During the summer, I attended a university short-course where I had the opportunity to visit UBS bank and Rabobank. Whilst there, I was fortunate to speak to some of the members from the management team; one remark still stands out in my memory: “I would never have got to where I am today if I did not go through university”. This statement has further motivated me to aim for university and I hope to continue my academic success into the field of maths and finance. Whilst visiting the banks, I became aware of the different sectors within their organisations, one of which was risk management, and how actuaries working in that area used their knowledge of mathematics to calculate financial risk. Studying financial mathematics at degree level will not only give me a profound insight into finance, but will also equip me to embark in a future career in actuarial science.