[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-398859-105":59,"doc-detail-398859-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","actuarial-science-a-quick-guide","Actuarial Science - A Quick Guide","","Actuarial science applies mathematics and statistics to quantify uncertainty and risk, especially in insurance and financial contexts. The guide frames core problems such as estimating needed savings for social security, setting fair car insurance costs, managing health insurance premiums through benefits or deductibles, and evaluating pension fund investment risk. It explains where actuaries work—insurers, consulting firms, government agencies, and a smaller share in investment banking or academia—and outlines what to do in college.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/actuarial-science-a-quick-guide/398859/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/actuarial-science-a-quick-guide/398859.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Aran","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-09-27",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What is actuarial science used for?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"Actuarial science uses mathematics and statistics to quantify risk and uncertainty, particularly for insurance or financial risk.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"Where do actuaries typically work?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"Many work for insurance companies, consulting firms, or government agencies such as regulators and the Social Security Administration.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What should a student do in college to prepare?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"Students should explore actuarial resources, take probability and calculus courses like MATH 357 and MATH 112, prepare for Exam P and later Exam FM, consider SOA course requirements (VEEs), and look for internships and campus math events.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},398859,1790665731,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},137455076865,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","A quick guide to Actuarial Science at Wake Forest  \nWhat is actuarial science?  \nActuarial science is a 􀀌eld which uses mathematics and statistics to quantify risk, particularly insurance or 􀀌nancial risk. Consider how one might answer the following questions:  \n􀀏 How much money should the US government save to meet its promised social security obligations?  \n􀀏 How much should car insurance cost for a particular individual?  \n􀀏 To help reduce health insurance premiums, would it be better to limit bene􀀌ts or increase deductibles?  \n􀀏 How should the state of California invest its pension fund? Are some investments too risky?  \nEach of these questions is about uncertainty of 􀀌nancial outcomes. What is needed to best answer these questions is a careful study of possible outcomes, and their probabilities. This is what actuaries do.  \nWhere do actuaries work?  \nMany actuaries work for insurance companies, such as AllState, GEICO, or MetLife. Some actuaries work for business consulting 􀀌rms such as Milliman or Bain Consulting. Others work for government agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, or state government regulators. A small number of actuaries branch out into jobs in investment banking or academics.  \nWhat should I do while in college?  \n1. Check out [http://www.beanactuary.org](http://www.beanactuary.org. This website)[. This website](http://www.beanactuary.org. This website) is maintained by the Society of Actuaries ([http://www.soa.org](http://www.soa.org)), the nation's largest actuarial society. It is geared speci􀀌cally towards college students.  \n2. Consider taking MATH 357 Probability in fall of either your sophomore or junior year. The pre-requisite is MATH 112 Calculus 2 . MATH 357 covers most of the topics tested in Exam P, the 􀀌rst actuarial exam. Learn more about this exam at [http://www.soa.org/education/](http://www.soa.org/education/)[ ](http://www.soa.org/education/)[exam-req/edu-exam-p-detail.aspx](exam-req/edu-exam-p-detail.aspx.)[.](exam-req/edu-exam-p-detail.aspx.)  \n3. Consider taking courses which satisfy the Validation of Educational Experiences requirement from the SOA. The latest courses can be found at [https://store.soa.org/Home/](https://store.soa.org/Home/)[ ](https://store.soa.org/Home/)[VEESchoolSearch/tabid/323/Default.aspx](VEESchoolSearch/tabid/323/Default.aspx.)[.](VEESchoolSearch/tabid/323/Default.aspx.)  \n4. Other mathematics courses which cover topics on actuarial exams include MATH 256, MATH  \n358, and MATH 367 . Consider also MATH 253, MATH 353, and MATH 362, which cover topics often used in mathematical business settings.  \n5. Be aware of Mathematics colloquia and also Math Club events. We regularly get actuaries to come to Wake Forest to give presentations and conduct recruiting events for our students. Look here for more information: [http://www.math.wfu.edu/Events/talks.html](http://www.math.wfu.edu/Events/talks.html)  \n[6. Once you have signed up for](6. Once you have signed up for) ([or better yet](or better yet), [passed](passed)!) Exam P, you can start looking for summer internships. Summer internships typically last 10 weeks, are paid, and give you experience working in an insurance or government setting. These are extremely valuable for 􀀌nding a good actuarial job after graduation. Taking MATH 357 in the fall and then signing up for Exam P shortly after is an excellent way to ensure you have passed the test before you apply for summer internships.  \n7. Consider studying for the second exam, Exam FM, on your own. Our department may be able to assist you with obtaining study materials or linking you up with other students interested in studying for this exam.  \n8. Don't forget to consider valuable liberal arts courses on campus! Courses which emphasize writing, speaking, or leadership all help you to gain the necessary skills to be a leader in your company.  \nFor more information, contact Dr. Rob Erhardt (a former actuary) at [erhardrj@wfu.edu](erhardrj@wfu.edu).","cbCaiqAnphOvqYAh","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqAnphOvqYAh","pdf",75186,"English","# What is actuarial science?\n# Where do actuaries work?\n# What should I do while in college?\n## Courses and exam preparation","[{\"question\":\"What is actuarial science used for?\",\"answer\":\"Actuarial science uses mathematics and statistics to quantify risk and uncertainty, particularly for insurance or financial risk.\"},{\"question\":\"Where do actuaries typically work?\",\"answer\":\"Many work for insurance companies, consulting firms, or government agencies such as regulators and the Social Security Administration.\"},{\"question\":\"What should a student do in college to prepare?\",\"answer\":\"Students should explore actuarial resources, take probability and calculus courses like MATH 357 and MATH 112, prepare for Exam P and later Exam FM, consider SOA course requirements (VEEs), and look for internships and campus math events.\"}]","Actuarial Science - A Quick Guide | PDF",1790489290]