<p>I'm a junior in HS and as i'm exploring different career choices i've ben interested in actuarial science..
I know Wharton has a course for it...(the insurance and management risk department)...and the college at UPenn has a minor for it..
Is the course at Wharton good?
The competition to get in is pretty fierce...so how difficult/rigorous is the course?</p>
<p>And more general questions about being an actuary..
I know there are a series of tests to become one. What are the exact requirements?
What is the passing rate for these tests?
I read somewhere that to become an actuary, one doesn't need to go to grad school.
So would going to Wharton for undergrad and studying actuarial science be enough official schooling to become an actuary?</p>
<p>Then go here to see a list of colleges and what they have for actuarial programs. If you really want to be an actuary you should seriously consider a college that has an actual degree program for it and gets you ready for the first four exams (two of which you would actually take while in college). Those on the list that have that are the ones for which the answer is yes in the columns entitled Actuarial Science Degree Offered and Classes Support First “Four” Actuarial Exams. Penn/Wharton is not one of those:
[Actuarial</a> Science Schools - Colleges and Universities Directory - Actuary Schools and Actuarial Colleges and Universities for Actuarial Education in Actuarial Directory](<a href=“http://www.actuary.com/actuarial-science-schools/]Actuarial”>http://www.actuary.com/actuarial-science-schools/)</p>
<p>Average pass rate on any of the exams ranges from 25% to 50%. Yes you can become an actuary without grad school although many do go to grad school particularly for MBAs. Moroever, with likely prep courses for the exams you will feel like you went to grad school. To become a Fellow (highest level) of one the actuarial societes (Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society) requires completion of 8 or 9 exams and several years of actual work experience.</p>