erichw0713

Hey can anyone suggest some good schools that are pretty good in actuarial majoring? I have already applied all my schools but still decided which one to choose.

penny1988

I want to go into actuarial science as well.

The only way you can get into a career as an actuary, however, is to pass the required tests from either the Society of Actuaries(SOA) or the Casualty Actuarial Society(CAS)

Alot of companies don't care too much about your degree, or where it came from(if so, that's REALLY rare) but they care about how many tests you've passed.

Sinse the SOA has 9 of them, for instance, after you pass the first two you usually can get hired as an intern. From there, often times the company who hires you will pay for your tests, study materials, and will even pay you to study. For every test you pass, often there is a raise involved.

So if you've applied to alot of schools in the hopes of pursueing this career(I'm a assuming you're on the east coast where it is actually offered as a major in schools) then you want to find a program that has alot of study and prep courses geared towards the tests you have to take. Find out if you can take the tests at the school or not, ask them if they teach you exactly what is on the tests and how to pass them. Believe it or not, some schools do not. Those sch ools will only give you alot of math classes to take(Like they do over here on the west coast)

ActuarialDJ

I applied to WashU, UCF, Penn, and Duke

WashU--I know some successful actuaries out of WashU

UCF--has the major and a very advanced program

Penn--Wharton offers an actuarial science concentration and now there is an
ActSci minor

Duke--new stats department/major

Illinois is top-notch

but really, you can come from anywhere
the support is what will make it is easier or not
and check about VEE credit info

lville

The best schools for the actuarial science major are not necessarily the highest rated schools overall and most schools offering it as a major tend to be in the midwest. Many are also east coast too. Advancement in the career is more oriented towards exams passed rather than the actual major. However, many schools that offer the major do well when it comes to getting their students internships while still in school. The schools below are some of the more notable ones strictly for the quality of the major, internship opportunities, exams passed while in school, and job placement.

Illinois State
Purdue
Drake
UIUC
Iowa
UW-Madison
Georgia State
UConn

In regards to Duke, Penn, and WashU. They are all great schools. There is no doubt about that. However, I can't see someone getting into Penn-Wharton only to focus on actuarial science. If you know you want to be an actuary, it would be wise to go to a cheaper school and save the money. I don't think Duke or WashU even have actuary programs. In this case, going to a state school and majoring in statistics would put you at about the same place for much less money.

Personally, I received a scholarship from Drake that brought the cost down to the same as a state school. I plan to attend because they have one of the best programs in the nation. Also, it is located in Des Moines, which is a great place to get internships since the city is a major insurance center.

lydia_paramita

i SO AGREE with lville!
i'm applying to transfer to drake (act. sci Fall 08) too..
02/07/08 i checked in their web that my app.&docs hv completed.
now, i'm still anxiously waiting for the decision..
i'm interested in illinois state too,,but i dont think they have scholarship for international student,,do they?

my friend in Purdue (act. sci) said Illinois State has Dr. Kryz who has name in act. sci education,, i dont know..

i'll wait until late March,,if I havent got any news from Drake, I'll definitely apply Illinois State..

Jolynne Smyth

Lebanon Valley College is a small school in PA (beautiful campus, small classes, nice people) that has a lot of actuarial science majors. I know a number of guys who went there & are now v. successful actuaries.

YOU

outside the US, you can look at LSE..

Oh yea.. Do actuaries make a lot?

oldfort

No. Not for amount of work and studying. But if you don't pass all the tests, you can always go to IB because it's easier and pays more. Speaking from experience of 20+ years ago.

lville

Actuary Salary Survey - actuary jobs - D.W. Simpson & Company, Inc. , actuarial, actuaries, Employment, Salaries, Insurance, Statistics, Mathematics, FCAS, ACAS, ASA, FSA, Student, FCIA, FIA

This link gives you a pretty good idea of the salaries.

Repster411

Maryville University in St. Louis has an actuarial science program.

kmzizzle

so if your school does not have a act sci major, what would you major in
Be An Actuary - Preparing for an Actuarial Career While in College
hmm

clam_chowder

anyone know about actuarial science in uni of nebraska- lincoln?
is it new?
im thinking to apply-transfer there..
havent heard anything from drake.. :s

lville

I don't know how long the Nebraska-Lincoln program has been around, but it is a very good program either way. It's just that few people actually would want to go to Nebraska unless they are from Nebraska so they get instate tuition.

However, I think Drake probably has the best program in the country for actuarial science.

clam_chowder

just got rejected to purdue..
i even cant cry when i read the letter, just stun and shock!!
cant believe..

hey, iville,
ive check in drake's web,,
they said they decided, but i still hv to wait the letter to know whether i got it or not. did you got that kind of status too? when will the letter come? i checked it a week ago, since then,,i cant check it anymore.

..drake is literally my last choice..

lville

If you really can't wait, I would call there admission office.

I got an e-mail from drake last October that allowed me a fast track application with no essay and they guaranteed a decision within two weeks, so I don't know what to tell you about the regular decision. Good luck.