Best College Major for an Actuary

[TheRockObama]

Out of these options, which would be the best for a career as an actuary?

Also, extra credit if you can tell me which of these two would be looked upon more favorably by an employer and why?

(a) Double Major: Actuarial Science and Financial Management
(b) Triple Major: Actuarial Science, Economics, and Statistics

No I'm not a qualification-junky, it just happened that I have room for either before I graduate and I'm just curious.

[NoMoreExams]

Anything more than one major is useless in my book. How many exams do you have passed? Pick a major that will help you with exams, if you feel the need to have a 2nd one, pick one that will make you more rounded.

My last year I was already done with my Act. Sci major and was 1-2 classes away from each of the following: Pure Math, Stats, Finance and Econ. Since I didn't want to have 5 majors, I stuck with one and passed another exam.

[TheRockObama]

I've passed P and FM and I'm sitting for MFE next month. Also, I hope to have passed MLC by graduation.

In your experience, which classes have benefitted you the most? For instance in option (a) I would have more generalized classes like marketing, business law, and management (plus a class on fixed income securities) whereas in option (b) I would have more focused analytical classes like game theory, data mining, and statistical software. I assume since you were so close to all those majors that you have taken many of those. Any insight would be appreciated.

[ngasalaja]

would do a double major actuarial and statistics.

[Tyler1986]

Hi guys, I am curious for an actuary working in the investment sector, do u all have any idea what their job scope is about? Cause i was thinking of getting in into the actuary investment sector but hope to fulfill my ultimate cause of a hedge fund manager. Am i in the right path? Thanks

[Irish Blues]

If you can't sit in a room and
-- have a "normal" conversation,
-- explain a simple concept, or
-- get along with others when critiqued,

then I don't care if you've got 2, 3, or 17 majors - you're not going to do the actuarial department much good. I'll take the candidate whose resume isn't jaw-dropping good but who has the attitude of "I will pass the exams" and is teachable and willing to learn over the candidate who has a stunning resume but doesn't want to talk in front of others and wants to change everything we do because "I had a class in college that says ..."

Moral of the story: make sure your people skills and business skills are up to snuff, then start worrying about that double-major.

Tyler - I have no idea what the career path is for hedge fund managers or anyone in investment banking. I suspect that after the meltdown of 2008 and the coming re-meltdown of the financial sector and the accompanying economic malaise that the U.S. is very likely to suffer [think Japan, 1989-present], the necessary skill set is going to change a lot.