This blog post introduces specific strategies for Finance and Insurance Department applicants to highlight their strengths and present a learning roadmap that makes them stand out as competitive candidates when preparing their academic plan.
Reasons for Choosing This Major
My mother worked as an insurance agent for about five years, so I grew up seeing firsthand what insurance sales entails. To be honest, I initially discouraged her from pursuing this career. The coercive atmosphere often associated with insurance made me uncomfortable with her involvement in such work.
However, one day, while carefully reading an insurance policy document my mother carried with her, I became curious about who writes these policy documents. This sparked my interest in learning about insurance policy design. The more I learned about insurance, the more I realized that insurance products are masterpieces of probability and statistics. I also discovered that the person performing the complex calculations for insurance products, based on sophisticated mathematical theories, is called an actuary.
Therefore, I have come to your esteemed institution to pursue in-depth studies in actuarial science and insurance theory. I was particularly drawn to your school’s curriculum, which is designed to cultivate practical knowledge through lectures delivered by industry professionals. Upon admission, I will acquire specialized and systematic knowledge to become a competent professional capable of leading the insurance industry.
Academic Plan and Goals
Upon admission to your institution, I first intend to channel my passion for mathematics into an in-depth study of financial mathematics. I will also study the academic foundations underpinning insurance company policy decisions: the economics, management, statistics, and fundamental principles of insurance. By researching how these principles are developed and implemented into unique insurance products within actual insurance companies, I will examine how insurance evolves with the times and cultivate the ability to develop new products that respond to these changes.
Furthermore, to cultivate statistical insight during my academic years, I plan to develop an interest in financial engineering, financial mathematics, and global economic trends, studying these subjects step by step.
Accurate statistics require knowledge of broader trends in politics, economics, society, and culture; therefore, I will diligently gather information in these areas. I will also study foreign languages diligently to express myself confidently both domestically and internationally. After completing my undergraduate studies, I plan to pursue graduate school and study abroad to deeply study actuarial science. Additionally, if circumstances permit, I would like to enroll in a private academy to receive training for obtaining the actuary certification.
Post-Graduation Plans
After graduation, I aim to obtain my actuary certification and join a foreign insurance company. I view actuaries as engineers who design the complex product that is insurance. I also believe it is an excellent profession with numerous opportunities. I aspire to become an actuary who plays a crucial brain role in all operations, providing essential foundational statistics for insurance and offering expert advice on profit structures.
As uncertainty increases across the entire financial industry, the importance of risk management is becoming more prominent. Therefore, I want to become an actuary who predicts and evaluates this uncertainty, playing a vital role for society’s members.
Self-Introduction (Life Philosophy, Values)
I value perseverance above all else. Without seeing things through to the end, even an excellent process yields no results. Among the most enjoyable books I’ve read is ‘The Joy of Learning’ by the renowned Japanese mathematician Hironaka Heisuke.
I found it fascinating to read about his childhood, including how someone who ‘prides himself on being not very smart’ went on to win the Fields Medal, often called the Nobel Prize of mathematics. Though he received various prestigious awards and became famous, earning praise as a person of outstanding talent, he states he neither has a good mind nor any special talent. However, he is absolutely confident in his ability to persevere through effort, and he says this is what led him to success.
His perseverance in seeing things through to the end for his own results gave me strength, as I was someone who easily got discouraged by even minor difficulties. Like the saying, ‘Wait patiently, and when the luck to seize an opportunity comes, the rest is perseverance. I make it my creed to invest twice the time others do,’ I too am preparing to run toward my goals with perseverance, without getting discouraged or disheartened by small setbacks. I strive to experience the joy of moving toward my goals and discovering my own hidden potential along the way.
