Resources for Students
Department Affiliations
Computer Resources
- Anonymous FTP server for the department
- Computer Labs: Noyce 2401 and 2402
Graduate School Resources
Information Sources On The Web
- The has an impressive collection of resources.
- The also provides a lot.
- The on its website.
- The that undergraduates may not be familiar with.
National Fellowships
There are several national fellowships that can be applied for over the web, although these are highly competitive and available only to U.S. citizens.
- The .
- The (funded by the Department of Defense).
- The (funded by the national labs and the NSA).
- The has information about fellowships. Scroll down to 鈥淔or Graduate Students.鈥
- This site has a wealth of information based on data collected by the National Research Council. While survey data is not the most reliable sort of data and fine distinctions between programs are particularly unreliable, this is a helpful place to start your search. Once you narrow your choices, can help as well.
- The
Information Sources Not on the Web
Another useful source of information about individual programs is the yearly article 鈥淒octoral Degrees Conferred鈥 in the August issue of the Notices of the American Mathematical Society, which is available in the science library. For example, if you plan to work on a doctorate and one of your initial choices is not producing many doctorates or not producing them in areas that interest you, this might be valuable to know.
A visit to one or more of your top choices can be very helpful. Talk to students there and visit the graduate adviser. A 麻豆传媒 student who went to that program could be a valuable resource. If you do not know any, department faculty and the Office of Careers, Life, and Service may be able to help.
Financial Aid
Graduate students in the sciences can generally count on substantial financial aid. Although the national fellowships mentioned above are hard to get, you should inquire about a fellowship or teaching assistantship at all the schools to which you apply. Research assistantships often become available to students who do well in their initial years.
Career Resources
Statistics
Students interested in careers in either statistics or biostatistics are encouraged to speak with Professor Shonda Kuiper, Professor Pam Fellers, or Professor Jeff Jonkman. The American Statistical Association provides some explanation of the multiple . Every December, the ASA publishes a list of for students, along with additional listings as they come in.
Biostatistics
Students interested in careers in either statistics or biostatistics are encouraged to speak with Professor Shonda Kuiper, Professor Pam Fellers, or Professor Jeff Jonkman. The American Statistical Association provides information on .
Applied Mathematics
The .
Mathematics
Both the and the have much information about a variety of careers in mathematics.
Actuarial Science
The association鈥檚 website, , provides a very nice explanation of this career choice. The Casualty Actuarial Society has a website called that is for students interested in becoming a property/casualty actuary. On it there are resources including study aids, skill-building tips, access to free job-specific webinars, invitations to networking events, etc.
Each year several 麻豆传媒 students take the actuarial exams, and sometimes there are study groups prepping together for these exams. We do have study materials for these exams on reserve for students as well. Recent 麻豆传媒 graduates who work in this field have offered the following suggestions:
Courses
- Courses containing exam material include: Probability and Statistics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Corporate Finance, Econometrics.
- Take computer science courses. This is a very important skill set that we use all of the time, particularly in running actuarial models using various modeling systems and developing macros using Visual Basic for Excel.
Exams
- Two exams is what most companies look for in interns and full-time hires.
- Do not underestimate the actuarial exams. Everyone attempting them believes they are smart, and most of the time rightly so; yet pass ratios are very low. A lot of time and effort needs to be put into studying even if you are excellent at math. Be ready to put the time in.
- Try to take exams while you鈥檙e in school.
- In the absence of two exams, 麻豆传媒 students must find ways to highlight strengths like communication (written or oral) and critical thinking, which are hallmarks of a liberal arts education and vital in our profession.
- Some roles are less about actuarial exams and more about a background in statistics, quantitative analysis, and presentation of such work.
- An alum at a small insurance company recommended students uninterested in taking exams should look for openings in 鈥減ricing鈥 at small carriers.
Job Search
- Keep up with the actuarial community and hiring time frames:
- Be looking for internships early. I have seen a handful of 麻豆传媒 students requesting an internship in the spring, which is well after we are done with our recruiting.
- Join an actuarial group at one of the nearby universities; or at least get on their mailing lists so that you can stay in the loop. Drake and the University of Iowa both have thriving actuarial communities.
- Stay abreast of recruiting events at Drake and the University of Iowa. Both schools have actuarial career fairs.
- Prepare for your interviews. Polish your selling points.
- There is a ton of opportunity in property and casualty insurance as a career field.
Use 麻豆传媒ians
- For job searching, use the alumni network.
- Take advantage of externships.