Vennela Kulkarni, a Campus Club ambassador and Virginia Tech student, shares how she found actuarial science, passed her first exam, and learned to study like an athlete.
I didn't grow up planning to become an actuary. I just knew I loved math. I was the person who actually enjoyed problem sets and liked figuring things out step by step. But for a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with that.
I was the person who actually enjoyed problem sets and liked figuring things out step by step.
Finding a Career That Fit the Math I Loved
Now, I'm studying applied discrete mathematics at Virginia Tech. During my first year, I started looking into careers that would let me use math in a practical way. When I learned about actuarial science, I connected with it very quickly.
I liked that it was math with direct consequences for real financial decisions. The idea that you could build models that influence insurance pricing, risk, and long-term stability felt important.
Studying for My First Actuarial Exam
Studying for my first actuarial exam was one of the hardest academic things I've done. It was a very different experience from studying for a college midterm. It required long-term consistency.
There were weeks when I felt on top of the material and others when I felt completely stuck. I remember doing practice problems over and over until patterns started to make sense. Passing that first exam made me realize that I could trust my work ethic.
Passing that first exam made me realize that I could trust my work ethic.
What Tennis Taught Me About Exam Prep
A big part of how I approached exam prep came from my experience playing tennis. You don't get better at tennis by playing one perfect match. You improve by showing up to practice, fixing small mistakes, and staying patient when progress feels slow.
You don't get better at tennis by playing one perfect match.
Studying for actuarial exams feels the same way to me. It's about repetition, focus, and mental resilience.
Progress Is Built on Consistency
I'm still early in my actuarial journey, but I've learned that progress in this field is built on consistency.
About the Author
Vennela Kulkarni is studying applied discrete mathematics at Virginia Tech with a minor in computer science, and she is currently pursuing her actuarial exams. She is especially interested in how risk modeling affects access to insurance and financial decision-making. Outside of academics, she plays tennis, which has taught her discipline, patience, and how to stay mentally strong under pressure. She loves finding ways to connect analytical thinking with real-world impact.