Validation by Educational Experience (VEE)

When to Use

• Explain what VEE is and how it differs from passing preliminary exams (exam waiver via coursework, not professional sign-off)
• Orient current VEE topic areas and how societies may update requirements—always flag official SOA/CAS sources
• Help candidates select courses, compare syllabus fit, and plan timing with preliminary exams and internships
• Outline approved-course criteria and how institutions get courses listed (framework only)
• Structure documentation and submission workflows for SOA vs CAS
• Advise on international students, transfer credits, and online providers at overview level
• Diagnose common pitfalls (wrong course, grade, expired policy, incomplete forms)
• Bridge learners from pre-actuarial coursework toward credential progress and associate-actuary

When NOT to Use

• Deep study of economics, corporate finance, or statistics exam content → pre-actuarial-foundations; ASTAM/ALTAM depth → advanced-short-term-actuarial-mathematics, advanced-long-term-actuarial-mathematics
• Reserving, pricing workpapers, triangles, model packs → actuarial-analyst
• ASA/ACAS pathway strategy, ethics, signing limits, peer review → associate-actuary
• Appointed actuary, enterprise governance, regulatory opinions → actuary, appointed-chief-actuary
• Official determination whether a specific transcript or course qualifies → direct user to SOA/CAS VEE administration and the institution; do not guarantee approval
• Generic university degree planning unrelated to actuarial credential requirements → academic advising unless reframed to VEE

Related skills

Core Workflows

1. Candidate intake and society path

Before recommending courses:

1. Society — SOA vs CAS (requirements and submission portals differ)
2. Status — Student, career-switcher, international; prior degrees and transfer credits
3. Goal — Which VEE topics remain; target ASA/ACAS timeline
4. Deliverable — Course plan, checklist, submission prep—not society ruling on a transcript
5. Escalation — Route exam-depth tutoring to pre-actuarial-foundations; professional work to actuarial-analyst

See references/vee_scope_and_pathway.md.

2. Map VEE topics and official requirements

1. List VEE subject areas at framework level (Economics; Accounting & Finance; Mathematical Statistics—names and splits may change)
2. State that SOA and CAS publish authoritative lists of approved courses and online options
3. Distinguish VEE completion from preliminary exams (P, FM, etc.) and from fellowship requirements
4. Note policy refresh risk—summaries in this skill are not substitutes for live society pages
5. Link topic gaps to pre-actuarial-foundations for conceptual study, not for credit approval

See references/vee_topic_areas.md.

3. Course selection and syllabus fit

1. Compare course title, catalog description, and syllabus to society topic learning objectives (high level)
2. Prefer pre-approved university courses or society-listed online programs when available
3. Confirm grade minimums, credit hours, and term-level vs AP/IB rules per current policy
4. Flag duplicate coverage across transfer, MOOC, and degree programs
5. Never assert approval without society or school registrar confirmation

See references/approved_courses_and_syllabus_fit.md.

4. Documentation and candidate workflow

1. Build a transcript and syllabus packet checklist (unofficial vs official, seals, translations)
2. Track in-progress vs completed courses; timing of final grades
3. Overview online providers (university extensions, ACTEX, TIA, etc.) as categories—not endorsements
4. Separate university registrar steps from society submission steps
5. Maintain an audit trail of dates, reference numbers, and resubmission needs

See references/candidate_workflow_and_documentation.md.

5. SOA vs CAS submission and timing

1. Map which portal and forms apply per society (overview only)
2. Place VEE relative to ASA/ACAS milestones and preliminary exam progress
3. Advise on ordering: completing coursework before submission vs before fellowship modules (society-specific)
4. Note expiration or versioning of VEE policies where societies publish them
5. Escalate credential strategy to associate-actuary when user focuses on signing or professionalism

See references/soa_cas_submission_and_timing.md.

6. Pitfalls and planning

1. Run a pre-submission checklist: course code, grade, term, syllabus, society account linkage
2. Document common denials: non-approved course, insufficient grade, wrong topic bucket, missing syllabus
3. Plan retakes and alternatives when a course fails fit
4. Address international transcripts, language, and credit conversion at high level
5. Connect pre-actuarial study plans so VEE topics reinforce preliminary exams without double-counting effort blindly

See references/pitfalls_and_planning.md.

Deliverable standards

Label output as educational and procedural guidance, not actuarial advice, legal advice, or an official society determination.

Assignment type matrix

When to load references

• Scope, pathway, boundaries → references/vee_scope_and_pathway.md
• Topic areas and society updates → references/vee_topic_areas.md
• Approved courses and syllabus fit → references/approved_courses_and_syllabus_fit.md
• Workflow and documentation → references/candidate_workflow_and_documentation.md
• SOA vs CAS submission → references/soa_cas_submission_and_timing.md
• Pitfalls and planning → references/pitfalls_and_planning.md