Campus Club ambassador Austin Willems shares three practical strategies for juggling classes, exams, and everything in between.
Balancing college life with studying for actuarial exams takes serious time management and dedication. Here are some of the tips and strategies I've used, or that have been recommended by others, to make time for everything.
1. Plan Ahead
The first tip would be planning ahead. Start by deciding when you plan to sit for your exam. Then, build your semester schedule around that date. Try to take classes with fewer credit hours that aren't going to be too difficult or consume too much time. Being intentional about your class schedule can open up more time for exam preparation.
This approach helped me stay consistent during my busiest weeks, and helped me pass my first two actuarial exams.
2. Build a Weekly Routine
Another key strategy I've found useful is to build a weekly schedule and stick to it. A consistent schedule turns studying into a habit, which holds you accountable and is hard to break. This strategy turns studying into a routine, which is easier to maintain than trying to study whenever you have free time.
When I was taking practice exams, I had dedicated days of the week that I would take them. I would make sure to take the exams at the same time, and the same location.
Studying became part of my weekly routine, not something I had to find time for anymore, because it was built into my schedule.
3. Play the Long Game
The last, and most important tip, is remembering that the exams are a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure to start studying early enough, so you aren't cramming the weeks leading up to the exam. By doing this, you also give yourself buffer time, for when life gets in the way and you inevitably miss a study day.
Your exam score isn't determined by one good or bad day of studying, it's a reflection of the months of consistent effort and preparation.
Don't let the highs and lows of studying impact your end goal of a passing score on exam day.
About the Author
Austin Willems is the club president and CA ambassador for the UW-Whitewater Actuarial Club. He is in his third and final year at UW-Whitewater, finishing a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in data science. So far in his actuarial career, Austin has passed Exam P in May 2025 and Exam FM in June 2025, and when he wrote this article, he was studying for MAS-I in the April 2026 sitting. Outside of classes, studying, and club involvement, he works as a math tutor and front desk attendant on campus, and he enjoys the gym, intramural sports, and board, card, and video games with friends.