<p>I'm currently an international student (rising-soph)
I've taken the math 16 series during my first year, and I'm
planning to take 100a this fall.</p>
<p>What exactly is the difference between the 'less math' and 'more math' tracks?
(other than the differences in courses...Econ 140 vs 141 etc..I already know those)</p>
<p>Is "less math econ" harder to get a job? For grad school, of course the "more math" econ's
better...</p>
<p>Thanks:)</p>
<p>I’m also interested because I’m an intended econ major.
I’ve been researching the major a lot, and I haven’t found anything specific on that. I also don’t even know if the fact that you took more difficult math appears anywhere on the diploma, is specified anywhere, if employers are going to inquire and check the transcript, etc. But, of course, once you get a job with that econ degree, the fact that you took more rigorous math courses will help and maybe if you specify any specialities you have, it will be easier to get employed in certain areas.</p>
<p>By the way, this is a kinda similar issue: I was thinking of coupling the econ degree with a double major in statistics or applied mathematics. That way, the degree might be more marketable with that kind of specialization.</p>
<p>A “more math” econ degree is in no way more marketable than a “less math” version. It is also not noted anywhere on your transcript or degree, other than different class numbers. Employers won’t inquire or care. But it is better for graduate school.</p>
<p>Oh, and I don’t know if you are planning on going to grad school or not…but these are also important to consider:
-How comfortable/good are you at higher-level math?
-Would a difference in math difficulty negatively affect your GPA?</p>
<p>Wow, if what demoz says is true, I feel really bad for the quantitative econ majors that don’t end up getting into graduate school. Being judged on the same level as people who took the 16 series?! That must be laughably embarrassing.</p>
<p>@singh: You should feel worse for the premeds who come to Cal only to get a bad GPA and get rejected from (every) med school while people who went to ( the worst university you can think of ) get a ridiculously high GPA working half as hard.</p>
<p>Someone who likes math and is good at it may actually find the “more math” economics courses more interesting and easier than the “less math” economics courses, since some concepts may be easily explained in terms of the additional math.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, it appears that enrollment in Economics 100 is about three times as large as enrollment in Economics 101.</p>
<p>If you really want to get into econ grad school . . . just change your major to math . . honestly. </p>
<p>It will make your life much easier.</p>
<p>I don’t want to make it seem like it’s completely worthless to go down the “more math” econ route. There are some jobs that probably do care about different tracks, particularly economic litigation/consulting. And employers may or may not be impressed by the “more math” track. The only problem is that they don’t really ask you and it is hard to convey it without sounding out of place. Even if you do find a way to show that you took the math path non-Berkeley recruiters probably don’t know what that really means anyways.</p>
<p>So I mean it does have benefits in places and it is inherently more favorable in the right situations. But I think if you are going down that path just for more marketability then it is a huge effort for a marginal benefit. Unless, like ucbalumnus pointed out, mathematical concepts work better for you then this isn’t a problem at all.</p>
<p>Thank you everybody. Your answers were incredibly helpful!
Now I can have more confidence with my less-math track!
(not aiming for grad school)
But once again, thank you:)</p>
<p>i agree with the med school thing. It’s ridiculous how med schools provide no leniency for berkeley student’s gpa. </p>
<p>people who go to a random community college then transfer to like chico state or something and do really well because of the easy classes get into med schools.</p>