<p>I’m a current student at Wharton who plans on concentrating in actuarial science, but I do know of some people who are pursuing the actuarial science minor in the college.</p>
<p>The actuaries that I have spoken with say that passing the exams is really what matters - not your major. So, theoretically, you could major in anything, and if you could pass the exams, that would be great! I believe the classes you take for the actuarial science minor also count for the math major (not entirely sure, just guessing on my part), so I assume that would be a natural choice rather than an unrelated major. This is what the actuaries I have spoken with have told me; perhaps there are other opinions out there, but I do believe that passing the exams (not your major) is really what counts.</p>
<p>Also of note is that as a student in the college, you can still take Wharton classes (this is true for all of the schools at Penn, if I’m not mistaken). So, you can totally apply to the college and still take Wharton classes, if that’s what you would like.</p>
<p>As to whether pursuing the actuarial science minor is much different than pursuing the concentration in Wharton, I am not entirely sure but I can give you my opinion. I’m a member of the Penn Actuarial Society, and both Wharton and college students are members. Obviously, if you study in Wharton you will be taking classes like econ, legal studies, finance, accounting, and OPIM (operations and information management) along with many others. So, I would say that the things supplementing your actuarial studies would be different in Wharton than in the college, even though you can still take the same actuarial science related classes. </p>
<p>I would say that applying to the college or applying to Wharton should depend on your interests. If you are interested in business, obviously Wharton would be a great choice. I believe either route should lead you to the same career - passing the exams is what makes you an actuary. Yes, Wharton and the college are two different paths to take, and Wharton would be more focused on other elements of business. As I said before, what supplements your studies in actuarial science might depend on which school you apply to, but it’s not like if you are in Wharton you are a certain kind of actuary and if you’re in the college you’re a different type. You just have different backgrounds, that’s all. Would some employers prefer someone with a business background to a math major or vice versa? That I am not sure of. What I do know is that either way, being a certified actuary (either with the Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society) depends on your ability to pass exams.</p>
<p>I apologize for the lengthy response, but I hope you find it helpful.</p>