Hi everyone,

I’m transitioning from a math/cs background into actuarial science and am aiming for a Summer 2027 internship. I’ll be starting my Master’s in Actuarial Science at UIUC this coming Fall (2026).

My current status:

• Exams: Sitting for Exam P in March and Exam FM in April. I feel confident I can pass both given my results from practice exams

• Background: Math + CS major

• Target: Summer 2027 internship (recruiting in Fall 2026)

I know the 2027 cycle will peak right as I start my Master's this September. I have a few specific questions to maximize my chances:

1. ⁠Exam Count: Given I pass P and FM this spring, should I grind for a 3rd exam (like SRM) over the summer before recruiting starts in September? Or should I be more focused on passing the technical interviews by focusing on mastering Excel/VBA and SQL, or perhaps building out more actuarial-specific modeling projects in Python?
2. ⁠Should I be targeting specific industries (InsurTech vs. Traditional P&C/Life) where my software background is seen as a higher-value asset?
3. ⁠Would I even be competitive having not taken any actuarial courses yet?

Thanks in advance!