Just started as an actuary, already having doubts...

[Woodrow]

This is why you shouldn't get a degree in actuarial science.

Try to study while at work, take every minute of your study time and sneak any more you can.
Also, you probably spend your time doing four things
1. work
2. studying
3. fun, with friends
4. nothing (watching TV, etc)

try to have study time cut into (and replace) #4, not #3, no wasted time should alow you to still have some fun.

If you still don't want to do it, see ya, but don't expect us to have ideas about other fields that are just as good without exams, if we knew that we wouldn't be here.

[spankster]

Become a professional poker player. I heard they make mad moneyz.

[LifeTilt]

Originally Posted by Dr. John Zoidberg

If you're living alone in NYC, $150 is fine, but not worldbeating. Especially if you're, say, 35.

Pretty much sums it up. Too many people in NYC just make ridiculous amounts of money that you'll feel middle class. Can you buy things that are more wants than needs? Of course. Maybe splurge a bit on vacations? Of course. But you're not going out to the clubs and impressing people with your money. Trust me, it's a comfortable living, no question. But by no means are you rich.

Back to the OP. I don't think you're a snob, unlike another poster. But every job that is pretty riskless and makes decent money requires hard work. You can just go into finance if you want to make a lot of money without exams, but that means 60+ hour weeks in the most menial jobs and 90+ in banking.

If you're just trying to make a quarter mil by working 40 hour weeks your whole life, I think you've lived a very sheltered life...

[Ozzman]

Originally Posted by Woodrow

try to have study time cut into (and replace) #4, not #3, no wasted time should alow you to still have some fun.

I really don't understand this. You should make all of your free time study time? That sounds a bit ridiculous to me. It would seem to me that the majority of time you have outside of work should go to studying, but you should allot at least a small amount of time for something fun just so you don't get burned out quickly.

Then again, everyone has different styles for studying and time management. I have to have at least a little time to have some fun in the evenings (this 'fun' includes watching TV or reading a novel or something...I'm pretty boring outside of work) or I would go absolutely insane.

[Hugh Jass]

If people in NYC make so much money, why do they live in NYC?

Seems like there are way better places to live.

[Sindel]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jass

who makes $150 on here? I demand to know.

Once you are a Fellow it should be pretty easy to make six figures.

Originally Posted by Dr. John Zoidberg

If you're living alone in NYC, $150 is fine, but not worldbeating. Especially if you're, say, 35.

What do you mean not worldbeating? How many other professions can you list where you can make $100k outside of NYC by 30? And once you do, I'm pretty sure I can list a lot of downsides to them, such as 80-hours workweek, long years of unpaid education, fierce competition, low job prospects/security, etc.
Actuaries make a crap ton and unless you're like the OP and can't pass the prelims, you should all be happy you as a single person make more than 90% of American households.

[Hugh Jass]

Everyone around me drives lamborghinis and ferraris. Or at least some sort of mercedes or BMW that only very few people can afford to drive.

Who cares?

It's all about the extra costs. Public School here is like private school (Or better) nationwide. People in SoCal are thinner, healthier, more attractive, harder-working, less rapers-of-the -system

[Hugh Jass]

Originally Posted by Sindel

Once you are a Fellow it should be pretty easy to make six figures.



What do you mean not worldbeating? How many other professions can you list where you can make $100k outside of NYC by 30? And once you do, I'm pretty sure I can list a lot of downsides to them, such as 80-hours workweek, long years of unpaid education, fierce competition, low job prospects/security, etc.
Actuaries make a crap ton and unless you're like the OP and can't pass the prelims, you should all be happy you as a single person make more than 90% of American households.

1) I would usually agree with you, but it seemed to me that many people thought this was unusual. I would say I have much less responsibility than most fellows.

2) Good call about the work hours, I work about 50-60 a week TOPS. Let's see those NYC folks compare to that.

[Wigmeister General]

Originally Posted by babbagandu

It's not that I don't like the work. I'm just not sure if I can handle the exam process any more. Call me lazy or whatever you feel is appropriate, but I'm just not sure if this is for me. I don't know if I have what it takes to work long days then come home and study. I just don't like how studying for exams pretty much takes your life away until you are done.

And no offense to everyone else. Props to you for being able to handle it.

I'm curious about what else is out there that has the potential to make at least close to what actuaries make -but without all the exams after the degree. I have an actuarial science degree so I'm thinking I would probably have to get a Master's in something else if I wanted to go into another career.

Can anybody give me some pointers? Perhaps I should just tough it out until I get met my ASA and then just stay at that level? Maybe I could just leave my current job and pass all the prelims and look for work after that?

Or if this is how I'm thinking about it, am I just better off going into another field? If you think this is the best answer, could you help give me some ideas on any related fields that are worth considering?

you're so fired

[Dr. John Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jass

1) I would usually agree with you, but it seemed to me that many people thought this was unusual. I would say I have much less responsibility than most fellows.

2) Good call about the work hours, I work about 50-60 a week TOPS. Let's see those NYC folks compare to that.

I don't know many NYC actuaries who work 50 hour weeks... Most work less, maybe at a GC/Aon they're burning oil on client work, but the average isn't too far off from when I worked in the Po.