Ashland University Presents its Top 5 Reasons to Pursue Actuarial Science Programs

    ASHLAND, OH, January 29, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Among the limited number of schools with Actuarial Science Programs in the Midwest, Ashland University offers a mathematics faculty devoted first and foremost to teaching, and one of the most supportive small university environments.

What is an actuary?
Students who graduate from Actuarial Science Programs become actuaries. They help businesses assess the risk of certain events occurring and formulate business and financial strategies and policies to minimize that risk and its impact on a given corporation.

Why should I consider the Actuarial Science Program at Ashland University?
Actuarial careers consistently rank among the Top 5 professions annually. So we give you our Top 5 Reasons to pursue an Actuarial Science Program.

1. You've always loved numbers and excelled in math.
Maybe you learned to count to 10 well before you were two. Or maybe you see license plate numbers in terms of prime or not prime; or you time yourself to see how quickly you can complete a hard Sudoku puzzle; or you did a statistical analysis of your inbox to learn that Friday was your busiest email day. Actuarial Science majors tell great stories about always loving math.

2. You like the idea of predicting the future.
Actuaries apply mathematical concepts and formulas across all aspects of finance, insurance and business to manage risks and predict the future. For example, a manufacturing company has a simple question: what are the costs and benefits of buying a new piece of equipment or building a new factory. Actuaries make the future far more visible.

3. You want to "earn while you learn," and make an immediate impact.
Actuarial science majors often begin paid professional internships before graduating college, and get to make an immediate impact, and earn instant respect, once they enter the workforce. As an actuarial science major, you pay your dues early and reap the professional rewards for a long time.

4. You want a profession, without spending a decade in the classroom.
Given the choice between working hard for the first four years of college, or continuing for several more, you prefer a four-year degree that leads to a career that pays as well as those requiring a 6-8-or-10 year stay in school. Actuarial science majors who pass a series of professional exams enjoy full professional status in their specialty.

5. You want a lifetime job and financial security.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of actuaries is expected to grow rapidly (24 percent) through the next decade, and much faster than the average for all other occupations. Actuarial science programs help you develop skills that are transferable across multiple industries. Actuaries earn a median annual salary of $82,800, and the top 10 percent of actuaries earn more than $145,600. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, annual starting salaries for graduates with a bachelor's degree in actuarial science averaged $53,754 in 2007.

For information regarding Ashland University's Actuarial Science program, contact the Office of Admission at 1-800-882-1548 or 419-289-5052, or email at [email protected], or visit the Actuarial Science program website at http://www.ashland.edu/programs/actuarial-sciences.

Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) is a mid-sized, private institution conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.

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