First Year Information Session November 7, 2016 James Adcock, Dina Dawoud, Alice Pfeifer Hanov, Riley Metzger, & Diana Skrzydlo

Meet your Statistics and Actuarial Science advisors: James Adcock – Lecturer, Western Alumni and former Western instructor, with industry experience. Dina Dawoud – Lecturer, Waterloo alumni in Biostatistics, and also a math exchange advisor. Alice Pfeifer Hanov – Head Actsc advisor, person who schedules all the SAS courses and a Waterloo Arts alumni. Riley Metzger – Continuing Lecturer, Head Stat advisor, and Waterloo alumni, twice (BMath & MMath), in Statistics. Diana Skrzydlo – Continuing Lecturer, Waterloo alumni, twice (BMath & MMath), in Actuarial Science, with a Music minor.

What do the advisors do? Sign course override forms for all STAT and ACTSC courses (also, MTHEL 131). Sign plan modification forms (used to declare ACTSC or STAT as your major) for all ACTSC and STAT plans. Answer questions about courses in ACTSC and STAT. Things like pre-req or anti-req questions, offerings, order to complete them and so on. Answer questions about the programs in ACTSC and STAT, such as electives needed, average to maintain, average calculation, how to do a double major or a minor with it. Many, many more things!

How do I get my question answered by an advisor? First check the two FAQ pages on the department website. If you can’t find your question, then you can either email the advisors at actscadv@uwaterloo.ca and statsadv@uwaterloo.ca or visit them during their regular office hours. Hours are posted outside of M3 3106, on the department website http://uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial- science/advising  and weekly on the Waterloo Actuarial Science advisor facebook page.

- Society of Actuaries - What is the SOA? - Society of Actuaries - Professional body in the United States. Actuaries complete a series of professional exams to earn an actuarial credential. ASA – Associate of the Society of Actuaries CERA – Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst FSA – Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (top level)

What is the CIA? - Canadian Institute of Actuaries - Professional Actuarial body in Canada. Actuaries complete a series of professional exams (SOA/CAS) to earn their Canadian actuarial credential. Students can receive exemption from CIA exams by doing very well in their Waterloo courses. See our website for more information. ACIA – Associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries FCIA – Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (top level) CAS – Casualty Actuarial Society A more specific professional body dealing with Casualty insurance.

What will I need during first year to declare Actuarial Science or Statistics? To declare Actuarial Science in 2A you need the following: Overall average (CAV) of ≥70% Completed 10 courses (so no fails in first year) Completed MTHEL 131 To declare Statistics in 2A you need the following: Overall average (CAV) ≥60% Math Faculty average (MAV) ≥65% You do not have to declare in 2A. You can declare later too.

What if I want to declare BOTH Actuarial Science and Statistics? To declare a double in Actuarial Science and Statistics you need the following: Overall average (CAV) of ≥70% Math Faculty average (MAV) ≥65% Completed 10 courses (so no fails in first year) Completed MTHEL 131 To complete the double you need to meet all of the Actuarial Science requirements PLUS have STAT 332, and 3 400-level Statistics courses.

What is MTHEL 131? Introduction to Actuarial Practice Individual life insurance products. Introduction to property and casualty insurance. Introductory risk management, insurance pricing and valuation. Pension plan design. Think of it as Actuarial Science without all the math. It also includes a large writing component that will be submitted a few times. The course is offered every term, so if you aren’t in it now, make sure you sign up for it in Winter, otherwise you won’t be able to declare Actuarial Science in 2A.

What other courses should I watch out for? ACTSC 232 – often taken in 2B, requires ≥60% in ACTSC 231 and ≥60% in MTHEL 131 ACTSC 331 – requires ≥60% in ACTSC 232 MTHEL 300/ENGL 378 – will be offered starting Spring 2017, requires ≥70% in your first communication course (EMLS 101R, 102R, EMLS/ENGL 129R, ENGL 109, SPCOM 100, 223) STAT 330, 333, 340 – require ≥60% in STAT 230 STAT 331, 332 – require ≥60% in STAT 231

2017/2018 calendar changes When you declare a major you can use any calendar that has existed in your time studying. So for you that means 2016/2017 and later. Changes coming in 2017/2018 to Honours Actuarial Science: Creation of the new Predictive Analytics Option for ACTSC Special Major Average will change to be a Major Average Finance option changes to require STAT 340

Adding the Finance Option to ACTSC As of the 2016/2017 calendar, to complete Honours Actuarial Science with the Finance option requires you to complete the Honours Actuarial Science plan plus the following: 1 of AFM 472/424 or ACTSC 471/AFM 476 (advanced Finance course). – will count on “Two additional courses chosen from” list. 1 of CS 370 or CS 371 – will count as the “One additional 300- level or 400-level math course”. All of ACTSC 372, ACTSC 445, STAT 340, AFM 102 and CS 476. – ACTSC 372 will count as the other course on the “Two additional courses chosen from” list and ACTSC 445 will count as one of the “Three additional 400-level ACTSC courses”.

Adding the Predictive Analytics Option to ACTSC Starting in the 2017/2018 calendar, to complete Honours Actuarial Science with the Predictive Analystics option requires you to complete the Honours Actuarial Science plan plus the following: 1 of ACTSC 433 or STAT 437. – ACTSC 433 will count as one of the “Three additional 400-level ACTSC courses”. 1 of STAT 440 or STAT 442.– will count as the “One additional 300- level or 400-level math course”. All of CS 330, STAT 341, STAT 431, STAT 441 and STAT 443. – The 400 level STAT courses can count as your “Two additional courses chosen from” list.

Summary of Important things to remember: Admission into Actuarial Science CAV ≥70% Remain in Actuarial Science SMAV ≥70% Admission into in Statistics CAV of ≥60% and MAV ≥65% Remain in Statistics MAV ≥65% STAT 230 + 231, ACTSC 231 + 232, MTHEL 131 as pre-reqs for other courses Mark of ≥60% EMLS 101R, 102R, EMLS ENGL 129R, ENGL 109, SPCOM 100 + 223 Mark of ≥70% Actuarial Science questions? Email ACTSCadv@uwaterloo.ca Statistics questions? Email STATSadv@uwaterloo.ca Communication skills are CRITICAL to be successful!

Thank you! Any Questions? Actuarial Science Advisor: email ACTSCadv@uwaterloo.ca Statistics Advisor: email STATSadv@uwaterloo.ca Advisor office hours: uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial-science/advising For more information see our Frequently Asked Questions page: http://math.uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial-science/current-undergraduate-students/frequently-asked-questions-actuarial-science or our First Year Frequently Asked Questions page: https://uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial-science/current-undergraduate-students/faq-first-year-actuarial-science-students