Justin Mathew, UT Austin's Coaching Actuaries Campus Club ambassador, shares three practical lessons from his first year, from passing exams early to landing an internship.
Hello, my name is Justin Mathew, and I am the Coaching Actuaries Campus Club ambassador and communications director for UT Austin's Actuarial Science Club.
I was lucky enough to receive this role through both being an officer in the club and passing my first actuarial exam, Probability, back in September. Coaching Actuaries was a big part of my study method, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is preparing for an actuarial exam.
Coaching Actuaries was a big part of my study method, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is preparing for an actuarial exam.
Being an ambassador and club officer has helped me become more involved in the actuarial scene on campus. Beyond providing club duties and discount codes to members, I have been able to meet so many new people this last semester, along with building time management skills.
Tips From My First Year
Here are some tips from my first year of college, which included landing an internship, passing an actuarial exam, and holding an officer position in both UT's Actuarial Science Club and Gamma Iota Sigma.
1. Take an exam early into college
A lot of people are surprised with how early I sat for my first actuarial exam, but I have no regrets. I believe this step was important in demonstrating and proving my interest in the actuarial field, is a great thing to have on your resume and talk about in an interview, and a very rewarding experience.
A lot of people are surprised with how early I sat for my first actuarial exam, but I have no regrets.
2. Apply, apply, apply
When it comes to internships, volume is key. It is very common for students to be rejected from lower level roles and still get interviews with top companies. Overall, recruitment is a very random process, so getting in more applications will greatly help your chance of getting an internship.
3. Lock in
I really believe college is a time in your life when the work you put in now can pay off exponentially later, so it's important to use every second well.
College is a time in your life when the work you put in now can pay off exponentially later, so it's important to use every second well.
About the Author
Justin Mathew is a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying actuarial science. He's also an avid chess player with a Class B rating and serves as an officer for both the Actuarial Science Club and Gamma Iota Sigma. He enjoys basketball, NFL statistics, and playing the piano. At the age of seven, he was featured as a kid inventor and presented the No Sweat-SweatShirt on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Justin plans to pursue a career in actuarial science after college, and has passed his first exam using Coaching Actuaries.