If you’re studying for Exam P soon, it’s highly recommended you invest in some high-quality study materials. In this post, I’ll be comparing the most popular options (after helping hundreds of Exam P candidates) and I’ll help you decide which materials are best for you.
The most popular study guides for Exam P are ASM, ACTEX, TIA, and Coaching Actuaries. Any of these resources will teach you all the math concepts you need for the exam and give you tons of practice problems and exams to help you prepare.
You’d be well off purchasing any of these options, but first let’s talk about why you’ll need these materials.
Why purchase Exam P study materials?
The Exam P syllabus (which can be found here) lists many different math concepts that you need to know. These range from things like general probability, univariate distributions and multivariate distributions.
The syllabus mentions some recommended textbooks to read, but the problem is that they’re not specifically designed to help you pass Exam P. They’re just regular text books like you might have been assigned to read in your college or university courses.
Fortunately, many actuarial-minded people have set out to help you prepare for your exam as efficiently as possible. So, they’ve condensed all those recommended textbook readings into a more manageable package that relates everything specifically to Exam P.
These study materials will not only teach you the concepts that you need to know, but they’ll also give you specific examples about how the topics could be tested on the exam. Better yet, they come with tons of sample Exam P practice problems and exams that you can use to prepare. That’s something you won’t get by just reading through the recommended textbooks.
Study Material Comparison
Now that you know why study materials are important, I’ll compare and contrast the differences between the most popular options. Hopefully this will give you some insight into which options are best for you.
I’ve broke the comparison down into study manuals and online seminars. Study manuals are best for people that prefer to read, whereas an online seminar would be best for anyone that prefers to watch video lessons.
| Provider | Video Lessons? | Features | Investment | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Strategy Boost | N/A | A good addition to the study materials you choose. Provides 1-on-1 exam support during your last 7 weeks of study for Exam P. | Coming Soon! | No |
| Actuary Accelerator Community | N/A | A good addition to the study material you choose. Includes group tutoring, math support forums, plus tons of other resources to help you become a top actuarial candidate and get your first job. | $99/month (includes group tutoring and all other actuarial job resources) | Use coupon code EXAMP here to get your first month for free. Cancel anytime. |
| ACTEX | No | Includes all the typical features of study materials (reading manual, practice problems & exams) | $139-189 | 1-Day Free Trial of some chapters |
| ASM | No | Includes all the typical features of study materials (reading manual, practice problems & exams) | $139-189 | 1-Day Free Trial of some chapters |
| Coaching Actuaries | No/Yes (depending on bundle) | Includes all the typical features of study materials (reading manual, video lessons, practice problems & exams) | $318-578 (student discount avail) | No |
| TIA | Yes | Includes all the typical features of study materials (reading manual, video lessons, practice problems & exams) | $495 (student discount avail) | Yes (See 3-4 videos) |
Study Manuals: ASM and ACTEX
ASM and ACTEX are both very similar, which is why I’ve included them both together in the same section.
Both of these manuals are great for Exam P, but ACTEX is the more popular one. I like that ACTEX includes a calculus and algebra review at the beginning (but this is available for free in this sample). The choice between the two really just comes down to the style of writing that you prefer.
They both have many great features. In particular, I love that they include GOAL. GOAL is an online program with over 1200 practice problems for Exam P. You can use it to take practice exams in simulated exam conditions, or to quiz yourself on topics that you’re having difficulty with.
In addition to that, they both have Pass Guarantee clauses which allow you to get an extension on everything in the package if you fail your exam. This only applies in certain situations, so make sure to read the Pass Guarantee details before purchasing.
Lastly, I like that both of these manuals can be purchased electronically or a physical copy can be purchased. Personally, I prefer to have a physical copy so that I can write in it (or sell it after my exam is done). But the electronic version is nice for anyone that lives outside the U.S. and doesn’t want to pay the high shipping costs.
Study Manual: Coaching Actuaries [ADAPT + Manual]
Another very good study manual option for Exam P is the Coaching Actuaries [ADAPT + Manual] option. ADAPT is similar to GOAL, which is included with the ASM and ACTEX study manuals. It gives you hundreds of practice problems, but unlike GOAL, they’re rated by difficulty level so you can gradually work on harder and harder problems as you improve.
The study manual included in this bundle is very well designed and helpful, but unfortunately they don’t have a sample available on their website.
The Coaching Actuaries Exam P manual is only available electronically, but the benefit of this is that you’ll always have the most up-to-date version. Also, in my opinion, the ADAPT technology is a bit more advanced than GOAL that is included with ASM and ACTEX.
Which study manual to choose
Any of these three of these options (ASM, ACTEX, Coaching Actuaries [ADAPT + Manual]) will be enough to fully prepare for your exam if you used them properly. But, going with ASM or ACTEX is the more affordable option.
Is it OK to use an old version of a study manual?
Generally I recommend purchasing your study manual new. The new versions are the most up-to-date with any syllabus changes and they’ll include any extra software like GOAL and/or ADAPT.
Using an old version of the ACTEX or ASM manual is OK if you’re on a tight budget. It should be newer than 2022 though, otherwise it’s getting too outdated (note that major syllabus changes occurred in 2022).
Since Coaching Actuaries [Manual + ADAPT] is only available electronically, you’ll always have the most up-to-date version if you purchase it.
Online Seminars: TIA and Coaching Actuaries
Online seminars offer something that study manuals don’t: Video lessons!
If you prefer to learn by watching videos and having an instructor explain things to you through a slide-show type presentation, then an online seminar may be better for you. The most popular online seminars for Exam P are TIA (The Infinite Actuary) and the Coaching Actuaries [Learn + ADAPT] package.
Online seminars tend to be more expensive than the ASM and ACTEX study manuals that I talked about earlier, especially if you’re not a student.
TIA Online Seminar for Exam P
To decide if this is a good option for you, you should first check out some of the sample videos to make sure that you like the teacher’s presentation style. You can find sample videos from the TIA seminar on their website.
I’ve heard lots of good things the TIA seminar, including:
1. The videos are very well done.
2. Instructors are able to answer your questions about the videos in the online forums.
3. Videos can be downloaded to your phone or tablet (only a certain # at a time) so that you can watch even when you don’t have internet access.
I also like the fact that TIA offers a Pass Guarantee (free 6 month extension of their online seminar) if you don’t pass the first time. That’ll save you some money in the unfortunate situation that it happens. Of course, you should read the conditions on their website for when this Pass Guarantee will apply.
Another great feature about the TIA seminar is that they assume no prior knowledge of the exam syllabus. So if you’re rusty on your calculus and algebra skills, or if you’ve never seen some of the concepts before, TIA should do a good job of teaching you everything you need to know right from the basics.
Coaching Actuaries [ADAPT + Learn] Bundle
Similar to TIA, you’ll also want to watch a video sample from Coaching Actuaries to make sure that you like the teaching style. You can watch a sample video here.
The [ADAPT + Learn] Bundle includes video lessons, ADAPT and an online study manual. ADAPT is similar to GOAL, which is included with the ASM and ACTEX study manuals. It gives you hundreds of practice problems, rated by difficulty level, so that you can gradually work on harder and harder problems as you improve.
Just like TIA, I’ve heard great things about the Coaching Actuaries seminar:
1. The videos are very well done.
2. Instructors are able to answer your questions about the videos in the online forums.
3. Most practice questions have video solutions.
Like TIA, ASM and ACTEX, Coaching Actuaries also has a Pass Guarantee (on longer subscription lengths) so that you can get a free extension if you fail. Before purchasing, you should read the conditions in which this Pass Guarantee will apply though.
Which online seminar to choose
Deciding between these 3 online seminar options is a tough choice!
If you’re looking for resources beyond just study materials, like group tutoring and tons of support in how to get an actuarial job, then the Actuary Accelerator Community is a good add-on to the study materials you choose.
For online seminar study materials, TIA or Coaching Actuaries is the way to go.
If you don’t have any prior calculus and algebra background (or if it has been a while since you studied it) then I recommend going with the TIA online seminar. They’re video lessons assume no prior knowledge of these concepts.
If you don’t need the calculus and algebra review, I recommend going with the Coaching Actuaries [ADAPT + Learn] option because of the ADAPT program that you’ll have access to is more advanced than the technology that TIA has for practice problems and exams. Also, if you’re not a student, this option is cheaper too.
Additional Exam Support
The Study Strategy Boost for Exam P
The Study Strategy Boost is an intensive exam support program that gives you 1-on-1 guidance during the most impactful part of your study session: The last 7 weeks. It’s commonly paired with study material to help you feel confident and reduce stress going into your exam.
For Exam P, you get:
- A WhatsApp group just for members taking Exam P
- A forum for math support
- Study strategy implementation support
- Bi-Weekly group study sessions overseen by our math tutor
The Study Strategy Boost is also available for Exam FM.
This program is returning soon!
The Actuary Accelerator Community for Exam P
The Actuary Accelerator Community offers tons of advantages for Exam P takers! It’s commonly paired with study material for extra exam prep support.
For Exam P, you get:
- A WhatsApp group just for members taking Exam P
- A forum for math support
- Study strategy implementation support
- Bi-Weekly group study sessions overseen by our math tutor
In addition to all of the above, you also get access to other resources to help you get an actuarial job:
- Excel, VBA and Python coding courses and projects
- Resume and Coverletter courses
- Actuarial terminology videos (to improve your actuarial vocabulary)
- Interviewing and networking support
- A step-by-step plan to become a top actuarial candidate and get your first job
- Live Coffee Chat Sessions with AAC Mentor Keiana
- 18-month Success Guarantee
- Lots more!
You can get your first month for free by using coupon code EXAMP here.
Where to get your study materials
Be careful when you’re purchasing study materials. Amazon and E-Bay are not reliable sources.
Here are my recommendations on where to purchase your Exam P study materials:
Actuary Accelerator Community: Once you join, you will gain access to everything else you need to get an actuarial job, including group tutoring and support for Exam P. It’s a popular addition to the study materials below. You can use coupon code EXAMP here to get your first month for free (cancel anytime).
ASM: Purchase on the ACTEX Mad River website.
ACTEX: Purchase on the ACTEX Mad River website.
TIA: You should purchase directly on their website.
Coaching Actuaries: Purchase on their website.