Spaced Repetition for Actuarial Exams: Why It Works

The Science of Forgetting

Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that we forget information in a predictable curve. Without review, you lose roughly 70% of new material within 48 hours. Spaced repetition fights this by scheduling reviews at increasing intervals: one day, three days, one week, two weeks, one month. Each review strengthens the memory and extends the interval before the next review is needed.

Applying It to Actuarial Exams

Create flashcards for formulas, definitions, and key concepts. Use software like Anki that automatically schedules reviews based on your recall accuracy. For actuarial exams, this works especially well for probability distributions, interest rate formulas, and life contingency notation. Combine spaced repetition with active problem solving: review the concept card, then work a related practice problem. This dual approach builds both recall and application skills, which is exactly what the exams test.