Initially, I experienced confusion regarding my major and future prospects. As I had achieved balanced grades in all subjects in China, I lacked a specific academic interest. This led to significant anxiety when I first arrived in the U.S. and applied to colleges with majors.

I was introduced to actuarial science by my high school calculus teacher, who shared her own experience with the profession. She discovered it while doing her own career planning and was drawn to it partly because of its alphabetical order and partly because of the high salary. Her enthusiasm for the field inspired me to explore it further, and I quickly discovered that it is a challenging and rewarding major. I am confident that pursuing actuarial science will lead to a successful and fulfilling career. I used to wonder why insurance companies sell insurance and conversely why people buy it. Isn’t it obvious that insurance companies would lose money? During my preparation for the SOA exam, I read articles “Risk and Insurance” (Judy Feldman Anderson and Robert L. Brown, 2005) and learned how the insurance industry works: reimbursement amounts are determined by calculating the probability of an event occurring, premiums are collected on a regular basis, and so on. I love math and am very passionate about connecting math to real life situations. Analyzing real-life cases through mathematical models is an exciting and rewarding challenge. This intersection of mathematical rigor and real-world application resonated deeply with my passion for mathematics and inspired my passion for actuarial science. Actuarial science is a major that demands precision and self-discipline. By prioritizing my time and balancing work, life, and exams, I am confident that I made the right choice in selecting actuarial science as my major.

In today’s data-driven era, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms have the potential to replace traditional actuarial practices. However, individuals will remain indispensable as long as they remain at the forefront of their field and continue to improve their skills. Therefore, I will persevere on this path of actuarial science and maintain the best skill level.