TCU’s Actuarial Program is designed to prepare students with a supreme mathematical foundation for careers in risk management, insurance, pension planning, and financial planning. Actuarial career options can also extend to fields where prediction skills and analysis of compound interest are crucial, such as criminal justice.
TCU passing rates for national actuarial exams are typically in the 80% range compared to the national rates of about 40%. Alum Rachel Hoffman currently works in the healthcare industry with the company Cigna and when asked how the program aided in career preparation, she first discussed how the curriculum prepared her for her exams. “Having two passes on my resume was a major asset when I entered the job market, and it gave me a good sense for what I could expect during the multi-year actuarial exam process,” Hoffman says. Another notable aspect that she found helpful was the actuarial career fair. She says, “The actuarial career fairs were really good opportunities to explore different types of actuarial work – health versus P&C, consulting versus insurance, etc. – to get a better sense of what would interest me most. They were also instrumental in helping me learn how to talk to employers, sell myself, craft a good resume, and land interviews.” A few more notable companies that graduates are employed by include Aon, Microsoft and USHEALTH Group. This degree is also great preparation for graduate school, either looking at further mathematical education or an M.B.A.
The Actuarial Program also demonstrates great campus involvement and community with its Gamma Xi chapter of the national actuarial group Gamma iota Sigma as of September 2019. The chapter is a professional fraternity organized to promote, encourage, and sustain student interest in the industry of actuarial science.
When asked what Dr. Susan Staples, associate professor and Actuarial Program Director, was most proud of about the program, she says, “I am most proud of the TCU actuarial community we have built, from the original alumni members who graduated 20 years ago to the currently enrolled students. We challenge students to work together towards success in the actuarial exam system, as opposed to competing. We also rely on alumni support of current students and a strong alumnus hiring base.”
Hoffman says, “Dr. Staples is, of course, the MVP of the program! She was not only an academic advisor who kept me on track with all of the program requirements, but she works to form authentic relationships with all the actuarial students and became a trusted confidant whenever I had to work through interview anxiety or indecision about job offers. I also really appreciated the close-knit actuarial student community – it was great to be able to take all my actuarial classes with the same group of people, swap studying tips, and celebrate each other’s exam passes.”
Learn more about TCU’s Actuarial Program.
