SOA Exam SRM Study Plan & Practice System
Exam SRM covers statistical learning and predictive modeling fundamentals. Heavy on GLMs and tree-based methods. Typically 100–150 hours of prep. Upload your study notes and PDF handouts and exclam.ai builds adaptive flashcards, quizzes, and a weekly plan tuned to the SRM syllabus.
Exam format
3.5-hour computer-based test. Multiple-choice questions covering statistical learning concepts. No computer programming is required on SRM; Exam PA supplies R code and output to interpret.
No coding on SRM — multiple-choice only. Exam PA supplies R output to interpret; neither exam has you write code.
GLMs and decision tree-based methods dominate the content (together 60-75%).
Typically one of the higher pass rates among preliminary exams.
Often taken alongside or immediately before Exam PA.
Format details change periodically. Always verify the current exam structure on soa.org before your exam.
Exam SRM topic areas
The 5 topic areas tested on Exam SRM, with approximate weight bands from the public SOA syllabus. Click any topic for a dedicated study page.
Basics of Statistical Learning
7–13%Supervised and unsupervised learning, model assessment, bias-variance tradeoff, and resampling methods including cross-validation.
Linear Models
40–50%Ordinary least squares regression, generalized linear models, variable selection, and regularization techniques.
Decision Trees
20–25%Classification and regression trees, pruning, and ensemble methods including bagging, random forests, and boosting.
Principal Components and Cluster Analysis
5–10%Dimension reduction via principal components analysis and unsupervised clustering via k-means and hierarchical clustering.
Time Series Models
5–10%Introduction to time series analysis including autoregressive, moving average, and ARIMA models.
Topic names and approximate weight bands sourced from the public SOA Exam SRM syllabus on soa.org.
How exclam.ai helps with Exam SRM
Upload your study manual
Drop in your ACTEX Exam SRM digital edition (full-corpus PDF), scanned ASM pages, TIA handouts, or your own notes. exclam.ai parses them into structured content for a fully guided study plan.
Generate flashcards & quizzes
AI generates flashcards for formulas and concepts, plus multiple-choice quizzes targeting each of the 5 topic areas. Edit any card.
Get a weekly adaptive plan
Coverage phase, review phase, and mocks — distributed across your ~12-week timeline or whatever you choose.
Exam SRM study plan
Pick the timeline that matches your exam date. exclam.ai spreads roughly 125 hours across coverage, review, and mock phases — each reading paired with its own quiz and FSRS flashcards. Switch the plan length to rebalance the schedule instantly.
Approximate milestones
14 weeks- Basics of Statistical Learning~wk 2
- Linear Models~wk 4
- Decision Trees~wk 6
- Principal Components and Cluster Analysis~wk 7
- Time Series Models~wk 8
Your full plan · 14 weeks to exam day
14 weeks · ~9h/weekOctober 2026
- Wk 1Oct 12 – Oct 18Basics of Statistical LearningCoverageReadQuizFlashcards7–13%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 2Oct 19 – Oct 25Basics of Statistical LearningCoverageReadQuizFlashcards7–13%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 3Oct 26 – Nov 1Linear ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards40–50%4 study · 3 buffer
November 2026
- Wk 4Nov 2 – Nov 8Linear ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards40–50%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 5Nov 9 – Nov 15Decision TreesCoverageReadQuizFlashcards20–25%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 6Nov 16 – Nov 22Decision TreesCoverageReadQuizFlashcards20–25%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 7Nov 23 – Nov 29Principal Components and Cluster AnalysisCoverageReadQuizFlashcards5–10%4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 8Nov 30 – Dec 6Time Series ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards5–10%4 study · 3 buffer
December 2026
- Wk 9Dec 7 – Dec 13ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 10Dec 14 – Dec 20ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 11Dec 21 – Dec 27ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 12Dec 28 – Jan 3MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
January 2027
- Wk 13Jan 4 – Jan 10MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
- Wk 14Jan 11 – Jan 17MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
Your Exam SRM plan
A visual preview of how exclam.ai turns your plan into daily reading, flashcard, quiz, review, and mock streaks across the timeline you pick.
Sample activity — your own streaks, study time, and module milestones appear here once you upload.
Sign in to unlock your full 14 weeks plan
Every module dated to your exam, with quizzes and FSRS flashcards generated from your own materials.
Unlock my full plan freeWeek-by-week module breakdown
Your Exam SRM plan walks the syllabus module-by-module before transitioning into review and mock phases. Module weeks are allocated proportional to SOA topic weights — heavier-weighted modules get more time, lighter ones either get a single week or pair with adjacent topics on intensive paces. Change the plan length above to see the schedule rebalance.
Supervised and unsupervised learning, model assessment, bias-variance tradeoff, and resampling methods including cross-validation. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.
Ordinary least squares regression, generalized linear models, variable selection, and regularization techniques. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.
Classification and regression trees, pruning, and ensemble methods including bagging, random forests, and boosting. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.
Dimension reduction via principal components analysis and unsupervised clustering via k-means and hierarchical clustering. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.
Introduction to time series analysis including autoregressive, moving average, and ARIMA models. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.
Review
Weak-topic drilling. exclam.ai surfaces topics where you underperformed during coverage and re-quizzes them. Daily FSRS flashcard reps across all 5 topics to prevent decay. Start doing timed question batches focused on the heaviest-weight sections.
Mocks
Full-length Exam SRM practice exams under timed conditions. Target one mock every 3–5 days. Same-day error review: for every question you miss, re-derive the solution from scratch. Taper in the final 3 days — light flashcards only.
Popular Exam SRM study manuals
exclam.ai works alongside any of these vendors. Upload paths vary, ACTEX sells full digital editions as downloadable PDFs (cleanest upload), ASM print manuals can be scanned for the full corpus, and The Infinite Actuary provides downloadable PDF handouts alongside their videos. For ASM digital (app-locked) and Coaching Actuaries (online platform), upload your own notes taken while studying. We do not distribute or reproduce any vendor content, your manual stays with the publisher.
Exam SRM questions
Should I take SRM before PA?
Yes. SRM covers the conceptual foundations that PA applies to a business problem using supplied R output. Taking SRM first makes PA significantly easier.
Do I need to know R for Exam SRM?
No. SRM is entirely multiple-choice and tests your understanding of statistical learning concepts. Exam PA supplies R code and output for you to interpret, so reading R output is the skill it needs.
Is Introduction to Statistical Learning enough for SRM?
It is the most recommended free resource and covers most of the SRM content. Most candidates supplement it with a dedicated study manual and a question bank.
Start your Exam SRM plan today
Upload your ACTEX digital edition, scanned ASM pages, TIA handouts, or your own notes, exclam.ai builds a fully guided study plan around your exam date.