The Admissions Department is currently recruiting for volunteer positions for Exams taking place in the fall 2023. Exams will be administered in late October-early November, and sittings will include:
- Exams MAS-I and MAS-II (Modern Actuarial Statistics I and II)
- Exam 5 (Ratemaking and Estimated Claim Liabilities)
- Exams 6C, 6I, and 6U (Regulation and Financial Reporting)
- Exam 8 (Advanced Ratemaking)
There are a variety of roles in which an Exams and Admissions Volunteer can participate. Volunteers are members of the CAS and are expected to have a strong understanding of all covered topics of the exam for which they are volunteering. Associates are only allowed to serve on Associateship-level examinations.[*]
Some of the roles we are seeking to fill include the following:
Writer. A Writer for any exam is an FCAS.* Writing takes place over the course of approximately three months, ending in a writing summit that meets either virtually or in-person, 6-8 weeks prior to an exam sitting. Writers are responsible for creating the actual content of the exam using source materials, questions from previous exams and other methods.
Grader. A Grader for any exam is an FCAS.* Grading starts almost immediately following the administration of exams, with the majority of grading taking place at an in-person or virtual grading summit, 2-3 weeks following the closing of exams. There will be some additional grading post-summit.
Pre-Tester. The Pre-Tester may be a top performer from a recent exam sitting or other qualified volunteer and has passed the exam for which they are volunteering within the past five years. A Pre-Tester needs to have a strong familiarity with the material covered by the exam and review the learning objectives to ensure familiarity with current examination expectations. Pre-Testers provide valuable feedback on the length and comprehensiveness of the exam and will take part in a one-day panel meeting (in-person or virtual) prior to the exam administration.
Pass-Mark Panelist. A Pass-Mark Panelist is an ACAS or FCAS who has not taken a CAS exam within the last three years. Panel members may not currently be sitting for CAS exams. Generally speaking, the Pass-Mark Panelist will be someone with close proximity to the exam and someone who has recently been involved in the grading session.
The time commitment for Writers and Graders is about 10-20 hours in the weeks leading up to a Writing or Grading Summit, plus the summit itself, which is two-three days. Pre-testers and Pass-Mark Panelists can also expect 10-20 hours of volunteer time, with a one-day panel that could meet virtually or in-person. Travel to summits and panels is reimbursed by the CAS. Ideally, volunteers would be willing to participate in both fall and spring Exams (and keep volunteering the following year if interested!) but can sign up for just the fall if necessary.
If you fit the parameters for any of the positions listed and are interested in becoming an Exams Volunteer, please email admissions-volunteer@casact.org and be sure to check out the Exam Writing and Grading FAQs for more info!
[*] Associates are welcome to serve on an exam for which they have credit if they have not taken an exam for the last two years and do not plan to take an exam for three years after serving on the Exam Committee.
