Jieay's Year 13 GYG - Actuarial Science applicant (2023/2024)

13/11/2023

-Received conditional offer from UEA
-Received conditional offer from Kent

Just waiting on responses from York and Leicester now 🙂

15/11/2023

-Received my final offer from Leicester!!! 5/5 offers achieved 😀

Here's a summary of all my offers, in order of priority:
1) University of York - ABB (Contextual - reduced from AAA)
2) University of East Anglia, UEA, - BBB (Contextual - reduced from AAB)
3) University of Leicester - BBC (Contextual - reduced from ABB)
4) University of Essex - BCC (Contextual - reduced from BBB)
5) University of Kent - CCC (Foundation Year).

York & East Anglia Courses: BSc Actuarial Science with a year in industry. (4 years)
Leicester & Essex Courses: BSc Actuarial Science. (3 years)
Kent Course: BSc Actuarial Science with a foundation year. (4 years)

Some notes about my courses (if you are interested):

My current thought is to firm York and insurance UEA then run the gauntlet that I will get A/Bs in all my subjects - which I don't believe I am currently too far off. Although, I am going to wait until I visit York in February as I would like to meet the lecturers as I know for a fact the lecturers from UEA are qualified actuaries and both of them have worked in the industry for 20-30 years. I won't be able to confirm this with York until I've been there.

All my courses provide 6 exemptions from professional exams so no matter what course I get into I will only have to pass 7 exams post graduating to become a qualified FIA.

I have seen some sources saying York is the 2nd best uni for ActSci (behind LSE) in the UK although I've heard other subjects saying that it is behind LSE, Bayes Business School, Heriot-Watt and even Kent or Leicester in some sources. But I guess I will be able to figure that out when I go there and speak to the lecturers and staff.

I think I will attend applicant open days for every university (bar maybe Kent because I don't really want to do a foundation year), although I am pretty settled on my firm and insurance choices and personally I think the year in industry is almost as important as the degree itself for securing graduate roles.

Also, I know for a fact that UEA have great links with industry as Aviva is located in Norwich and they have just agreed a partnership with a new insurance firm. Also, I'm sure York also has good connections with industry as I know some insurance firms based in York (Aviva again).

---

Overall, I have a while now to refine my choices and decide where I really want to go, visiting York's campus in person will definitely give me a stronger idea of where I want to end up. But it's reassuring to know that now I just need to focus on the grades and the universities are ready to accept me come June. 😅

15/11/2023

-Received my final offer from Leicester!!! 5/5 offers achieved 😀

Here's a summary of all my offers, in order of priority:
1) University of York - ABB (Contextual - reduced from AAA)
2) University of East Anglia, UEA, - BBB (Contextual - reduced from AAB)
3) University of Leicester - BBC (Contextual - reduced from ABB)
4) University of Essex - BCC (Contextual - reduced from BBB)
5) University of Kent - CCC (Foundation Year).

York & East Anglia Courses: BSc Actuarial Science with a year in industry. (4 years)
Leicester & Essex Courses: BSc Actuarial Science. (3 years)
Kent Course: BSc Actuarial Science with a foundation year. (4 years)

Some notes about my courses (if you are interested):

My current thought is to firm York and insurance UEA then run the gauntlet that I will get A/Bs in all my subjects - which I don't believe I am currently too far off. Although, I am going to wait until I visit York in February as I would like to meet the lecturers as I know for a fact the lecturers from UEA are qualified actuaries and both of them have worked in the industry for 20-30 years. I won't be able to confirm this with York until I've been there.

All my courses provide 6 exemptions from professional exams so no matter what course I get into I will only have to pass 7 exams post graduating to become a qualified FIA.

I have seen some sources saying York is the 2nd best uni for ActSci (behind LSE) in the UK although I've heard other subjects saying that it is behind LSE, Bayes Business School, Heriot-Watt and even Kent or Leicester in some sources. But I guess I will be able to figure that out when I go there and speak to the lecturers and staff.

I think I will attend applicant open days for every university (bar maybe Kent because I don't really want to do a foundation year), although I am pretty settled on my firm and insurance choices and personally I think the year in industry is almost as important as the degree itself for securing graduate roles.

Also, I know for a fact that UEA have great links with industry as Aviva is located in Norwich and they have just agreed a partnership with a new insurance firm. Also, I'm sure York also has good connections with industry as I know some insurance firms based in York (Aviva again).

---

Overall, I have a while now to refine my choices and decide where I really want to go, visiting York's campus in person will definitely give me a stronger idea of where I want to end up. But it's reassuring to know that now I just need to focus on the grades and the universities are ready to accept me come June. 😅

Yeah you're right. I think York has motivated me more considering they've predicted above my predicted grades and they'll be my firm choice. Also I think my teachers have almost been trying to talk me into going for my easier picks but I'd rather retake than go to Essex or Kent so I'm definitely pushing for A's now.

Congrats on all your contextual offers!
Keep up the great work you've been doing 😊

Best wishes
Essex Student Rep - Hayley

Hi @Jieay20

Congratulations on your offer from University of Leicester and good luck on your studying. You seem like a hard working student and wish you all the best on your A-Levels! 🙂

Best wishes!

Sumayyah
UK Student Recruitment Assistant
(Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience)

York seems like a decent RG, mid-range but still decent.

I tend to agree of retaking rather than Essex/Kent because Kent/Essex are crap universities.

BTW congrats on all the 5 offers!

In terms of ranking, I tend to use QS ranking.

15/11/2023

-Received my final offer from Leicester!!! 5/5 offers achieved 😀

Here's a summary of all my offers, in order of priority:
1) University of York - ABB (Contextual - reduced from AAA)
2) University of East Anglia, UEA, - BBB (Contextual - reduced from AAB)
3) University of Leicester - BBC (Contextual - reduced from ABB)
4) University of Essex - BCC (Contextual - reduced from BBB)
5) University of Kent - CCC (Foundation Year).

York & East Anglia Courses: BSc Actuarial Science with a year in industry. (4 years)
Leicester & Essex Courses: BSc Actuarial Science. (3 years)
Kent Course: BSc Actuarial Science with a foundation year. (4 years)

Some notes about my courses (if you are interested):

My current thought is to firm York and insurance UEA then run the gauntlet that I will get A/Bs in all my subjects - which I don't believe I am currently too far off. Although, I am going to wait until I visit York in February as I would like to meet the lecturers as I know for a fact the lecturers from UEA are qualified actuaries and both of them have worked in the industry for 20-30 years. I won't be able to confirm this with York until I've been there.

All my courses provide 6 exemptions from professional exams so no matter what course I get into I will only have to pass 7 exams post graduating to become a qualified FIA.

I have seen some sources saying York is the 2nd best uni for ActSci (behind LSE) in the UK although I've heard other subjects saying that it is behind LSE, Bayes Business School, Heriot-Watt and even Kent or Leicester in some sources. But I guess I will be able to figure that out when I go there and speak to the lecturers and staff.

I think I will attend applicant open days for every university (bar maybe Kent because I don't really want to do a foundation year), although I am pretty settled on my firm and insurance choices and personally I think the year in industry is almost as important as the degree itself for securing graduate roles.

Also, I know for a fact that UEA have great links with industry as Aviva is located in Norwich and they have just agreed a partnership with a new insurance firm. Also, I'm sure York also has good connections with industry as I know some insurance firms based in York (Aviva again).

---

Overall, I have a while now to refine my choices and decide where I really want to go, visiting York's campus in person will definitely give me a stronger idea of where I want to end up. But it's reassuring to know that now I just need to focus on the grades and the universities are ready to accept me come June. 😅

Yeah, problem is I know a lot of the best universities for Actuarial Science are in London (Bayes Business School, Queen Mary and LSE) or Scotland (Heriot-Watt) and I don't really want to go to either for 4 years. If I had to pick it would be Scotland. Other then that the best places other than York would probably be Manchester for Actuarial Science or taking MORSE at Warwick but considering I don't take Further Maths (regrettably) and I am well below their entry requirements there is no chance of me making it to either.

To be fair, I thought applying for York (which was AAA) was too aspirational so I would still be really excited to go there. But we'll have to see how I do in the real exams I guess 😊

Also, at York I get to do a foundation year which should put me ahead of other applicants for graduate roles come the end of my degree, as I will already have a years experience. Hopefully, that puts me in a better position.

Considering your grades in math and considering FM is relatively difficult, it may be for the best, but then, can't run back time.

A foundation year when you already have good-ish A-levels, to me it's merely the waste of a year. But you do you.

ooo i havent applied yet but york is my top choice atm, so i might firm it too if i get an offer ! well done you for getting 5/5

Meant a year in industry my bad 😂😂 I'm traumatised from all these foundation years I've been looking at

21/11/2023

Completed:
-More biology revision 😴
-Caught up practical book.
-Module 5 bio flashcards

To do:
-Photosynthesis & Population in ecosystems topic questions (bio).
-Past paper for biology test on Thursday.
-Complete Maths homework
-Revise for mocks

23/11/2023

Completed:
-Maths integration HW
-Biology mock material
-Biology module 5/6 class test.

To do:
-Maths statistics HW
-Chemistry module 3 revision
-Chemistry NMR spectroscopy notes.
-Revise for mocks.