Written by Uchal Koirala

Exam PA is different

Having recently passed Exam SRM, I was excited to take on Exam PA. With the large overlap in materials between the two exams, I expected my pass to be handed to me on a silver platter. Yet reality struck quickly: I was kicked out of my multiple-choice comfort zone and thrust into the world of open-response questions. After many weeks of studying—and five weeks of waiting for results—I can finally claim to have passed Exam PA.

If I could consult my past self, these are the must-know tips I believe every Exam PA taker should have.

Reading The Manual VS READING THE MANUAL

Although P and FM contain some complex concepts, your time there is better spent grinding practice problems than trying to absorb every small detail of the manual. With SRM, there’s a heavier focus on conceptual understanding, but the multiple-choice format and relatively low passing score allow you to succeed with a broad understanding of the material.

Exam PA, on the other hand, is a different beast. The written-response format requires a much deeper comprehension. Practice problems help sharpen your math skills, but since those aren't the primary focus of PA, you need to digest the material in the manual thoroughly. That’s why active reading is essential.

Before diving into the manual, make sure you're in a distraction-free environment. Try studying in an office room at home you only use for that purpose, or visit a local library. This psychological trick helps your brain associate the space with focus and learning. Music can also play a huge role. Choose calm, lyric-free music like classical or video game soundtracks to set the tone. Active reading requires a lot of mental energy, and a soothing background helps.

Back in school, teachers might have scolded you for doodling, but sketching can be a key part of active reading. It’s one thing to rephrase a definition in your own words, but being able to draw a visual representation of a concept strengthens your understanding and helps prevent blanking out on exam day.

Flashcards: Small Cards, Big Impact

You might be surprised that flashcards were a major part of my success in passing this exam. With so much overlap from SRM, why would you need flashcards?

As mentioned earlier, SRM’s multiple-choice format allows for a surface-level understanding, but PA’s open-response format demands much more depth. Flashcards help you identify weak spots in your knowledge so you can revisit those sections in the manual and reinforce your understanding.

Flashcards also boost your recall speed. It’s honestly a crime that the SOA only gives you 3.5 hours to take Exam PA. You don’t want to waste time trying to remember a definition, so spend a bit of time each study day working with flashcards, and you’ll be able to recall concepts quickly and confidently.

Past Exam Commentary: Learn from Mistakes—Without Making Them

Unlike P, FM, SRM, or FAM, PA is not multiple choice. In those exams, you can often use deductive reasoning to increase your odds of getting a question right. But in PA, if you're stuck, there's no guessing game; you either know it or you don't.

I used the ACTEX manual, and that contained Ambrose Lo’s past exam commentaries. His breakdowns of previous exams include detailed scoring explanations and even tips for what to do if you're completely stuck. Thanks to his guidance, I never felt writer’s block during the exam.

Mock Exam: Real Exam Practice. Real Expert Feedback

As a math major, I couldn’t remember the last time I took a written exam like PA. It felt like a strange mix of an open-response history test with the precision of a science exam. I probably would’ve had cold feet if it weren’t for the ACTEX Mock Exam, which gave me the confidence to walk into the testing center with my head held high.

The best part about the mock exam is that it includes personalized feedback from the author. He pinpointed my biggest weaknesses, allowing me to focus my final study hours where they were most needed. Without that feedback, I would’ve wasted time reviewing material I already understood.

Preparing for Exam Day: Don’t Trip at the End of the Race

It doesn’t matter how much you’ve studied if you fall apart on exam day. I recommend not studying the day before the exam. You’ll likely stress more than you’ll learn, ruining your sleep and wasting valuable rest time.

It also never hurts to double-check that you have everything you need before heading to the testing center. When I took Exam PA, I had to rush back home to grab my driver’s license. Luckily, I live close by, and I arrived early enough (another great piece of advice: get there early), but the extra tension was not appreciated and could have easily been avoided with a simple checklist.

Even with that hiccup, I passed, and hopefully, this blog helps you avoid that kind of stress and pass as well.