Get essential information, tips, and strategies to help you on your Exam P journey in our guide below.
Computer-Based, Multiple-Choice Test
Exam Duration
Next Available Sitting
Registration Deadline (Register by Midnight US Central Time)
None. P is an ideal first exam for aspiring actuaries, along with FM. You should be familiar with calculus, however. Students who struggle with double integrations will find Exam P to be extra challenging.
P is offered 6 times per year in the odd months (January, March, etc.).
Learn more about how to register for official SOA exams on their website.
Questions related to these concepts will appear the most on the exam.
“If you love math, start with Exam P. If you love finance, start with FM.”
“Understand the concepts as much as possible rather than memorizing them. Work on more practice problems to learn the method to tackle different types of questions."
"Stay calm during the exam, even if you see questions you don't know. Remember, you don't need to get every question right to pass. Just try to get those you know right, because every question is weighted equally."
"P is uniquely challenging because there are usually many different ways to solve a single problem. Students become more prone to making mistakes due to this. Thus, it's best to stick to one strategy, but you'll need to determine what that will be."
After you complete your exam, you will receive a preliminary Pass-Fail result. This is not your official final result.
After approximately 8 to 11 weeks, the SOA will release the list of passing candidates' ID numbers. A few days after this list has been published, you will be able to see your final score in your official SOA transcript when you log into the SOA website.
Exam STAM) resumes where Exam P ends. However, STAM is significantly more difficult than Exam P. You will not only need to understand the material, but prepare yourself for a more challenging exam experience.
If P was the first exam you’ve taken, you might also consider Exam FM, the other introductory exam.