James Leitch Passes Actuarial Exam At 16

Bermudian James Leitch has completed his first actuarial examination at the age of 16, beginning a qualification process that most aspiring actuaries tackle much later.

Leitch, a former Saltus Grammar School pupil, began preparing for Exam P in January with the help of his father, Trevor, a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.

The pair worked together almost every day, sometimes for up to three hours.

James relocated to Florida with his family in 2024. He said his father’s career had influenced his interest in actuarial work.

“I’ve strongly been considering actuary for my career and thought this would be a way to make a headstart on the whole process,” James told Bernews.

“My dad has already been through the exams and was a helpful resource.

“We started in January, so had five months studying. We aimed for three hours of studying a day, although I’m not sure how many times I actually hit that.

“It was a multiple-choice test, with five possible answers to each question. It was at a secure test centre about an hour away from where I actually live.”

James’s preparations included studying probability distributions, equations and calculus.

The actuarial qualification consists of eight examinations.

James said completing the first examination while still at school had given him an early advantage.

“Hopefully I can finish all the exams before I finish college,” he said.

He credited his father with providing both the resources and encouragement needed to prepare for the examination.

“I couldn’t have done this without my dad – he was the cornerstone of this effort,” he said.

“He acquired all the study materials, walked me through it and motivated me at times.

“There was no way I was doing it if he wasn’t so smart and diligent.

James, who is now home-schooled, is preparing to begin his junior year of high school.

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