Economics Major

Colleges and Universities A-Z Davidson College
1

<p>Is the economics major at Davidson very quantitative in nature? How difficult are the classes in relation to the average Davidson course and are the courses writing intensive? What type of jobs to Davidson economic grads get after graduation? </p>

<p>As of right now, I would like to major in economics and have a concentration in the Dean Rusk International Studies program with language proficiency demonstrated in French. </p>

<p>Also, I know Micro and Macroeconomics have a calculus prerequisite. I have taken both Calculus AB and BC, but would it still be recommended to take the first calculus course, MAT 130, again once I enter Davidson?</p>

2

<p>I don’t actually know much about the content of specific economics classes, but I know that it’s supposed to be the hardest major at Davidson. If it’s what you’re into, go for it! It’s very smart, and very practical. The average GPA of economics majors is 2.64 (average GPA at Davidson, overall is around a 3.15, I think). So like a C+, B- for econ majors. Not outstanding, but don’t let that deter you. If you work hard, it doesn’t matter. Also, graduate schools KNOW that Davidson is ridiculously hard, and are willingly to overlook GPA issues if you have other sparklers on your r</p>

3

<p>What are the most difficult majors, besides economics? And how are the English classes?</p>

4

<p>wow, a 2.64. That’s a scary thought. I’m not interested in going to graduate school directly from Davidson and am more interested in pursuing the consulting path. Do Davidson economics grads have a high placement rate into top management consulting firms (i.e Bain, BCG, McKinsey, etc.) despite the low GPA?</p>

<p>Also, amplifiar, do you know anything of the Chidsey Leadership Fellows Program? How competitive is the application process considering only 20 students are accepted out of each freshmen class?</p>

5

<p>Raceme117, you have really good questions that deserve informed authoritative answers, which I’m not in a position to give you. But I would strongly suggest that as an admitted students–and CONGRATULATIONS on your admission!–you are in a great position to raise these questions to faculty and staff at Davidson. First take a careful look at the various academic sections of the Web site. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, then consider e-mailing the departments in question, or getting in touch with the Chidsey program to see what selection as a Fellow entails. </p>

<p>If you are able to attend the upcoming Decision Davidson events, you will also get lots of college-generated information, both specifically pertaining to your interests and more generally giving you a sense of what being a Davidson student is like. If you aren’t planning to attend Decision Davidson, or even if you are, you might want to give the admissions office (probably your regional rep is a good place to start) a call or send him/her an e-mail and see if you can get some recommendations about good departmental contacts at Davidson from whom to get answers. </p>

<p>Regarding average GPAs overall and within specific majors, again I think it may be hard to generalize. Usually the overall GPA is lower than the GPA in your major. I don’t think Davidson is ridiculously hard, incidentally, simply that courses are rigorous and grades are not inflated. Obviously lots of people graduate with well over a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and many people also graduate at least cum laude, which requires a 3.5. </p>

<p>Based on what I’ve heard over the years, I think for interview purposes many financial and consulting firms may want you have at least a 3.0 no matter where you go to school. As far as applying to graduate and professional school, the allowable difference is probably a matter of a few tenths of a point (perhaps a 3.5 versus a 3.8, say, and proportionally down the GPA and selectivity ladder)–and GRE or GMAT or LSAT scores will also be key, as will recs from professors. My guess is that a 2.64 is not going to particularly impress many hiring committees anywhere no matter what college the degree is from unless there are other really impressive factors involved. I also strongly suspect that a student who is working hard in a major for which he or she is well suited probably will not graduate with a 2.64 in the major, but with something at least a bit higher. In any case, choosing a major is something you don’t have to do yet–right now course selection is more a matter of choosing classes that will help you see where your interests truly lie and of cousre of keeping doors open for future upper-level courses.</p>

<p>Good luck in the next few weeks, congratulations again, and remember–don’t hesitate to bring your queries and concerns to the school itself so you can be directed to first-hand sources of answers or suggestions.</p>

6

<p>no, do NOT take 130! I took AB & BC calc (got a 5 and a 4 respectively), and if you did reasonably well you will be bored out of your mind in math130. It only goes up to integrals/volumes when rotated around the axes, so you would just be repeating everything you already learned</p>

<p>Take it from me. BAD IDEA.</p>

7

<p>The first 1/3 of Calc 2 (Mat 135) is covered in BC, so takig 130 having BC would be a joke. You really should get started on other math classes instead. If you are serious about econ and don’t fear math then you should essentially minor in math or do the applied math social science track e.g. with Calc 2 (Mat 135), Linear Algebra (Mat 150), Differential Equations (Mat 235), Proof (Mat 300), Probability (Mat 340), Statistics (Mat 341), and Real Analysis (Mat 430). I’m not joking… kids have been asked differential equations questions in interviews, and 430 is necessary for going to econ grad school. </p>

<p>As far as the Econ average GPA I was always told the average eco 101 gpa was 2.77 and the major gpa was slightly higher though still the lowest at Davidson. But seriously the kids who actually like econ and aren’t just taking it for its potential usefulness all have high econ gpas. I would venture to say the top 1/4 of econ majors have gpas over 3.5 (above this turns heads in the Charlotte job market) and I know of at least two in this class with gpa 3.9+.</p>

8

<p>As of now, I do not see myself pursuing a graduate degree in economics. I also want to gain the International Studies concentration which I know requires three language courses beyond the 201 level. I’ve really just been thinking about the economics major and International Studies concentration and what would be a good schedule of courses to take the first semester. </p>

<p>As of now, I was thinking of taking ECO 101 to see if I truly have an interest in the subject, a math course, a foreign language course, and then a course which fulfilled the W-Course requirement. I’ll be attending Decision Davidson this coming Saturday, so I am sure many of my questions will be answered there.</p>

<p>It is also good to hear about the GPA of majors. I think my biggest fear of attending Davidson is the idea of working extremely hard and not getting the job I would like upon graduation.</p>

<p>Especially with the debt I may have…</p>

9

<p>Chidsey…okay. Personally, I don’t really care for Chidsey. And I don’t begrudge those who are in it, because I do have lots of friends who are in it. But the program as a whole…I don’t know. </p>

<p>I can’t list some of my reasons for not liking the program here or I will look like a total b1tch, but I can share some of my reasoning.</p>

<p>In the brochures, they will make it sound like a long-standing Davidson program. It’s almost two years old. Sooo…many of the events and speakers are sort of impromptu/experiments and the program as a whole is changing rapidly.</p>

<p>Its a fairly substantial time-commitment and for the first half of freshmen year, it’s a lot of boring lecturing, so say my friends in Chidsey.</p>

<p>My application was accepted and I was picked as one of the thirty to interview. On my way to the interview, I fell, bashed open my knee, and got to the interview just in time, but holding a makeshift bandage firmly to my leg so I wouldn’t make a mess everywhere. I was escorted from the room to get to a real first aid kit while the “interviewers” explained the rules of the “group activity” (some sort of team work game, that was rather…childish?), and then brought me back right in time for the beginning. I asked them to please summarize the instructions for me quickly again…and they told me just to figure it out as the game went along, because it wasn’t hard.<br>
The three interviewers sat watching us play the game (which made ZERO sense to me because it was a bit complicated and I had no explanation whatsoever), taking VERY detailed notes on the eight or so of us who were there…and then thanked us when it was over. Maybe I’m just being thick, but I’m pretty sure there was not much they could truly discern about our characters and team working abilities from a five-minute long game. Rather arbitrary, I think.</p>

<p>Who knows. Maybe I’m just bitter because I didn’t get it. But I think my reasons are strong, too.</p>

<p>All that said, it does seem the Chidsey kids are most often picked from the competitive pools to be tour guides, hall counselors, etc. It’s a resume gleamer on campus and after. So, if you don’t mind the time commitment and some of the silliness, maybe it’s worth it?</p>

<p>Ah yeah, meant to mention that my Calculus recommendation only applied to AB. Everyone who had BC said 135 was the way to go. Most people said Calc II is not that bad. Calc w/Modeling…is supposed to be harder, but more application (and easier if you’re better at that sort of thing). It’s just more specialized.</p>

10

<p>It’s unfair to bash on Chidsey just because it is new and still in development; the idea is there, and it’s still an incredibly prestigious program. Go for it; it will look great and teach you important leadership skills.</p>

<p>However, I disagree with the fact that Chidsey scholars have a leg up in terms of tour guide positions, RA, hall counselor positions, etc. It is true that those accepted to Chidsey would be more inclined to be the type of leaders that the school would want for those positions, but people get the positions BECAUSE they have the right qualities, not because they are in Chidsey… The school is looking for people who are involved and good at leading to be RA’s/tourguides/etc. I’m an RA next year, as are several of my friends, and none of us are in Chidsey, and the majority of the tourguides are not either.</p>

11

<p>I’m not bashing it, because if I were bashing it, I would be randomly insulting it. Right now, I’m pointing out and criticizing areas where I think it needs some work, and my points are valid. I think the program has a lot of room to grow, and I think five to ten years from now, it’s going to be a very well-developed, well-thought out program. In the mean time, it can’t be held exempt from criticism, because criticism is what’s going to make it better, at this point.</p>

<p>Also, my point about the leg-ups was not to say that unless you’re in Chidsey, you won’t get various positions around the school, but rather that if you have Chidsey on your r</p>