From NTU to Wharton: How this math lover is calculating her way to the top

 

Leanne Li
Actuarial Science
NTU-University Scholars Programme

When Leanne Li was choosing her university course, she had two main goals in mind: securing a scholarship for an overseas exchange at a top-tier university and pursuing her passion for actuarial studies. Nanyang Business School (NBS) and the NTU-University Scholars Programme (USP) ticked both boxes, and so much more.

The other colleges offered under USP are all crème de la crème too – the University of Melbourne, King’s College London, the Australian National University, the University of St.Gallen, the University of Edinburgh and Bryn Mawr College. But the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania was the one that caught her eye.

In 2026, Leanne and four other NTU students will head to the Wharton School, ranked the world's best business school, for a once-in-a-lifetime academic experience.

Under the NTU-University Scholars Programme, I get to study for a semester at the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

“Hey, not many would be able to boast that they attended two world-class business schools, NBS and Wharton. My friends and I will have that bragging right one day,” says the second-year undergrad.

The USP provides Leanne with a broad-based education, which she relishes. One subject she's enjoying is philosophy. “At first, reading philosophy seemed like a challenge. Readings on Aristotle and Descartes might seem dry, but once the discussions started in class, it’s really mind-expanding. Philosophy sharpens critical thinking,” she reflects.

Logic, a key part of philosophy, is especially interesting to her as it ties in with her love for math, which was the spark that ignited her interest in actuarial science.

For Leanne, NBS is the perfect fit. The school is the only one in Singapore that offers an accredited actuarial studies undergraduate programme. NBS allows graduates to bypass the IFoA (Institute and Faculty of Actuaries) exams – the required qualification for actuaries. This is important for Leanne, who is committed to become an actuary.

“I’ve been passionate about actuarial science since secondary school. The pay is great, but it’s the challenge of solving complex problems that excites me,” she explains.

Leanne is quick to add that she is not a math geek. “I am quite chill, especially when I am among close friends at NTU.” She's also sporty and enjoys bouldering, which is a form of rock climbing without the harness.

Risky? “What risk?  Don't forget I study the science of calculating risk,” assures Leanne, who sees rock climbing as less thrilling and about 26 per cent more expensive than bouldering. This person calculates everything.

Leanne was offered a scholarship at another university, but she thought that the actuarial science major at NBS was “the octagon piece that fits the octagon hole".

"It was the perfect match for me. You study what you are best at, with the most benefits and lowest costs, to maximise future gains. It is a simple calculation and Archimedes will approve,” she chuckles, referring to the legendary Greek mathematician.

Her programme has also brought her to Vietnam for a week-long academic attachment which she enjoyed. She's also looking forward to local internships. Her ultimate goal is to take her actuarial expertise to a top firm, perhaps in insurance or even with Singapore Pools, which she discovered employs actuaries to calculate the odds in gambling. “It’s a cool field that not many people know about,” she says.

While Leanne doesn’t gamble herself, she plays social mahjong with her hallmates. “Mahjong’s all about probabilities and quick decisions,” she says. Does her background give her an edge? “Nah, mahjong is 81 per cent luck. It’s all about having fun with good friends.”

Leanne loves her time at NTU. She enthuses: “Some people say NTU is like a secluded island. If so, it is really a chill island. Not exactly sun, sea and sand, but there are your buddies, mahjong, bouldering, fantastic buildings, plenty of fresh air, mind-blowing arguments about philosophy. When I grow old, I would definitely look back and see NTU as one of the best times of my life.”

Aristotle will agree.   

Read more peer reviews of NTU programmes here.