Exam 8 | Study Tips

Explore CAS Exam study tips and other information to help you stay prepared and confident for your exam

Study Tips | Exam 8

Effective study strategies are key to passing CAS Exam 8. Check out our exam specific study tips:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PASS EXAM 8

The journey to passing Exam 8 is one of commitment, dedication, and rigorous practice. It's not just about memorizing facts but understanding the underlying concepts, refining your time management skills, and adapting to the CBT format. The challenge may seem daunting, but with the right approach, resources, and mindset, success is within your grasp.

INTRODUCTION

Exam 8 consists of roughly 700 pages of material, not all of which appears on every exam. There are five larger readings (in approximate order of importance)

There are nine other readings which are smaller and cover a variety of topics.

Since the material within the larger readings builds up, we recommend you study them from the beginning to the end.

CONNECT IDEAS
FROM
MULTIPLE PAPERS
INCORPORATES INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS
TIME
MANAGEMENT
IS KEY
REQUIRES A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF MATERIAL
EXAM QUESTIONS
ARE LESS PREDICTABLE
EXAM QUESTIONS MORE DIFFICULT THAN CONTENT

HOW IS EXAM 8 DIFFERENT?

  • The material covered in Exam 8 may seem relatively easy for some, but the exam questions are difficult.
  • Exam 8 requires developing a deep understanding of the concepts and how the source readings relate to each other, as it is one of three exams that incorporate Integrative Questions (IQs). You will definitely need to do more in-depth studying than what was required for 5 & 6.
  • It requires connecting ideas from multiple papers.
  • The Exam 8 syllabus is constantly evolving so exam takers lack a stable bank of previous exam questions to practice from. No worries for you as BattleActs has created a large problem bank.
  • The Exam 8 syllabus is short and dense (approx. 700 pages) compared to earlier exams. A single sentence or paragraph could become a key question on one exam and then not be asked for several more.
  • Exam 8 has questions that come out of “left field” and questions are less predictable than other exams. You may need to apply concepts to a completely new scenario. The best way to prepare for these unexpected questions is to be aware they may happen, and to master the basics. If you don't have to pause to remember the basics then you've got more time to watch out for sneaky things or synthesize ideas between different sources and you won’t be thrown off on exam day!
  • The syllabus changes often across sittings which adds extra prep time if you are taking the exam again. Save valuable time by reading the Syllabus Changes article. This feature means you don't need to spend valuable study time hunting through articles trying to figure out what has changed.
  • The past exams released by the CAS aren't as helpful because the CAS has changed their emphasis over time. Older exams are easier in general and contain less GLM material.
  • Seems like time management is becoming more and more of a factor on exam day. You need to have a deep understanding of the material and have practiced and practiced the calculation problems to quickly answer questions on exam day.
  • There are typically two IQs on any exam. These account for about 20% - 25% of the total exam points so you should allow at least an hour for these questions.
  • IQs usually have a lot of sub-parts which may depend on each other. It's okay to say you made up a (plausible) answer to an earlier part if it means you can make progress on another part. With CBT, it's even easier to update your work if you later solve an earlier part!

STUDYING FOR EXAM 8

Take a little extra time upfront to get organized and you will save yourself a lot of time in the end.

BattleActs is tailored to help you structure your studies efficiently, ensures deep understanding of content, keeps you motivated and engaged, and provides the best approach to mastering calculation problems.

Don't just study. Study to pass! Get started now: More Info