Actuarial Studies - right path for me? (1 Viewer)

ascentyx

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
234
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Developing skills are more important than knowledge for business as you could very well be on the forefront when it comes to products and pricing - the ability to learn new things quickly and to take a practical approach is important.

Also, all the major breakthroughs in financial mathematics of late have come from some kind of industry collaboration - all the good stuff is kept in the banks. Only when its usefulness is nought do you ever see the good stuff being published. Academia will aways be behind the curve. For example, the story on the GS trading systems being leaked probably contains a myriad of discoveries on market microstructure theory.

I think it would be similar in other industries where protecting trade secrets is important, eg Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, etc
Holy fuck you're wise :p
 

ninjas

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
9
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
which is a better compliment to actuary from the science degree; statistsics, applied maths, pure maths, or something else?
 

dvse

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
206
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
actuarial is already applied stats. I'd do applied math, or something else like arts and learn a language.
Intersection with stats is surprisingly small, so it will in no way hurt. Pure maths is the most useful if you are interested in research or learning more advanced topics in finance.
 

Trebla

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
8,164
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
which is a better compliment to actuary from the science degree; statistsics, applied maths, pure maths, or something else?
Either statistics or applied mathematics (or both). Either will definitely be an extension from any statistics or mathematics you cover in actuary with some overlap.
 

lyounamu

Reborn
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,989
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Late thanks to everyone. I think I am sure that I will do Actuarial Studies for my Uni Degree.

Now, I am thinking of Combined Degree and majors to go with. I am really interested in Insurance, Investment Banking, and other prominent business area. Which other majors would suit me? (or other discipline).

Available Combined degrees are:
  1. Commerce (International)
  2. Commerce/Eco
  3. Commerce (Liberal Studies)
  4. Commerce/Sci
These 4 are the combined degrees that I am considering...and what do you suggest for another major for Commerce if I undertake Commerce/Eco, Commerce (International) or Comerce (Liberal Studies)?
 

Studentleader

Active Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
1,136
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Late thanks to everyone. I think I am sure that I will do Actuarial Studies for my Uni Degree.

Now, I am thinking of Combined Degree and majors to go with. I am really interested in Insurance, Investment Banking, and other prominent business area. Which other majors would suit me? (or other discipline).

Available Combined degrees are:
  1. Commerce (International)
  2. Commerce/Eco
  3. Commerce (Liberal Studies)
  4. Commerce/Sci
These 4 are the combined degrees that I am considering...and what do you suggest for another major for Commerce if I undertake Commerce/Eco, Commerce (International) or Comerce (Liberal Studies)?
Statistics
 
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
2,454
Location
Jamaica
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Late thanks to everyone. I think I am sure that I will do Actuarial Studies for my Uni Degree.

Now, I am thinking of Combined Degree and majors to go with. I am really interested in Insurance, Investment Banking, and other prominent business area. Which other majors would suit me? (or other discipline).

Available Combined degrees are:
  1. Commerce (International)
  2. Commerce/Eco
  3. Commerce (Liberal Studies)
  4. Commerce/Sci
These 4 are the combined degrees that I am considering...and what do you suggest for another major for Commerce if I undertake Commerce/Eco, Commerce (International) or Comerce (Liberal Studies)?
which uni?
 

Monstar

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
877
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
Many kids pair it with finance.. but i'd reckon that acst would already cover the finance topics in depth already? Maybe you should ask around if they cover financial instruments and valuation tools. And as someone said it sets you up for prestigous high paying jobs such as ib.. and from what I hear they take mostly comm/law kids but it'd be a reasonable assumption they'd take acst kids provided you aren't autistic or some shit.
 

velox

Retired
Joined
Mar 19, 2004
Messages
5,521
Location
Where the citi never sleeps.
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Finance is really a waste of time. I can comfortably say I have learnt a finance major on my own without doing a single finance course. Pick something that is harder to pick up on your own, i.e. maths or stats or maybe something interesting like a language.
 

akqjt

Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
70
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
finance is really a waste of time. I can comfortably say i have learnt a finance major on my own without doing a single finance course. Pick something that is harder to pick up on your own, i.e. Maths or stats or maybe something interesting like a language.
+1
 

Studentleader

Active Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
1,136
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Pick something that is harder to pick up on your own, i.e. maths or stats or maybe something interesting like a language.
Even though mathematics units are subsitised in my degree the contact hours are only 3-4 hrs of lectures a week so you might aswell study on your own. With that being said I'd suggest computer science or engineering.
 

dvse

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
206
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Finance is really a waste of time. I can comfortably say I have learnt a finance major on my own without doing a single finance course. Pick something that is harder to pick up on your own, i.e. maths or stats or maybe something interesting like a language.
QFT. Indeed, paying to waste time is doubly stupid.
 

§eraphim

Strategist
Joined
Jul 4, 2004
Messages
1,568
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
I think finance combined with something technical is good. You need the knowledge to make a good first impression, and the technical skills to back it up.
 

108796

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
64
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
don't do insurance... nobody wants to be an actuary

i'm combining with finance because it means i got like a whole years' worth of "electives" that i can do

a quant finance major at ANU is one extra course above actuarial studies, and takes an extra year (if combined with actuarial studies). given that i'm on scholarship, and have the opportunity of going on exchange, i think this is an awesome deal.
 

yeeshu

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Messages
107
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
But don't you think it might be worth it in the end...considering the remuneration package and other benefits?

Or do you reckon some accounting co-op/cadetship > actuarial?
the actual pay is not that great...i started doing actuary wanting to be an actuary then i worked at Deutsche Bank and realised so many ppl resigned from their previous actuarial roles because 1) boring and 2) pay wasnt as great as they hyped it up
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top