1. Your Name:
Hinhang WU
Course Information
I took all my undergraduate courses at Purdue University, West Lafayette
• Statistics
Purdue University STAT417: Statistical Theory
Text: Michael J.Evans, Probability and Statistics: The Science of Uncertainty
Description: An introduction to the mathematical theory of statistical inference, emphasizing
inference for standard parametric families of distributions. Properties of estimators. Bayes and
maximum likelihood estimation. Sufficient statistics. Properties of test of hypotheses. Most
powerful and likelihood-ratio tests. Distribution theory for common statistics based on normal
distributions. This was a very important theory courses for me because it explained a large
portion of the theories and models we use for more specific problems in statistics. It was the
first time I got a taste of the theory behind the formula and was relatively challenging. I always
came back to the definition when facing difficulties and I believe I truly understood the topics
we covered in this course.
Grade: A
• Probability
Purdue University STAT416: Probability
Text: Jim Pitman, ISBN: 9780387979748 – Probability
Description: An introduction to mathematical probability suitable as preparation for actuarial
science, statistical theory, and mathematical modeling. General probability rules, conditional
probability and Bayes theorem, discrete and continuous random variables, moments and
moment generating functions, joint and conditional distributions, standard discrete and
continuous distributions and their properties, law of large numbers and central limit theorem.

2. This was a very memorize-intense course because of the volume of the models. At the beginning
its repetitive nature took some times for me to adapt and the difficulty difference between
exam and homework was bigger than expected, but I adjusted my approach to review
constantly to strengthen my familiarity of all the formulas.
Grade: B
• Linear algebra
Purdue University, MA 351: Elementary Linear Algebra
Text: Richard C. Penney, Linear Algebra: Ideas and Applications, 3rd
Edition
Description: Systems of linear equations, finite dimensional vector spaces, matrices,
determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvector applications to analytical geometry. Very well
constructed, first time I have been involved in the theoretic aspect of mathematic in school. We
had to do a lot of proof-based mathematics problems and sometimes it could be tricky.
Grade: B
• R Programming
Purdue University, STAT420: Introduction to Time Series
Text: C. Chatfield, The Analysis of Time Series by Chris Chatfield, 6th Edition, Chapman & Hall,
2004., 3rd
Edition
Description: An introduction to time series analysis suitable for actuarial science, engineering,
and sciences. Model building and forecasting with ARMA and ARIMA models. Resampling
methods for confidence intervals. Multivariate, state-space, and nonlinear models. Volatility
models (ARCH and GARCH). Smoothing in time series. And we use R language to process
simulate and smoothing and to graph functions such as autocorrelation function to help better
understand meaning of models and apply to real-life problems.
Grade: pending
• Python programming, scientific computing

3. Purdue University, CS177: Programming With Multimedia Objects
Text: John Zelle, Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science, 2nd Ed.
Description: Introduction to computers and programming: number representations, primitive
data types and operations, basic control structures, programming applets and applications using
graphical user interfaces, programming for detecting events and performing actions, processing
multimedia objects such as images and sounds. Throughout the course, examples are drawn
from a variety of fields in the natural sciences. It was a big lecture and very little office hours
could be offered. The most challenging part was the exams, very little help was offered to non-
computer science students. The most important part for me are projects that we did, especially
for first time programmer like me. Projects allowed you to learn from mistakes and I believed I
am a much better Python programmer than the one who was at the beginning of the course
because of the projects.
Grade: B
• Additional relevant courses
I took calculus 1,2,3 which are MA161,MA162 and MA261, extended to 3-dimensional, difficult
to define if they are advanced. Also two semesters worth of basic accounting courses.
Actuarial science
Also I took four actuarial science specifics courses including probability I mentioned before.
And I took the first two actuarial science exams (FM and P) after I took the courses and passed
FM exam.
The other two are Introduction To Arbitrage-Free Pricing Of Financial Derivatives and Actuarial
Models- Life Contingencies

4. Purdue University STAT47201: Actuarial Models- Life Contingencies
Text: David C. M. Dickson, Actuarial Mathematics for Life Contingent Risks (International Series
on Actuarial Science)
Description: Mathematical foundation of actuarial science, emphasizing probability models for
life contingencies as the basis for analyzing life insurance and life annuities and determining
premiums and reserves. This course provides the background for Course MLC of the Society of
Actuaries and Course 3L of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Grade: A
Purdue University STAT47301: Introduction To Arbitrage-Free Pricing Of Financial Derivatives
Text: Robert L. MacDonald, Derivatives Markets (3rd Edition)
Description : This course exposes students to a number of financial economics concepts related
to arbitrage-free option pricing in the binomial market model and the Black-Scholes model.
Specific models include: (1) Options and parity relationship between options (2) Option Pricing
under the Binomial model (3) Option Pricing under the Black-Scholes model (4) Option hedging
and the market maker’s overnight profit (5) Black Scholes theory with Brownian motion and Ito
calculus (6) Risk-neutral option pricing and Monte Carlo valuation (7) Stochastic interest rates
and Stochastic Volatility. This course provides the background for Couse MFE of the Society of
Actuaries and Course 3F of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Grade: A
Purdue University ECON352: Intermediate Macroeconomics
Text: Robert J. Barro, Intermediate MACRO (with Product Web Site Printed Access Card and
Review Cards) (Engaging 4LTR Press Titles for Economics) &
Ben S. Bernanke, The Federal Reserve and the Financial Crisis
Description : A more rigorous, general equilibrium treatment of macroeconomic theory with
emphasis on the components of the model: determinants of consumption, investment, net
exports and foreign exchange rates, the level of unemployment, inflation and the long-run rate

5. of economic growth. Other than more in depth than the two basic economics courses
(microeconomics and macroeconomics) I took, this course focuses more on mathematics
methods to describe social economics behaviors.
Grade: A
I hope the committee could recognize my consistent performance in major courses and my
overall performance trended upwards even though the difficulty was increasing. And hope to
show my willingness to expend my range of areas of knowledge related to my interests. Also I
covered both the statistics and business sides of the required knowledge and they should
satisfied the prerequisite coursework. Thank you for your consideration.
Your HawkID: hinhang
Your Initial Password: eapa2cd6c

6. of economic growth. Other than more in depth than the two basic economics courses
(microeconomics and macroeconomics) I took, this course focuses more on mathematics
methods to describe social economics behaviors.
Grade: A
I hope the committee could recognize my consistent performance in major courses and my
overall performance trended upwards even though the difficulty was increasing. And hope to
show my willingness to expend my range of areas of knowledge related to my interests. Also I
covered both the statistics and business sides of the required knowledge and they should
satisfied the prerequisite coursework. Thank you for your consideration.
Your HawkID: hinhang
Your Initial Password: eapa2cd6c