MAS-II

MAS-II is a CAS exam listed on the ACAS credentialing pathway alongside Exams 1 and 2 and Exam MAS-I, ahead of the fellowship exams. Passing it moves you toward Associate status. The CAS publishes the detailed scope in its Syllabus of Basic Education, which is the document to build your study plan around.

Registration, the exam schedule, and exam fees are all handled through the CAS Exams & Admissions pages, and the CAS also lists discount programs. This page does not quote a fee because the CAS source does not state one; check the CAS exam fees page for the current amount before you register.

The CAS source available here does not state a duration or item count for MAS-II, so treat any number you hear secondhand with suspicion. Confirm the current format on the CAS exam page and syllabus before booking. The CAS also publishes a Know Before You Go guide covering day-of logistics.

The CAS publishes a Past Exams & Pass Marks archive and periodic Summary of Exam Statistics, which is where pass marks and historical pass rates come from. Rather than targeting a remembered number, check the most recent published pass mark, since the sitting you take may differ from older figures.

The CAS source available here does not state a retake policy or waiting period for MAS-II. Retake and registration rules sit with the CAS exam registration pages and the Candidate FAQ. Confirm the current policy there before assuming you can sit again at the next offering.

The CAS lists MAS-I and MAS-II as separate exams on the ACAS pathway without prescribing an order between them in the available source. Practically, most candidates finish the earlier preliminary material first, then take MAS-II once the underlying probability and statistics foundations are solid, since MAS-II builds on them.

Start from the CAS Syllabus of Basic Education and its learning objectives, then work released past exams under timed conditions. Read the CAS examiners' reports, which document where candidates lost points, and note the CAS guidance on how adverbs in questions signal what is being asked. Those three resources are free and directly aligned to the exam.

Two recurring patterns show up in the CAS examiners' reports: misreading what a question asks, and being unable to apply a concept under time pressure rather than merely recognizing it. The CAS publishes guidance on the importance of adverbs on exams for exactly this reason. Practice full-length timed attempts and review every error rather than rereading notes.

Yes. The CAS maintains an Exam Accommodations page and a set of Discount Programs, including a fee discount program and a fee waiver program for academics. Requests generally need lead time, so review those pages early rather than after the registration deadline has passed.