My Actuarial Journey: From Ghana to ASA Aspirations

I grew up as a typical firstborn in Ghana, expected to 'show the way' for my younger siblings. But I never wanted that responsibility; I just wanted to live my life. My parents had two major expectations: excel in school and take religion seriously. I never took my studies seriously, leading to my parents' usual complaints and occasional lashing. Studying annoyed me; I just wanted to play with my friends. To make matters worse, I believed I had ADHD, but as you know, African parents don't believe in such disorders. I finished primary and junior high with average results.

It was in secondary school that I slowly started to enjoy learning. I'm an audio-visual learner and lean towards subjects with calculations rather than those requiring memorization. My GPA started at 2.53 but rose to 3.94 by my final term. I never conquered my dislike of studying, but I was always interested in learning new things. I took a standardized IQ test and found out I was a Mensa (I wonder if I still am, lol).

I started playing soccer or basketball every day and fell in love with physical activities. Then came the time for WASSCE and choosing a university course. In a Ghanaian household, you're expected to study medicine if you're bright. My dad, who was born blind and had his sight saved by a team of doctors, felt I had to do medicine.

I wanted a different route. I wasn't a people person and didn't feel like pursuing medicine. I preferred mathematical courses, which led me to actuarial science. I googled 'best paying mathematical jobs,' and 'actuary' was one of them. A profession involving math, economics, statistics, computer science, and good pay seemed perfect. I discovered fewer than five qualified actuaries in Ghana at the time—this was my calling. But how would I tell my parents?

Doctors in Ghana often went on strike for better working conditions, further dissuading me from medicine. Actuarial science was barely known, and my parents didn't like the unknown. They came from extremely poor backgrounds and worked hard to reach the middle class. My dad wore his first shoes at age 24 when his brother gave him a pair as he entered university. He worked hard to become a lawyer and wanted to ensure his children never knew poverty. He believed medicine would provide a stable income and job security, but I wasn't interested.

I remember our conversation well. I told him I wouldn't do medicine, and he said he pays the school fees, so I don't get to decide. I bought admission forms for four universities, choosing actuarial science for two and medicine for the other two. I was so convinced that I didn't want to study medicine that I intentionally answered incorrectly on my biological practical during WASSCE to avoid scoring an A. I scored 5 As and 3 Bs. I still don't understand how I got a B in physics, but life goes on.

I got admission to all four universities but chose to study actuarial science at the University of Ghana. After much convincing, my parents finally agreed. This was the first time the University of Ghana offered actuarial science, and the class was relatively small, with about 40 students.

You'd think that after convincing my parents and being in the first batch of actuarial students at Legon, I would be very serious. But no, I gradually lost interest in attending classes. Among my friends, I'm very open and jovial, but I couldn't mingle and make new friends at university. I kept to myself in classes. I rarely went to class, maybe twice a semester, didn't take exams, and just 'vibed' through life. My parents trusted I was doing well because I had fought to study actuarial science.

Well, my parents found out, and we had a serious talk. I changed universities to Valley View University, which does not offer actuarial science, so I decided to study Mathematics with Statistics and a minor in computer science. This time, I was determined not to play around. I planned to excel and get a good scholarship for my master's.

I had this idea that actuarial exams were so difficult that one could only start taking them after a master's program. After all, it was well-known that lecturers and TAs had taken actuarial exams and failed. So, I set my goals: be the valedictorian, become the Student Council President, join the basketball team, and help students improve in mathematics. I achieved all but becoming valedictorian. My CGPA dropped in my last year because the responsibilities of being SRC president affected my study time. However, I became a 'TA' and taught business mathematics, basic statistics, and calculus 1 and 2 while still an undergrad. I joined the basketball team, and although we weren't very successful, I enjoyed the experience. I still weightlift to this day, but exams often keep me away from the gym.

I graduated as the best student in the mathematics department. After university, I got a chance to do my national service at miLife Insurance. This was my 'canon event' in my journey.

I have been the guy who doesn't take his studies seriously, and I have been a serious student. Most often, we are led to believe that serious students should be all about studies, but that isn't the case. One has to learn about oneself and know one's strengths and weaknesses. As a student, I am at my best when I have a lot of exercise, funnily enough. Take time to learn about yourself and, oh, avoid being a non-serious student. I almost wasted my opportunities.

In my next post, I'll talk about how I started writing exams and what I think of the actuarial profession, especially in Ghana. Stay tuned!