ASA study plan

Derive conditional probabilities, expectations, and variances for joint, marginal, and mixed distributions, then solve 20 multi-part problems without consulting notes.

Apply Bayes' theorem and the law of total probability to multi-stage risk scenarios, writing the full event tree before computing.

Convert fluently among effective, nominal (m-thly), and continuous force-of-interest rates, and price annuity-immediate, annuity-due, and increasing/decreasing annuities under each convention.

Seed a spaced-repetition deck with at least 120 original formula and definition cards drawn from probability and interest theory, tagged by subtopic.

Compute net present value, yield rate, dollar-weighted and time-weighted returns, and reinvestment-adjusted accumulation for irregular cash flow streams.

Apply Macaulay/modified duration and convexity to immunize a liability stream, and identify the conditions under which Redington immunization holds.

Translate survival-model quantities into present-value random variables for whole life, term, endowment, and deferred insurance, and compute expected present values under constant and varying forces.

Bridge the two domains by writing the equivalence principle for a life-contingent product and solving for the level benefit premium.

Compute net and gross premium reserves prospectively, retrospectively, and recursively, and reconcile the three approaches on the same policy.

Model multiple decrement and multiple-life contingencies, including common-shock and copula-free independence assumptions, and compute associated probabilities.

Solve short-term frequency-severity and aggregate-loss problems, including limited expected value and stop-loss expectation calculations.

Set up and solve a small Markov chain model for a life-contingency application, identifying the transition-intensity matrix and the resulting state probabilities.

Select the advanced track (long-term or short-term) by comparing the topic inventory of each against stated career targets, and commit the choice in writing.

Solve advanced reserve problems involving participating business, expense and dividend mechanics, or their short-term counterpart in credibility and loss reserving.

Complete two full-length timed practice sets under exam conditions, then classify every error as knowledge gap, setup error, or arithmetic slip.

Rebuild notes for the three weakest subtopics into worked-example form rather than summary bullets.

Fit linear, logistic, and Poisson generalized linear models on a self-constructed dataset, and interpret each coefficient on the response scale.

Explain the bias-variance tradeoff and demonstrate it empirically by comparing training and cross-validated error across three model complexities.

Distinguish supervised from unsupervised techniques and justify a method choice for a stated prediction or segmentation objective.

Write reproducible analysis code that regenerates the full model summary table from raw data in a single run.

Engineer features and handle missing values, class imbalance, and leakage risks, documenting each decision and its effect on validation error.

Tune hyperparameters with a nested cross-validation scheme and report an honest out-of-sample performance estimate.

Produce a feature-attribution summary and translate the top drivers into plain business language.

Audit the model for fairness, stability, and overfitting risk, and record mitigation steps taken.

Complete the mathematical statistics requirement by deriving estimators, evaluating bias and consistency, and constructing confidence and hypothesis tests on 15 worked problems.

Apply economics, accounting, and finance fundamentals to read a set of financial statements and compute the standard ratio and cash-flow measures.

Finish all sections of the pre-actuarial foundations module and pass every embedded knowledge check on the first attempt.

Log each completed requirement in a single tracker with submission dates and confirmation status.

Work through the practice-oriented e-learning modules, completing every end-of-module exercise and self-assessment.

Draft written responses to professionalism scenarios covering conflict of interest, data integrity, and adherence to actuarial standards of practice.

Rehearse the discussion-based professional course format by preparing talking points for three ethics scenarios and delivering them aloud.

Consolidate the eight weeks into a one-page weakness sheet and a final two-week maintenance schedule.