How to Become an Actuary

Video Transcript

"I found out about actuarial science and the possibility of becoming a actuary when I was in college. I was at the University of Michigan and I was looking for a summer job and a company from Chicago came to the college to interview people to hire as summer students. That was my first exposure to actuarial work. I took the job and enjoyed the work and found how the exams worked and thought about whether I would like to be an actuary. I was already majoring in mathematics and knew I didn't want to be a teacher. I thought I might go into programming that was certainly an option for me, but I liked the company that I worked for, I worked there for two summers they offered me a job when I graduated from college and I took it. So that was a pretty easy entry into the field. Once you are an actuarial student, generally life insurance companies will help you, also consulting firms, will help you attain your fellowship by giving you study time and encouraging you to pass exams by giving you incentive raises if you do progress through the examinations. If you pass the examinations you don't really even need an education to become an actuary. I've known people that have gotten their fellowships without ever having graduated from college. Now that's not to common these days, but you are able to learn what you need to know to become and actuary by studying the material that is provided by the Society of Actuaries"