a refund request by e-mail (refund@soa.org) to Preliminary Actuarial Examinations. The deadline for refund requests is three weeks (21 days) after the date that the exam was administered. Requests will not be considered after this date.

Exam fees cannot be transferred from one session into a future session. On test day, if a candidate is in violation of any of the check in policies regarding valid government issued photo ID's and is not admitted, the exam fee will not be refunded.

CBT Security

CBT Exam Day

The following activities will occur when you arrive at the Thomson Prometric Testing Center for your appointment:

• You must present your government-issued photo-bearing identification that includes your signature or two secondary forms of identification with your signature and physical description as described in Step Five - Item A listed above.
• You will be asked to sign in at the center. Your signature will be compared to the identification that you present. You will be asked to sign your name every time you enter or leave the testing area within the center.
• You will be required to leave your personal belongings outside the testing room except your identification. No food or water is permitted into the test room. Cell phones, pagers, and all other electronic devices are prohibited. Secure storage will be provided. You must keep your identification with you at all times. If you leave the testing room for any reason, you will be required to show the test administrator your identification to be readmitted to the room. Storage space is small, so candidates should plan appropriately. Do not take large bags, textbooks, notebooks, or any other unnecessary items to the test center. Thomson Prometric Testing Centers assume no responsibility for candidates' personal belongings.
• Only authorized electronic calculators listed below will be allowed into the test room. Candidates may use the battery- or solar-powered models of the following Texas Instruments calculators: BA-35, BA II Plus, BA II Plus Professional, TI-30Xa, or TI-30X II (IIS solar or IIB battery). Candidates may use more than one of the approved calculators during the examination. For those using the BA II Plus, BA II Plus Professional, or TI-30X II (IIS solar or IIB battery) models, candidates will be required to show test proctors that the memory has been cleared prior to the start of the examination. For the BA II Plus and BA II Plus Professional, clearing will reset the calculator to the factory default settings. Calculator cover and instructions cannot be brought into the examination room. During the examination, the calculator must be removed from its carrying case so the proctor can confirm it is an approved model. Any unauthorized calculator brought to the test center will not be permitted in the test room. Candidates using a calculator other than the approved models, for any reason, will be subject to examination disqualification and other disciplinary action.
• The test administrator will give you a short orientation and will then escort you to a computer terminal. You must remain in your seat during the examination, except when authorized to leave by a proctor.
• At the beginning of the exam, you will be required to agree to the terms and conditions of the Confidentiality and Conduct Agreement.
• The test administrator will provide you with two pencils and one Scratch Booklet. The candidate may request as many Scratch Booklets and pencils as necessary, but must return the used Booklet when asking for a new one as test center policy dictates that a candidate may have only one Scratch Booklet at a time. If a candidate fills up the Scratch Booklet or needs a new pencil, the candidate should raise his or her hand and the test administrator will take the old Scratch Booklet or pencil and provide the candidate a new one. Candidates should manage their work to ensure they do not turn in a booklet with a problem in progress. Removing a Scratch Booklet from the test center is considered an act of misconduct. [Please note that the SOA/CAS/CIA is actively working with Thomson Prometric to address options for giving candidates more paper in a single Scratch Booklet. Any change will be announced.]
• Raise your hand to notify the test administrator if you:
  • believe you have a problem with your computer
  • need another Scratch Booklet or pencil (used Scratch Booklet must be given to test administrator)
  • need to take a break
  • need assistance for any reason
• Disposable earplugs or noise canceling headphones will be available from the administrator.
• The computerized clock that times your specific exam will continue to run and will not be turned off for unplanned, unscheduled breaks. If there is a power outage, the time will stop counting down. The test will resume at the point where it left off when power is restored.
• After your examination is finished, you will be asked to complete a brief, computer-delivered questionnaire about your testing experience.
• If you have any additional comments about your testing experience, you are encouraged to send your comments directly to Thomson Prometric, SOA/CAS/CIA Program-5th floor, 1000 Lancaster Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.
• Dress comfortably for the exam. As test room temperatures and personal comfort zones vary, it is recommended that you bring a sweater or jacket to the sessions.

Confidentiality and Conduct Agreement

You can be disqualified from taking or continuing to sit for an examination, or from receiving examination results, or your exam may be disqualified if there is substantial reason to believe through proctor observations, statistical analysis, and/or other evidence that your score may not be valid or that you were engaged in collaborative, disruptive, or other unacceptable behavior during the administration of this examination.

Test Center Regulations

Grounds for Dismissal

Examination Discipline

• Gaining access to test questions before the examination or aiding someone else to do so.
• Using an unauthorized calculator (as defined above) or other mechanical aid that is not permitted.
• Having access to or consulting notes or books during the examination.
• Talking or otherwise communicating with another candidate during the examination.
• Disturbing other candidates during the examination.
• Consulting other persons outside the examination room during the examination.
• Removing or attempting to remove test questions and/or responses (in any format) or notes about the examination from the testing area.
• Taking unauthorized material from the test room.
• Taking an examination for another candidate.
• Arranging to have another person take an examination for the candidate.
• Threatening or physically or verbally abusing a supervisor or proctor responsible for curbing or reporting improper conduct.
• Disclosing the contents of an examination to any other person.
• Presenting false information on an examination application.
• Failing to follow other examination instructions.
• Tampering with the operation of the computer or attempting to use it for any function other than taking the examination.

Candidates taking actuarial exams are expected to follow the rules and procedures included in the "Exam P/1 Study Note" as well as announcements made by the proctors at the test centers. All candidates, on their applications for examinations, are required to read and sign the following statement: "I have read the rules and regulations concerning the examination(s) for which I am applying and agree to be bound by them. I also agree that the results of any examination(s) which I take, and any action taken as a result of my conduct may, at the sole discretion of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, Casualty Actuarial Society, or the Society of Actuaries, be disclosed to any other bona fide actuarial organization that has a legitimate interest in such results and/or actions."

Disciplinary rules are published in the CAS Syllabus of Basic Education and the SOA Basic Education Catalog.

The Exam

As part of the computer-based testing process, a few pilot questions will be randomly placed in the exam (paper and pencil and computer-based forms). These pilot questions are included to judge their effectiveness for future exams, but they will NOT be used in the scoring of this exam. All other questions will be considered in the scoring. All unanswered questions are scored incorrect. Therefore, candidates should answer every question on the exam.

In addition, with the introduction of computer-based testing, a different approach to test development is being followed. Since the CBT exam will be offered over a period of a few days, multiple forms of the test are being created for use. Each candidate will receive a test form composed of questions selected from a pool of questions. Statistical scaling methods are used to ensure within reasonable and practical limits that, during the same testing period of a few days, all forms of the test are comparable in content and passing criteria. The methodology that has been adopted is used by many credentialing programs that give multiple forms of an exam.

In Canada—French/English Exam

Grades