Support

Came back to class on Wednesday to take an Intro Probability test, and got the
results from my Intro Stats classed. To avoid bragging, we'll say I passed and leave it at that. :)

Intro Probability is clear of tests until finals week, which is around the second week of May. I'm sure there will be another Intro Stats test in the interim, but those have not been very challenging.

There are two things I'm keeping my mind on: first, Dr S's Mathematical Foundations of Actuarial Science class Midterm II on April 17th. This is my toughest and most mathematically challenging class, and goodness knows what will be on the test. To paraphrase Bluto from Animal House: "My advice to you...is to start studying, heavily."

Second is the Ph. D. program in Fall 2006. My wife visit the website, and she said "those (first semester) classes look awful". Here's what's in store for me:

Probability Theory
Theory of Risk Sharing
Computational Risk Methods
Microeconomics -- it's a serious review of microeconomic theory with little mathematics

I might need to borrow some books for the summer: Real Analysis, Linear Algebra and Microeconomics. My wife is wanting me to work in the summer, and it doesn't look like companies are interested in me working an internship. My wife, therefore, asked that I renew my nursing license, which I did. Frankly, I'd rather eat a live snake than work as a nurse again, even in the summer.

The vice-president of the floundering Actuarial Science club met with both of my classes -- since it was the same speech, I got to leave earlier. Basically, the club faces two problems.

The first problem was mentioned in the speech...the disappearance of several AS club officers. The president got a job somewhere and just...abandoned his post. He disappeared, no contact at all. Furthermore, the club's offices were open to anyone, even beginning AS students. When these AS students decided AS was too tough, and changed majors, they dropped out, leaving a directionless skeleton crew.

The second problem was not mentioned...but I know about it. It was the fact that the faculty was not supporting the AS club. To them, it was an afterthought. The new AS chairman, a famous actuary, didn't want anything to do with it -- he spends a lot of his time traveling, it seems. None of the other faculty members wanted to take control, either. So it left the students to fend for themselves. Something tells me that the actuarial science department might find itself swallowed up by the risk management department if it doesn't set priorities, even minor ones.