About to take the p exam (in six days effing shoot me). I've sacrificed time with my wife and baby son. My wife sacrifices more than I do really. She will stay with the baby all day long while I'm in my office studying, and I feel guilty all the time about it. I grew up really poor and worked in the blue collar world my whole life before deciding to go back to school and become an actuary. I just keep telling myself that soon my son will see his daddy coming home from work wearing a tie and that's what he'll grow up thinking a man does, not go put on a hard hat and sweat all day doing dangerous work in a refinery.
Hi Justin, I feel your pain man. I have a 3 yr old and 18 month old and my wife's job is more demanding than mine. Between both of us working full time, family life, attempting to have social life, and studying for these exams, this is the toughest thing I've done in my whole life. I've attempted Exam P 3 times with no success and kind of at a cross roads now, thinking if I should continue on my goal and passion of this experience or hang it up. Best of luck to you on your journey and follow your gut.
Hey Jack. Right on. I think you're the first person I've come across that had a situation similar to mine. I just failed exam p for the first time, but I really don't think it was by much. I was actually preparing fairly well before we had to evacuate for hurricane Harvey. I put the whole tribe in the van and drove to Dallas for a week. Hoping to get it next time. Man if I were you I wouldn't give up. I've heard of people having to take it 8 times before passing. Once you get an actuarial job, there should be some paid study time. Yeah trying to study this stuff (and finishing up a masters in finance) while in the haze of no sleep because of the baby has been the biggest challenge of my life without a doubt. I feel like the practice problems are almost impossible when I've had no sleep. The exam itself though really could have been harder I thought. I was surprised when it said I failed. I think it's doable. We just have to push through. Hey, with all of our free time on our hands, we should start a youtube channel for actuarial career changers.
Its crazy how life works and the randomness of thing. Especially with the hurricane and all and glad your family is ok. Must have been so stressful not only b/c you guys are in survival mode but you probably felt guilty about not being able to study and thats one of the last thing you should be doing in that situation. Yeah I got a 3, 5, and 4 in my prior attempts and feel so close. Got my earned level to a 4.9 on Adapt and need to just keep pushing to get that to a 7. You are right, its tough to find others going through this with family/small children. I get up at 4am to study for 2 hours, go to work all day, study about an hour on my lunch break, then come home, pickup kids and eat dinner. Relax for maybe 30 minutes, help put kids to bed and pass out at 9pm. I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Thanks for your words of encouragement. I had a Welsh Calc professor who told us their saying in the army was to "bash on no matter what." That was years ago and I will never forget that but sometimes just need to remind myself.
Her: Im anti social. Its a high paying job and low stress. Sounds like the perfect job! Also her: I couldn't go out with my friends because of the exams 😭
Congratulations to becoming an FCAS! I passed four exams, and so I had a taste of how hard they are. I learned that as you progress through the exams, the cream rises and the competition you need to beat to score in the top 50% gets very tough.
Great video! This was probably the most inspirational thing I've watched in a long time. Your first hand account of hardwork was may more motivational than all the motivational specific stuff on TH-cam. Mainly cause you achieved my specific goals. Thank you so much.
I've definitely sacrificed my waistline by stressing over the exams too... I can't help it! I get stressed out easily and have had to work on integrating good habits into my life instead of eating nonchalantly. Thanks for making this video!
Finally! Finally! As an actuary student I'm recommended a YT channel about actuarial context for the first time! Nice job Elle, hopefully you'll walk us through the journey as an actuary!
Recently they've been changing the exam, I took the new MFE the 2nd time 2 days ago, didn't feel I could pass it, they made it even harder. And after talking to the experienced actuaries, I feel like the actuarial society just wanna make it unnessasarily hard to reduce the supply, and if they make this profession hard, people will respect them. When I asked them(from different companies) if the exams really help them a lot in work, all of them told me "No", at the end of the day it's about business experience, some exam knowledges are helpful, but most are useless. What do you say?
I say that, that's the goal of studying--to be able to take on any hurtle, even if they won't ever happen. If you know how to react well to all the questions that they ask you, then you won't have any problem with the things that will actually happen to you.
Yeah, I recently got my bachelors degree in applied math, and just recently, ive been considering to be an actuary for reasons you said in the beginning of the video. Ive always been a good test taker, but this does sound like a big sacrifice. So, I think i am going to pursue this.
Thank you so much for making these vlogs, they give me hope! I'm a final year undergraduate Financial and Actuarial Mathematics in South Africa, its going... so far so good....I envy your confidence :)
I'm an actuarial student, I just had a very bad exam for which I studied so so hard and I swear that I love finding your youtube channel cause I finally feel that someone understands me!
I'm going to take exam P this June and I have put in a lot of time, effort, and money into making this actuary idea of mine a reality. All of it worth while. I taught myself all of the multivariable calculus required, mathematical statistics required, and probability theory required. The feeling of knowing it's possible to teach myself this stuff is the most rewarding thing of all. It's been a grind and a goal for the last 3 years, but it's finally going to happen. Cheers. I am very happy for your success and glad you made it work so well for yourself. Also glad to hear the ends justify the means.
Exactly....😂 My dad aslo said the exact same thing ... There is a whole lot of people who don't understand that journey towards being a professional Actuary is not like graduation. You can't complete it within 3 years while studying only 2 weeks before exams. Thank you for your video. It really helps to know that I am not the only one stressed out.. 😇
I love watching your videos they I'm inspire me to keep going. I don't mind making these test my life (not that there was much of one in the first place) if it means getting a career that matches my personality type. great video thank you.
In India, there is a exam called IIT JEE. Usually around half million people take it and 10,000 gets in. This exam requires 2 years of hardcore preparation (7-8 hours a day). Nothing less than 2 years will do it.
IIT JEE is a whole monster of it's own (2 years of constt study for admission + 4 years of intense competition at college) but actuarial exams are just as hard if not more, because you have to do graduation while giving exams and then keep giving exams for years on end.
I’m studying for FM and just had the worst time ever with annuities. Going to try again tomorrow but it definitely has me down. Watching your video made me feel like I’m not alone. Thanks for your videos!:)
Your videos have actually been super helpful! I'm in my first semester of college and am quite struck in terms of degree paths. I know I'm getting an associates of science here and transferring to a 4 year university. I'm not amazing at math but I like the simplicity having a "right" or "wrong" answer. There isn't much of a "gray" area.. also I'm a realist and a person of logic that treats others how they treat me. So perhaps that cancels out a career involving face to face contact with a consumer of sorts. And I'm not worried about accruing much debt because my tuition is funded by the GI Bill. But hey thanks for the insightful videos!
Actuarial math is unlike the math you do at school, in that there is no "right" or "wrong" answer. If you give the same data to 10 different actuaries, you're going to get 10 different results.
Firstly, you are soooooo weirdly cool. And I dont know how and why i stumbled upon your page but its making my day so much better ! Biggest sacrifice for me is family time though. I hate the fact that I dont get to spend as much time with them PLUS they hate me for it, behidn the curtains though. Awesome vid. Awesome page. Keep it up!
I’ve sacrificed many animals on my journey and I’ve even considered sacrificing people but unfortunately that isn’t in line with the generally accepted rules of the actuary.
I'm a 3rd year undergrad student with 2 exams finished. I passed both of them on my first try but I still found them pretty difficult. It got a bit depressing at some points and I'm not sure if I want to commit the majority of my "young and beautiful" 20s to pursue the rest of the exams and modules. Does it get a lot worse from this point on? Because if it does I might consider an alternative route aha.
i hope you believe it was worth it, you seemed to have mellowed out significantly from your prior exuberant self. hope you're happy, good luck! as just passed my last exam for ASA and looking at switching from software dev, i'm unsure if i'm making the right decision. who knows, who cares exams took all my friends already lol jk kinda..
It’s 3:30am and I am currently studying/ stressing for my first ever actuarial exam (FM) that I have in just a little over a week. Any last minute advice? 😬
I always spent the week before the exam doing as many practice problems as possible. Also, out your formula sheet under your pillow the night before the exam, to absorb the information by osmosis 😂 Good luck!!!
EllelleActuary I’m actually dead from this comment. If anything make sure your notes are written with the most concentrated ink so it becomes a henna 😂 so not only will it sink in through osmosis, it will also become your tribal actuary tattoo 💀
When you say that you spent 2-3 months for the first five exams, could you be more specific? What we're the time frames of your days and how many days a week? How many exams did you pass before your first job?
I took university courses in addition to independent study, shich makes it hard to quantify exactly how long i studied. I had passed 6 exams before starting full time
If you really want to become an actuary it's not too late. I'm a Fellow (guarantee I qualified before you were born) and I had been working as an actuary for several years before I met anyone with a degree in actuarial science. Most people (myself included) had degrees in STEM subjects (in many cases, graduate degrees) but not in actuarial science. As the vid says, you've got to pass those exams - I didn't start writing until after I'd finished grad school
How Actuarial Science is “high paid and less stress job” and you in the meanwhile can’t go out with your friends because of the exams? It’s really makes no sense. Looking for the answer..
Can you please suggest what should I major or minor in for my first year of uni to pursue actuarial career? Or anything else that you think would not be a bad choice to take it in? I would really appreciate your recommendations.
Hey I’m currently doing b tech in company science and I’m not interested in cse and want to become an actuary how to become ? When I checked in the net they said there are 2 societies known as IAI Indian society and IFOA Uk society become a member in any one of those societies and start writing the exams is it true? In some sites they say do msc in actuarial science
I'm 16, going into my first year of IB soon, and I'm thinking of studying to become an actuary. I love math and I believe I'm quiet good at it. What other skills are required to become an actuary?
I'm planning to be an actuary. I will study in a college in actuarial science next month. So what's your advice for me? I mean, I'm about to start. Please.
hii, I wondering whether four months full time studying is referring to the total studying time for all the last five exams or four months full-time studying for each of the five upper level exams.
I’m Andrews , I have been watching your videos for quite sometime now on TH-cam and I find it motivating. I am an actuarial Science student and I am finding difficult to find a list of firms I could apply to for internship. And hey , I’m wondering if you could give me those learning materials that is if you are no more using them. Thanks a lot for you are an inspiration to me personally 😘😘
They recommend 100 hours of studying per hour of exam (eg. 300 hours for a 3 hour exam) I didnt count my hours so I dont know if I hit that mark, but I would start studying 3-4 months before the exam
Hi, I've been planning to go for actuarial sciences since 2 years now and I've just finished my A-levels. I am someone who stresses a lot and watching this video, I'm kinda having second thoughts about this career choice. Plus, in my country, they employ only 20 actuaries per year. What do you advise me to do? Should I study Maths with finance? I'd really love to be an actuary though. Hope someone sees this comment and actually replies. Thanks.
If you've been planning to go into actuarial science for 2 years, then I'd say.. don't worry about what one girl in one video said. You know yourself better than anyone else, and if you think it's something you want to do.. do it.
Depends on a lot of things. If I had reading to do, I could do fewer hours in the day because I dont have great concentration. When i was doing practice problems i could study for more hours. I'd study more on the weekends than on weekdays, personally.
Thanks for the video, but I do have some questions.. not sure if you’ll even see this since I’m 2 years late lol. It is my junior year of high school. I’ve always been good with grades, 95+ average, and I grew up in a private school-until 9th grade-that pushed a lot of work on me (I yet have a day in high school that was more difficult than my private school lol). So I have dealt with harsh workload before. I am a huge fan of math, it’s like a game to me, and I have big interests in business/finance/investment; which is why I thought actuary sounds good for me. Nevertheless, do you think these testings would be a lot higher in demand, that it would over-stress me? Tests in particular I may not want to study as much as you seemed to. Also, more importantly, are these exams you are referring to college exams or something different? If different, what are the purposes of these exams? Are they required? Just to go further with a degree? I currently plan to go to college for 4 years in actuary and business economics interests.
I wouldnt be able to comment on your stress levels. That's very personal to you. The way you describe yourself sounds a lot like me, if that's any indication that you'll enjoy being an actuary. The actuarial exams are separate from university and are done through an actuarial society. In north America that would be either the society of actuaries (SOA) or the casualty actuarial society (CAS)
Btw what is ur major? I am accountant college student and my dream is to become a math student in best public institute in my country, but i failed so i randomly and my parents give me advice to study accountancy. After failing, i never stop searching information about math especially actuarial science. So after lot of information i got and after get knowledge in Accountancy, it is okay i can’t be a student in math department in best institute, but i still can be an actuary after i learn financial accounting and learn about IFRS and PSAK(indonesian’s accounting standard) and now i have a dream i want to be a master student in actuarial in that institute and become an actuary and become person who make policy about financial reporting for pension and insurance. Do you think i can make it happen? I wish i can
So I’m hearing that you studied a lot for all the tests. I never studied in high school or college, I just listened in class and took the tests. Now keep in mind, I am nowhere near a genius. I’m just smarter than the dumb people. Are you still going to take me that long and how many of them are there? I’ve taken and passed a certified reliability exam, which is based around statistics and probability.
Hi! I’m a high school junior who plans on pursuing an actuarial career and have some questions that I’d like to ask in a more conventional form of communication if that’s ok
Good morning, I would like to have some informations. I had my high school diploma last year and I want to be an Actuary. For this, I was oriented towards a Bachelor in Mathmatics. I would like to know if with this Bachelor I could directly pass the tests or I must then do a specialized school in actuarial science, or if there is a minor in actuarial science. And if I have to go to a specialized school, could you recommend some schools to me? Thanks you.
You're sweet to offer, but setting up a patreon is not something I plan to do in the near future. The best way to support my content is by sharing it with friends and watching the videos to the end. If I get 4000 hours of watch time then I am able to monetize my videos 😀
Why don't you be an actress instead? You are very good looking. Basically, studying is not the only issue but money to sustain yourself for the preparation is a serious issue that needs to overcome. You are very lucky that a company paid for your exams. These days they don't because they don't want to get ripped off by employees.
Hello, I am thinking whether I want to go CAS or SOA. They say lots of people went CAS and stop being a Fellow because too many exams they have to take. On the other hand, people say FSA is "easier", since you can achieve that title faster. What' your idea and thought on this? -A confused 4th year Actsci kid
It seems that you're motivated by fear, not any genuine desire to do either path. Maybe take a step back and try to figure out what you want from your career.
Hello, Thanks for replying. I don't hate actuarial science. In fact, I like loss modeling and coding. I also had one internship in life and one reserve project in P&C. I found life is more interesting, P&C just has too much to consider at a time, and in most cases (my feeling on this), my answer for the reserve is very judgemental since you can calculate reserve using different methods. A lot of times I can't come up any reason why one is significantly better than the others. This makes me feel really insure when presenting results to others. Do you have any feeling like this? If yes, how do you cope with it?
I have a terrible time of making decisions. Sometimes the best thing to do is to make a choice and stick with it. You're in a situation where you have to choose between two good options. You can never know if the other option would have been better, because you cannot do both simultaneously. From your reply, it sounds like you're leaning towards life. My boyfriend loves his job in life. I love P&C. Neither of us have tried each other's field. There's no wrong choice, and you can always change your mind. You're not committing forever
I'm a non-traditional student currently in my mid twenties attending college, I have thought about going the actuarial route because I enjoy mathematics and some of my friends have suggested this to me. Are there any specific backgrounds or skills that you would recommend to pair with actuarial science? Thank you!
Math, econ, stat, finance, actuarial math degrees are all good degrees for this professions. Also, you may be interested in quant career depending on where you are on the map of the world. Both professions use a lot mathematics. For the skills, you have to be skilled in mathematics. Not only in calculating, but also in proving theorems. But the thing with proving it is not that it is used on the field, but it helps you develop the reasoning skills required by this profession. It helps you understanding how to solve hard problems. You must have knowledge of economics and finance to work in that field. I hope that this was helpful.
If you could find a degree in actuarial mathematics or in statistics with classes in econ and finance, without the big course in mathematics, such as real analysis, you would probably enjoy more the degree without these classes, except if you are someone like who really likes these kinds of things. Have fun!
@@Actuaryelle really? My buddy became one. I became a federal agent. Which I lost when I was hurt on the job. Either way, I made $125K a year and I "suspect" he makes around $180K to $200K. We are both in mid 30's and he has all his exams completed.
@@Actuaryelle I'm curious because the analysis side of the job and attempting to predict the future aspects are of interest to me since my masters was in computer science. I could have seen myself going down this actuary road. I've heard it's boring but in end money is security and if the work life balance isn't too bad and it would allow me to travel and explore my hobbies of foreign languages I would have considered it.... then again. Western civilization is going to collapse soon anyway so all bets on future financial calculation is out the window at that point.
So after all the exams were done, was the work to life ration about the same or was there a huge weight lifted off your shoulders? P.S: If anyone else reading this comment is an actuary feel free to answer the question as well.
Heyy just wanna ask. Do u love math?? Or were u really smart at math when ur still in highschool? I want to become an actuary but im worried that i won’t survive. Thaanks
Recently passed FM, and let me tell you that when I pressed end exam and saw a survey before I got my result, I almost fainted.
😂😂
About to take the p exam (in six days effing shoot me). I've sacrificed time with my wife and baby son. My wife sacrifices more than I do really. She will stay with the baby all day long while I'm in my office studying, and I feel guilty all the time about it. I grew up really poor and worked in the blue collar world my whole life before deciding to go back to school and become an actuary. I just keep telling myself that soon my son will see his daddy coming home from work wearing a tie and that's what he'll grow up thinking a man does, not go put on a hard hat and sweat all day doing dangerous work in a refinery.
That's amazing! Good luck with exam p 😀
Hi Justin, I feel your pain man. I have a 3 yr old and 18 month old and my wife's job is more demanding than mine. Between both of us working full time, family life, attempting to have social life, and studying for these exams, this is the toughest thing I've done in my whole life. I've attempted Exam P 3 times with no success and kind of at a cross roads now, thinking if I should continue on my goal and passion of this experience or hang it up. Best of luck to you on your journey and follow your gut.
Hey Jack. Right on. I think you're the first person I've come across that had a situation similar to mine. I just failed exam p for the first time, but I really don't think it was by much. I was actually preparing fairly well before we had to evacuate for hurricane Harvey. I put the whole tribe in the van and drove to Dallas for a week. Hoping to get it next time. Man if I were you I wouldn't give up. I've heard of people having to take it 8 times before passing. Once you get an actuarial job, there should be some paid study time. Yeah trying to study this stuff (and finishing up a masters in finance) while in the haze of no sleep because of the baby has been the biggest challenge of my life without a doubt. I feel like the practice problems are almost impossible when I've had no sleep. The exam itself though really could have been harder I thought. I was surprised when it said I failed. I think it's doable. We just have to push through. Hey, with all of our free time on our hands, we should start a youtube channel for actuarial career changers.
Its crazy how life works and the randomness of thing. Especially with the hurricane and all and glad your family is ok. Must have been so stressful not only b/c you guys are in survival mode but you probably felt guilty about not being able to study and thats one of the last thing you should be doing in that situation. Yeah I got a 3, 5, and 4 in my prior attempts and feel so close. Got my earned level to a 4.9 on Adapt and need to just keep pushing to get that to a 7. You are right, its tough to find others going through this with family/small children. I get up at 4am to study for 2 hours, go to work all day, study about an hour on my lunch break, then come home, pickup kids and eat dinner. Relax for maybe 30 minutes, help put kids to bed and pass out at 9pm. I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Thanks for your words of encouragement. I had a Welsh Calc professor who told us their saying in the army was to "bash on no matter what." That was years ago and I will never forget that but sometimes just need to remind myself.
Keep at it man. I'm taking it in November. You? Let's pass it this time.
I sacrificed my sanity.
I never had sanity to begin with 😆
Sanity? Never heard of it.
Can't wait to be insane - well on my way and making good progress 😀
Sanity is just a word,there is no sane mind-set 😏.
@@HWEWSWEW fuck.
Her: Im anti social. Its a high paying job and low stress. Sounds like the perfect job!
Also her: I couldn't go out with my friends because of the exams 😭
This was probably referring to working with many people.
sound like me hahaha
Was thinking the same thing.
Do you think those contradicting statements were made because of low self awareness or general hypocrisy?
Anti social people don’t like making TH-cam videos either at least I don’t. Introverts hate the spotlight.
Congratulations to becoming an FCAS! I passed four exams, and so I had a taste of how hard they are. I learned that as you progress through the exams, the cream rises and the competition you need to beat to score in the top 50% gets very tough.
Great video! This was probably the most inspirational thing I've watched in a long time. Your first hand account of hardwork was may more motivational than all the motivational specific stuff on TH-cam. Mainly cause you achieved my specific goals. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it 😀😀😄
I've definitely sacrificed my waistline by stressing over the exams too... I can't help it! I get stressed out easily and have had to work on integrating good habits into my life instead of eating nonchalantly. Thanks for making this video!
Finally! Finally! As an actuary student I'm recommended a YT channel about actuarial context for the first time! Nice job Elle, hopefully you'll walk us through the journey as an actuary!
Hello, me-on-a-different-channel! Just remember that all those sacrifices were worth it #actuary4life
#4everandever
reply my comment please 😭🙏🏼 it will mean a lot ❤
Love that sense of humor. Keep it up!
Ellellevlog quick question, could a bachelors in actuarial science allow someone to earn an MBA?
are you an actuary now
Wow, so very articulate and expressive. Cudos for all the work you've put in over the years.
+Big Bird thank you! 😊
Recently they've been changing the exam, I took the new MFE the 2nd time 2 days ago, didn't feel I could pass it, they made it even harder. And after talking to the experienced actuaries, I feel like the actuarial society just wanna make it unnessasarily hard to reduce the supply, and if they make this profession hard, people will respect them. When I asked them(from different companies) if the exams really help them a lot in work, all of them told me "No", at the end of the day it's about business experience, some exam knowledges are helpful, but most are useless. What do you say?
I say that, that's the goal of studying--to be able to take on any hurtle, even if they won't ever happen. If you know how to react well to all the questions that they ask you, then you won't have any problem with the things that will actually happen to you.
I don't know but your voice gave me motivation to become an actuary
Yeah, I recently got my bachelors degree in applied math, and just recently, ive been considering to be an actuary for reasons you said in the beginning of the video. Ive always been a good test taker, but this does sound like a big sacrifice. So, I think i am going to pursue this.
Thank you so much for making these vlogs, they give me hope! I'm a final year undergraduate Financial and Actuarial Mathematics in South Africa, its going... so far so good....I envy your confidence :)
I'm glad you're enjoying!
Leana de Haan are you at uct?
I'm an actuarial student, I just had a very bad exam for which I studied so so hard and I swear that I love finding your youtube channel cause I finally feel that someone understands me!
I'm about to start the journey ...any tips..
@@pratikkitty100 Any tips
I'm going to take exam P this June and I have put in a lot of time, effort, and money into making this actuary idea of mine a reality. All of it worth while. I taught myself all of the multivariable calculus required, mathematical statistics required, and probability theory required. The feeling of knowing it's possible to teach myself this stuff is the most rewarding thing of all. It's been a grind and a goal for the last 3 years, but it's finally going to happen.
Cheers. I am very happy for your success and glad you made it work so well for yourself. Also glad to hear the ends justify the means.
Can I just ask what you studied in university
Exactly....😂 My dad aslo said the exact same thing ... There is a whole lot of people who don't understand that journey towards being a professional Actuary is not like graduation. You can't complete it within 3 years while studying only 2 weeks before exams.
Thank you for your video. It really helps to know that I am not the only one stressed out.. 😇
I love watching your videos they I'm inspire me to keep going. I don't mind making these test my life (not that there was much of one in the first place) if it means getting a career that matches my personality type. great video thank you.
In India, there is a exam called IIT JEE. Usually around half million people take it and 10,000 gets in. This exam requires 2 years of hardcore preparation (7-8 hours a day). Nothing less than 2 years will do it.
IIT JEE is a whole monster of it's own (2 years of constt study for admission + 4 years of intense competition at college) but actuarial exams are just as hard if not more, because you have to do graduation while giving exams and then keep giving exams for years on end.
Thank you, this video makes me feel better about the stress that I am already feeling due to studying.
Hope you find a way to de-stress. Stay strong ❤
I’m studying for FM and just had the worst time ever with annuities. Going to try again tomorrow but it definitely has me down. Watching your video made me feel like I’m not alone. Thanks for your videos!:)
Definitely not alone! Good luck with annuities! There are people who make videos on TH-cam teaching topics from FM. Maybe you could check them out.
Karol Matamoros me tooo🙌
Thank you for addressing the problem on how you can't cram the night before the exam. People just don't understand it.
Definitely cant cram for these exams 🙈
Your videos have actually been super helpful! I'm in my first semester of college and am quite struck in terms of degree paths. I know I'm getting an associates of science here and transferring to a 4 year university. I'm not amazing at math but I like the simplicity having a "right" or "wrong" answer. There isn't much of a "gray" area.. also I'm a realist and a person of logic that treats others how they treat me. So perhaps that cancels out a career involving face to face contact with a consumer of sorts. And I'm not worried about accruing much debt because my tuition is funded by the GI Bill. But hey thanks for the insightful videos!
Actuarial math is unlike the math you do at school, in that there is no "right" or "wrong" answer. If you give the same data to 10 different actuaries, you're going to get 10 different results.
EllelleActuary oh my.. in that case, this isn't something I've dealt with before. Then how does one determine what is the "best" answer?
Actuarial judgment. It's developed over time. It's something I work to develop every day.
Firstly, you are soooooo weirdly cool. And I dont know how and why i stumbled upon your page but its making my day so much better ! Biggest sacrifice for me is family time though. I hate the fact that I dont get to spend as much time with them PLUS they hate me for it, behidn the curtains though. Awesome vid. Awesome page. Keep it up!
😀
I’ve sacrificed many animals on my journey and I’ve even considered sacrificing people but unfortunately that isn’t in line with the generally accepted rules of the actuary.
Hey! Can you do one on your study techniques. Like the actual study process.
Absolutely! I've just been lazy about filming recently 😉
Just trying to remind you that you should pllzzzz make that video :)
thank you. i was a professional insurance commercial underwriter and agree with you totally./
The point where you said you felt guilty for the time you weren't studying is so damn rue #totallyrelate
The guilt is real
I'm planning to start my journey towards an actuary course like what advice can you give me on how i should prepare for it
Buy a study manual and don't underestimate the hours needed to study. They recommend 100 hours of studying per hour of exam. Good luck!!
same😭 goodluck for your endeavours🌸
Truly inspiring, glad that I stumbled upon your channel!!
+Krishna Thank you 😀😀
I'm a 3rd year undergrad student with 2 exams finished. I passed both of them on my first try but I still found them pretty difficult. It got a bit depressing at some points and I'm not sure if I want to commit the majority of my "young and beautiful" 20s to pursue the rest of the exams and modules.
Does it get a lot worse from this point on? Because if it does I might consider an alternative route aha.
In my experience, it didn't stop sucking. Ultimately it was worth It, but I wouldn't do it a second time
i hope you believe it was worth it, you seemed to have mellowed out significantly from your prior exuberant self. hope you're happy, good luck! as just passed my last exam for ASA and looking at switching from software dev, i'm unsure if i'm making the right decision. who knows, who cares exams took all my friends already lol jk kinda..
I definitely think it was worth it! Congrats on you ASA!
Absolutely great👌.keep on posting more ellen
Will do 😉
thanks for the information in all of your videos. it was helpful. and you looked good in this video :p
Glad you enjoyed!
Study guilt is absolutely the worst thing ever. God forbid I get one day to myself lol
🤞
Are there any entrepreneurial opportunities in actuarial science???
I want to become an entrepreneur
Pls make a video for that.
Thanks in advance
It’s 3:30am and I am currently studying/ stressing for my first ever actuarial exam (FM) that I have in just a little over a week. Any last minute advice? 😬
I always spent the week before the exam doing as many practice problems as possible. Also, out your formula sheet under your pillow the night before the exam, to absorb the information by osmosis 😂
Good luck!!!
EllelleActuary I’m actually dead from this comment. If anything make sure your notes are written with the most concentrated ink so it becomes a henna 😂 so not only will it sink in through osmosis, it will also become your tribal actuary tattoo 💀
When you say that you spent 2-3 months for the first five exams, could you be more specific? What we're the time frames of your days and how many days a week? How many exams did you pass before your first job?
I took university courses in addition to independent study, shich makes it hard to quantify exactly how long i studied.
I had passed 6 exams before starting full time
I'm becoming an actuary in belgium and we just have a masters degree requirment (+ getting some professional experience)
Well, a feild i study, that consist of studying human behavior, but takes me away from people. This is what i reffer to as MENTAL RISK...
Sorry, I don't understand your comment
damn...this sound like my kind of life... i wish i know about actuary b4 i entered uni
If you really want to become an actuary it's not too late. I'm a Fellow (guarantee I qualified before you were born) and I had been working as an actuary for several years before I met anyone with a degree in actuarial science. Most people (myself included) had degrees in STEM subjects (in many cases, graduate degrees) but not in actuarial science. As the vid says, you've got to pass those exams - I didn't start writing until after I'd finished grad school
How much human interaction do you have to do as an actuary? I like working alone and cannot deal with toxic people, so what are interactions like?
How Actuarial Science is “high paid and less stress job” and you in the meanwhile can’t go out with your friends because of the exams? It’s really makes no sense. Looking for the answer..
Because the exams are temporary. Once you're done exams, you've got a great job with tons of free time
@@Actuaryelle quite late but aren't they supposed to be taking every 6 months?
Could you make a video about your preparation for the exams? I'm writing my first exam in February!
Yup! Good luck studying 😀
Can I ask does actuary need to use Excel Solver skills on for interviews or jobs? Thanks!
damn i am watching this now when i have CS1 paper in april but this is way too relatable
Good luck with CS1!
I passed two exams
I'm hoping to not have to take anymore honestly. I just want a decent paying job with it.
Congrats on the exams 👍
How much maths and writing is involved in your studies and what would be your advice for someone who is thinking about becoming an actuary?
Lots
Thanks.
Can you please suggest what should I major or minor in for my first year of uni to pursue actuarial career? Or anything else that you think would not be a bad choice to take it in? I would really appreciate your recommendations.
Hey, I need help with an SOA question
Thank you, i feel less guilty now
What do you feel guilty about?
@@Actuaryelle that i feel less productive than I imagine being capable of
I wanna either be an actuary or a musician idk which one would be better 🤔🤔🤔
Both? Actuary by day, musician by night
Musactuary
So umm if I like going out 5/7 nights a week and I handle intense stress very poorly, should I NOT be an actuary??😬
I wouldnt have been able to go out 5 nights a weeks and pass actuarial exams, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
Hey I’m currently doing b tech in company science and I’m not interested in cse and want to become an actuary how to become ? When I checked in the net they said there are 2 societies known as IAI Indian society and IFOA Uk society become a member in any one of those societies and start writing the exams is it true? In some sites they say do msc in actuarial science
I'm 16, going into my first year of IB soon, and I'm thinking of studying to become an actuary. I love math and I believe I'm quiet good at it. What other skills are required to become an actuary?
Best of luck! I love math too.
I'm planning to be an actuary. I will study in a college in actuarial science next month. So what's your advice for me? I mean, I'm about to start. Please.
hii, I wondering whether four months full time studying is referring to the total studying time for all the last five exams or four months full-time studying for each of the five upper level exams.
Hi! 4 months per exam 😊 they recommend 100 hours of studying per hour of exam (400 hours for a 4 hour exam)
I’m Andrews , I have been watching your videos for quite sometime now on TH-cam and I find it motivating.
I am an actuarial Science student and I am finding difficult to find a list of firms I could apply to for internship.
And hey , I’m wondering if you could give me those learning materials that is if you are no more using them.
Thanks a lot for you are an inspiration to me personally 😘😘
Have you gone to your university advisor and asked them where other actuarial students have historically gotten hired?
How old were you when you passed all the actuarial exams?
25
How many hours a week it needs to be dedicated to study for an exam and how many weeks before ?
They recommend 100 hours of studying per hour of exam (eg. 300 hours for a 3 hour exam)
I didnt count my hours so I dont know if I hit that mark, but I would start studying 3-4 months before the exam
Hi, I've been planning to go for actuarial sciences since 2 years now and I've just finished my A-levels. I am someone who stresses a lot and watching this video, I'm kinda having second thoughts about this career choice. Plus, in my country, they employ only 20 actuaries per year. What do you advise me to do? Should I study Maths with finance? I'd really love to be an actuary though. Hope someone sees this comment and actually replies. Thanks.
If you've been planning to go into actuarial science for 2 years, then I'd say.. don't worry about what one girl in one video said. You know yourself better than anyone else, and if you think it's something you want to do.. do it.
i am Willing to die for this career...thank you for the inspiration
Whoa. That's commitment
In what 15 subjects are there in acturial syllabus
How many hours per day do you usually have to study for the exams? Like 5? More? Less?
Depends on a lot of things. If I had reading to do, I could do fewer hours in the day because I dont have great concentration. When i was doing practice problems i could study for more hours. I'd study more on the weekends than on weekdays, personally.
I recently took an personality test online and i think being an actuary suits me very well.
Do it
Thanks for the video, but I do have some questions.. not sure if you’ll even see this since I’m 2 years late lol.
It is my junior year of high school. I’ve always been good with grades, 95+ average, and I grew up in a private school-until 9th grade-that pushed a lot of work on me (I yet have a day in high school that was more difficult than my private school lol). So I have dealt with harsh workload before. I am a huge fan of math, it’s like a game to me, and I have big interests in business/finance/investment; which is why I thought actuary sounds good for me. Nevertheless, do you think these testings would be a lot higher in demand, that it would over-stress me? Tests in particular I may not want to study as much as you seemed to.
Also, more importantly, are these exams you are referring to college exams or something different? If different, what are the purposes of these exams? Are they required? Just to go further with a degree? I currently plan to go to college for 4 years in actuary and business economics interests.
I wouldnt be able to comment on your stress levels. That's very personal to you.
The way you describe yourself sounds a lot like me, if that's any indication that you'll enjoy being an actuary.
The actuarial exams are separate from university and are done through an actuarial society. In north America that would be either the society of actuaries (SOA) or the casualty actuarial society (CAS)
Actuary elle Gotcha, thanks for the fast response!
My pleasure!
Btw what is ur major? I am accountant college student and my dream is to become a math student in best public institute in my country, but i failed so i randomly and my parents give me advice to study accountancy. After failing, i never stop searching information about math especially actuarial science. So after lot of information i got and after get knowledge in Accountancy, it is okay i can’t be a student in math department in best institute, but i still can be an actuary after i learn financial accounting and learn about IFRS and PSAK(indonesian’s accounting standard) and now i have a dream i want to be a master student in actuarial in that institute and become an actuary and become person who make policy about financial reporting for pension and insurance. Do you think i can make it happen? I wish i can
So I’m hearing that you studied a lot for all the tests. I never studied in high school or college, I just listened in class and took the tests. Now keep in mind, I am nowhere near a genius. I’m just smarter than the dumb people. Are you still going to take me that long and how many of them are there? I’ve taken and passed a certified reliability exam, which is based around statistics and probability.
really off topic, but that green make your eyes pop 🤩
Thank you ❤
Hello, do I need to be excellent in math to pass the papers ?
Where do you work that allows to study for this?
I loved this video so much
Yay
Hi! I’m a high school junior who plans on pursuing an actuarial career and have some questions that I’d like to ask in a more conventional form of communication if that’s ok
I sacrificed my hair
Matching eye color and top.
Do you think it’s possible to study for Actuary while having time to play soccer for college
Yep
do you have to take physics, to be a actuarial scientist?
At my university it was a degree requirement to get my BSc, but it's not at all directly applicable to my actuarial work
So in every actuarial university, its a requirement to take physics in highschool???
Good morning, I would like to have some informations. I had my high school diploma last year and I want to be an Actuary. For this, I was oriented towards a Bachelor in Mathmatics. I would like to know if with this Bachelor I could directly pass the tests or I must then do a specialized school in actuarial science, or if there is a minor in actuarial science. And if I have to go to a specialized school, could you recommend some schools to me?
Thanks you.
Yep. Anyone can take actuarial exams
love your videos!
Thank you!
Could, I build a career in Actuary with a Business Degree.
Yes. You would need to pass a series of exams separate from your university degree to become an actuary
Actuary elle thanks for informing me!
LOOOL THE INTRO IS ME
If you go to collage for actuary would The exams be in college or do you have to take them separately
The exams are taken separately, but a degree in actuarial would help you prepare
EllelleActuary thanks
How much do you make ?
love ur video. Pretty much say out the truth!
Thank you 😊
Is it still going to take me that long for each test?
You can study less than me, but you will still need to study more than you did for school
You study for exams 4 months non stop? That sounds like too much stress.
It's a lot of stress
I have a math degree and would to be an actuary is it a young man job
Can you set up a patreon so we could support you making more videos ?
You're sweet to offer, but setting up a patreon is not something I plan to do in the near future. The best way to support my content is by sharing it with friends and watching the videos to the end. If I get 4000 hours of watch time then I am able to monetize my videos 😀
How much hours does an actuary has to work
That would be very dependent on where you work, but I personally work 35 hours per week. 7 hours per day x 5 days per week.
wat should I ware to my next Actuarial interview?
Suit
EllelleActuary the only pants that fit me r from Walmart and they don't have it anymore
Why don't you be an actress instead? You are very good looking. Basically, studying is not the only issue but money to sustain yourself for the preparation is a serious issue that needs to overcome. You are very lucky that a company paid for your exams. These days they don't because they don't want to get ripped off by employees.
Hello, I am thinking whether I want to go CAS or SOA. They say lots of people went CAS and stop being a Fellow because too many exams they have to take. On the other hand, people say FSA is "easier", since you can achieve that title faster. What' your idea and thought on this?
-A confused 4th year Actsci kid
It seems that you're motivated by fear, not any genuine desire to do either path. Maybe take a step back and try to figure out what you want from your career.
Hello, Thanks for replying. I don't hate actuarial science. In fact, I like loss modeling and coding. I also had one internship in life and one reserve project in P&C. I found life is more interesting, P&C just has too much to consider at a time, and in most cases (my feeling on this), my answer for the reserve is very judgemental since you can calculate reserve using different methods. A lot of times I can't come up any reason why one is significantly better than the others. This makes me feel really insure when presenting results to others. Do you have any feeling like this? If yes, how do you cope with it?
I have a terrible time of making decisions. Sometimes the best thing to do is to make a choice and stick with it.
You're in a situation where you have to choose between two good options. You can never know if the other option would have been better, because you cannot do both simultaneously. From your reply, it sounds like you're leaning towards life. My boyfriend loves his job in life. I love P&C. Neither of us have tried each other's field. There's no wrong choice, and you can always change your mind. You're not committing forever
Thank you for your advice :)
You need strong social skills to become an actuary actually.💀
I'm a non-traditional student currently in my mid twenties attending college, I have thought about going the actuarial route because I enjoy mathematics and some of my friends have suggested this to me. Are there any specific backgrounds or skills that you would recommend to pair with actuarial science? Thank you!
Math, econ, stat, finance, actuarial math degrees are all good degrees for this professions. Also, you may be interested in quant career depending on where you are on the map of the world. Both professions use a lot mathematics. For the skills, you have to be skilled in mathematics. Not only in calculating, but also in proving theorems. But the thing with proving it is not that it is used on the field, but it helps you develop the reasoning skills required by this profession. It helps you understanding how to solve hard problems. You must have knowledge of economics and finance to work in that field. I hope that this was helpful.
Thank you for the reply, that was definitely helpful! I'll definitely check out those fields!
If you could find a degree in actuarial mathematics or in statistics with classes in econ and finance, without the big course in mathematics, such as real analysis, you would probably enjoy more the degree without these classes, except if you are someone like who really likes these kinds of things. Have fun!
any social media details where we can talk to you personally.
And was it worth it? To make a few hundred thousand a year to be a higher wage slave?
You are assuming a much higher salary than I earn 😅 but yes it was worth it!
@@Actuaryelle really? My buddy became one. I became a federal agent. Which I lost when I was hurt on the job. Either way, I made $125K a year and I "suspect" he makes around $180K to $200K. We are both in mid 30's and he has all his exams completed.
@@Actuaryelle I'm curious because the analysis side of the job and attempting to predict the future aspects are of interest to me since my masters was in computer science. I could have seen myself going down this actuary road. I've heard it's boring but in end money is security and if the work life balance isn't too bad and it would allow me to travel and explore my hobbies of foreign languages I would have considered it.... then again. Western civilization is going to collapse soon anyway so all bets on future financial calculation is out the window at that point.
If you're in the USA I think salaries are higher there than in Canada
Can u be a actuary with a degree in finance
Yep
So after all the exams were done, was the work to life ration about the same or was there a huge weight lifted off your shoulders?
P.S: If anyone else reading this comment is an actuary feel free to answer the question as well.
I work 9-5 now 😀
Chauchak maal ba😍😍😍
Heyy just wanna ask. Do u love math?? Or were u really smart at math when ur still in highschool? I want to become an actuary but im worried that i won’t survive. Thaanks
Yes I do 😀
Just took my firs exam-> exam p.. failed it - -
-
You'll get it next time! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you 🤞
EllelleActuary thank u :D keep doing more good work.
You're in good company. Keep going.