I am about to start picking classes again, and I have to take an Intro to microeconomics class. I looked up on RateMyProfessor and asked around and these are my two to choose from.
Hard Professor-said to give more homework than all others teaching this class, treats students like they should know all about econ, Essay due every week or ten days or so. Harder tests. Although one student (an Econ major) said only the econ majors in his class like him, he bored everyone else.
Easy Professor- It will be online. Doesn’t even require students to buy the text books-apparently nobody reads it, Uses videos and Youtube videos to teach about Econ and there are 4 essays due a semester. Most people get an A in his class.
Now keep in mind, I work full time and my study time is narrow and my sleep time is not enough. My major is Accounting and I have to get at the very least a 3.4 GPA upon graduation. I can not have a low GPA when I graduate, I need a job…
But, Don’t I need to know this stuff? How well can I learn about Econ without a textbook? I just don’t know anymore.
Are you motivated enough as a student to fill in any gaps in your understanding by asking questions of the professor or doing work independently if you feel like you’re missing something? If so, I would probably go with the easier one just because you can manage your schedule better due to your full time job.
As far as the book goes – some people are auditory learners (they learn best by listening to a lecture or a video) and some people learn best by reading. If you really do need a book you can always buy the book anyway; “not required” doesn’t mean “nonexistent”, and you can either ask him for a recommendation or try to find out what the professors are assigning.
Introduction to macroeconomics is a pretty fundamental part of any business education though. It’s tested on the CPA exam and it would be difficult to get through the rest of your classes if you don’t really learn any of it. I don’t think you should stress yourself out too much for it or let it ruin your GPA, but I think you should think carefully about your learning style to see which professor would be best for you. Slackers in school probably need the Hard professor to force them to keep up; self-motivated students can probably take either.