<p>Hi,
I am a junior transferring in the spring planning to major in economics. I originally wanted to apply for Business in Haas, but I was missing a pre-requisite so I applied for Economics instead. Am I at a disadvantage in the number of opportunities available to Economics majors versus the Haas students and their resources? I am looking to enter a career in Finance
Thanks</p>
<p>yes unfortunately u r at disadvantges i’m sorry… i think u should try another major</p>
<p>i didnt try diff major when i was at disadvantges so thats why im living on telegraph ave with my dog and 2 cats</p>
<p>I’m also interested to know more about this.</p>
<p><a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Econ.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Econ.stm</a>
<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/BusAd.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/BusAd.stm</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14204944-post6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14204944-post6.html</a> describes the investment banking recruiting scene at Berkeley. It seems to indicate that business and math-heavy majors are favored, but the recruiting is still extremely selective (unlike at HYP-type schools where a fifth to a third of all graduates end up in banking).</p>
<p>If you’re good at math, you’ll be fine. Take all the math classes you can - at the very least, Math 1A/1B and 53/54. </p>
<p>The standard Economics degree is basically as pointless as Business Admin is, the difference is that Haas kids proved that they could “make the cut” so to speak, whereas Econ grads never really had to (sure, there’s a 3.0 GPA cutoff, but that doesn’t compare to the Haas app process). </p>
<p>If you focus on math with Econ though, you’re MORE desirable than a Haas graduate. You still need a high GPA, but if you can pull that off you’ll have no problem getting into banks. Take Calc I through Calc IV and Econ 101A/B and Econ 141. That’ll make you an appealing candidate.</p>
<p>The suggested math courses for preparing for a PhD in economics may also be of interest:
<a href=“https://www.econ.berkeley.edu/grad/admissions/preparation[/url]”>Preparation | Department of Economics;
<p>Thanks for all the input guys!
At the moment I am not really aiming for investment banking just because chances already slim as it is. I mean it’d be great if I could land into a position like such, but I’m just trying to be realistic.
Graduate school is something not so high on my list right now, so what careers, other than i-banking, do Economics majors at Berkeley typically pursue?
UnsureOnLife: I’m good at math and am going to be taking multivariable calc this fall at my cc which is math 53, but I won’t be able to take math 54. Is it really a strong advantage to have lots of math under my belt?</p>
<p>Answers to your first question can be seen in the career survey (links in post #4).</p>
<p>Yes, taking more advanced math courses (53, 54, 110, 104) can be helpful to an economics major, especially if you choose the math-heavy electives (Economics C103, 104, 136, 138, 141, or any graduate level course). Math 53 can let you take Economics 101A. You can take more math courses after transfer as well.</p>
<p>econ grad, now working in econ consulting (ish). Take lots of math and 'metrics.</p>
<p>If you are interested in banking consider a stats major. Any of the typical business type of jobs are available to econ majors outside of accounting. There is consulting, government jobs, commercial banking, and the list goes on. I have been offered a job with the SF Fed and I’m an econ major, but I plan of going to graduate school.</p>
<p>Math 54 is quite an important course in most subjects, because pretty much everything in our world relies on differential equations. </p>
<p>Econ, at its heart, is math. If you don’t understand the math, you won’t get anywhere reading articles or explaining why the Fed does what it does. Math is crucial. If you take lots of math, your employment options greatly open up.</p>
<p>Is Math 54 a hard class at Berkeley? If I took it I would probably have to wait to take it in the Summer of Fall 2014.
By the way, are business fraternities worth joining, as in being part of their network helpful to get a job after college?</p>
<p>Why wouldn’t you be able to take Math 54 in Spring 2014?</p>
<p>Fall 2013 at CC: Math 53 (is Math 54 not available or full?)</p>
<p>Spring 2014 at Berkeley: Economics 101A or 101B, Statistics 134, Math 54, some other course (declare economics major)</p>
<p>Fall 2014 at Berkeley: Economics 101B or 101A, more courses</p>
<p>Math 54 at my CC is divided into two separate courses totaling 8 units instead of 4 at Berkeley. Additionally, my schedule for this Fall is kind of full.</p>
<p>I cannot take it in the spring because as an incoming transfer I am suppose to complete ECON 100A, 100B, 101A or 101B, STATS 20, 21, or 25, and then take another class that is a pre-req to an alternate major like EEP in order to be admitted to the major. Together thats about 12-13 units by itself, and I don’t know how hard it is going to be coming from CC.</p>
<p>I could take Math 54 in the spring but it is going to be my first semester at Berkeley and I want to do well in order to declare Economics as my major.</p>
<p>You can take Statistics 134 instead of 20, 21, or 25 (25 is no longer offered); this is recommended for more math-oriented economics majors. Statistics 134 lists a year of calculus as a prerequisite. If you want to do the math-oriented path, choose Economics 101A or 101B over 100A or 100B.</p>
<p>If you really like math, you could consider math, applied math, or statistics for an alternate major. Then Math 54 (and 55 for the math major) could be in your remaining courses after an economics course and a statistics course. Math and applied math are not capped majors.</p>
<p>EEP has the same prerequisites as economics, except that you have to take Economics 101A or 100A or EEP 100 (not Economics 101B or 100B). Note, however, that it is a capped major, but with a lower GPA requirement (2.7 instead of 3.0). The EEP web site does not list Statistics 134 as an alternative to 20 or 21; you should ask the department directly if that is allowed if you want to take Statistics 134.</p>
<p>Your spring 2014 schedule could look like this:</p>
<p>Economics 101A
Statistics 20, 21, or 134
Math 54
some other course (maybe Math 55 if you want to consider math or applied math as a major; note that the first three courses are only 11-12 units)</p>
<p>With the above schedule, you will be ready to declare the following majors:</p>
<p>Economics (if 3.0 in prerequisites taken previously and 2.7 in prerequisites taken at Berkeley)
EEP (if 2.7 in prerequisites)
Statistics (if you include Statistics 134 and get a B- or better in it and 3.2 in math courses)
Math or Applied Math (if you include Math 55)</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.econ.berkeley.edu/undergrad/prospective[/url]”>Applying to the Economics Major | Department of Economics;
<a href=“http://nature.berkeley.edu/site/majors/eep.php[/url]”>http://nature.berkeley.edu/site/majors/eep.php</a>
<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/programs/undergraduate/majoring-mathematics[/url]”>Majoring in Mathematics | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley;
<a href=“http://statistics.berkeley.edu/programs/undergrad/major[/url]”>http://statistics.berkeley.edu/programs/undergrad/major</a></p>
<p>If you want to do well in your first semester I would advise against stat 134. This class is light years harder than stats 20. As far as math 54 is concerned, the linear algebra is not too bad but the last few weeks you have to switch gears to diff eq and its no cake walk. I took 54 my first semester and did pretty well in it. If you are really interested in banking I think your best bet is to consider a stat minor or double major, this wil seperate you from the rest of the econ pack who chose econ as a backup to haas.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: Thanks for providing lots of feedback. I do enjoy math and have thought about it as a second major, or even just as a minor, but I am not sure how I’d stack up against the competition especially coming from community college where courses are usually easier.
@JavyUCB: Thanks for providing some insight on Math 54. By the way are you able to speak about the difficultly or Econ 100A or 101A? And are you doing any minor or double major yourself? </p>
<p>As far as what I am planning for the first semester is STAT 20, ECON 100A, and possibly MATH 54 or something else. I am not too sure about taking 3 different math based classes in my first semester.</p>
<p>Some Economics 101A course home pages:
[Econ</a> 101A, Economic Theory–Micro](<a href=“http://cle.berkeley.edu/e101a_f11/e101a.shtml]Econ”>http://cle.berkeley.edu/e101a_f11/e101a.shtml)
[Econ</a> 101A, Microeconomic Theory<a href=“note:%20lecture%20notes%20#1%20discusses%20math%20prerequisites”>/url</a></p>
<p>For Economics 100A:
[url=<a href=“http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/ECON100A/2006/]ECON”>http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/ECON100A/2006/]ECON</a> 100A - Microeconomics](<a href=“http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/webfac/dellavigna/e101a_f09/e101a.shtml]Econ”>Econ 101A, Microeconomic Theory)
[Home</a> Page](<a href=“http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/Econ100A/2005/]Home”>http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/Econ100A/2005/)
[Intermediate</a> Microeconomics - ECON 100A Spring 2004](<a href=“http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/ECON100A/2004/]Intermediate”>http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/ECON100A/2004/)</p>
<p>More archived home pages:
<a href=“Courses | Department of Economics”>Archived Course Homepages | Department of Economics;
<p>Note that you can take 101B or 100B before 101A or 100A. The difference in math may be less for the B courses than the A courses. If you want to take the math-intensive route (101A, 101B), but do not want to go really heavy on the math in the first semester, you can take 101B then.</p>
<p>As far as coming from CC goes, when UC Statfinder used to be up, it indicated that CC transfers to UC with 3.8-4.0 prior college GPA tended to average 3.4-3.7 GPA at the UC, depending on the campus and major. At lower prior college GPAs, the difference was less (did not appear to be any significant difference at 3.0 and lower GPAs). Of course, individual students may vary.</p>
<p>Wow thanks ucbalumnus you have provided some truly wealthy information to me, I really appreciate the effort and time you have put into making all of these posts.
It definitely puts my mind at ease knowing that transfers still do well once at a UC.
By the way do/did you have an education or work experience in finance?</p>