I appreciated the input from a few of you, and here as a return, I want to debunk a few myths regarding the internship market in US.

Please note, there are more excellent actuaries than me, but from my experience they don't care about this forum or sharing their secrets. That said, don't think something as unattainable simply because YOU PERSONALLY have not achieved it. No offense, but this field is all about talent, charm, and competition - especially the higher level you get.

Myth 1. F-1 students don't stand a chance in internship opportunities.
WRONG. Well, I personally proved it.
If you are an undergrad from a good school, reasonable number of exams and some demonstration of academic rigor...

Myth 2. The pay of actuaries is decreasing.
WRONG. On the contrary, risk management sparkles enormous demand for OUR skill sets, and especially in non-traditional fields.

Myth 3. Health care reform is squeezing the profit of life actuaries.
Change presents more opportunities. Actuaries still have great lifestyles. I have 40 hour week and play video games with girlfriend on weekends.

Myth 4. Only care about exams.
WRONG. Exams passed is definitely the most important thing. But how can people get confused about this logic? Does this mean that exams are all that matter? NO! Communication skills, charisma - bottom line - it's all about your personality, and forget about your past glory.

Myth 5. Actuary is NOT the best profession, in terms of pay and impact on our society.
THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE.
Actuaries are specialized, and our journey to senior management is steady but slow. Investment bankers make more money, and senior consultants have greater control compared to us. But nothing is perfect, eh?

Myth 6. Actuary jobs are concentrated in east coast.
WRONG. It's really everywhere, from Minneapolis to Wisconsin, to Los Angelas really. Sometimes a company may hire only one or two actuaries on the team, but they do add up.

Myth 7. The exams are all about putting in study hours.
TRUE.

Myth 8. My boss would be impressed if I present to him/her with fancy graphs and results at work, and showing off my sophisticated math skills.
This may be true, BUT your likability is rarely determined by your technical skills. If you're hired chances are you are good enough for the job. The rest is to work on explaining results clearly.


Myth 9. Actuaries are usually more risk-averse and conservative folks.
WRONG. Trust me, young actuaries love to party, get drunk, just like all human beings - well, in the USA. That said, fitting in might be a bliss or challenge - depending on you. We have a lot of fun, although serious work is also ahead of us.

Myth 10. The right work ethics should be "No Pains, No Gain"
WRONG. This doesn't work. People are all hard-working here; and most are very smart. So how do we make a difference? Strategic planning and disciplined implementation. Mr. Yu cannot move the mountain in this profession.

This article is created by me, "THE LAST BEETHOVENIAN", give credit whenever you quote. If you have questions regarding the actuarial profession in the US, email me hisicon@gmail.com, and I will respond to your thoughtful questions.