Stick with Economics for undergrad after getting a C?

Parents Forum
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<p>Tarhunt,</p>

<p>Thanks so much for your answer! It's great to read someone who understands what I'm talking about. :) (Sorry I took so long to respond. I've been having trouble with my internet access.)</p>

<p>/So, it sounds to me like you want a well-paying job that will let you travel. I /would suggest getting an MBA, preferably at a top-rated school. That will /allow you to join an investment banking firm or top management consulting /firm. You'll probably get what you want from that.</p>

<p>Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. I'd definitely like to get an MBA from a top school---but I have to get this undergrad thing out of the way first. And hopefully with a decent GPA. :)</p>

<p>/If you want to be an economist, but you don't like where econ is going</p>

<p>I don't really want to be an economist. I think there are so many things wrong with economics---and, sadly, I don't want to be the person who makes it her life's work to fix it.</p>

<p>/Having to live with the models when you know they don't work is simply /frustrating.</p>

<p>What you said. :)</p>

<p>/I'm going to read between the lines and make a guess that your frustration /comes from the fact that econ is a philosophy trying to be a science, and /getting the science wrong because of philosophical dogma the field has not /yet shaken. </p>

<p>Yes, that's exactly it. Philosophy is like a rigorous, systematized expression of a psychological view, and that's what I think economics is. </p>

<p>My priorities are thus:</p>

<p>1) A valuable undergraduate degree with which to go get an MBA/JD,
2) One where I learn something of value,
3) An interesting ride along the way. </p>

<p>I think you're right that I'd like a class on motivational behavior. I do really enjoy organizational behavior and other quasi-psychological business fields. I also enjoy classes in finance, but there aren't many of those at the undergraduate level.</p>

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<p>Notquiteold,</p>

<p>/I have some bad news for you: If you want to do an econ PhD in ANY area /(behavioral, property rights, economic history, development, whatever), /you're going to need a LOT more Math. </p>

<p>Yeah, I don't think that I want to get an Econ PhD. I'm more interested in an MBA/JD, and if I do ever get a PhD, I'd like to do it in Organizational Behavior or Economic Sociology or something similar.</p>

<p>It's not so much that I don't like math, but that I don't like this particular application. It's not my favorite thing, but I'm okay with it. It's more this particular application that I don't like.</p>

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<p>Xiggi,</p>

<p>I do have a number of upper division classes in mind that sound interesting. I'm just struggling through the Stanford core right now, and have two more classes to take before I'm done. I know that the Stanford program is a good one---I'm just wondering if it's good for me.</p>

<p>Thanks for the Peter Drucker quote. That echoes exactly my view of economics. I'm interested in human behavior and in management. I only wish my career could follow his path! :)</p>

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<p>Notquiteold,</p>

<p>/I will add one thing. You don't need to BE a mathematician in your research /career, but you need to get over the math hump to get the "union card." </p>

<p>Just curious: What econ program are you a part of, and what do you study? :)</p>

<p>I've taken math through multivariable calculus and introductory statistics (with a calculus prerequisite) and done okay. The class I did poorly in was a microeconomics class that was really a math class---lots of game theoretical calculations and general equilibrium theory. Ugh.</p>

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<p>I am in different but somewhat similar situation. I love economics (both math and theory parts of it, thinking of math as a double major), but I am wondering if I should stick with it. Reason being that my college has a very good business school as well, and there is pressure for me to internally transfer and do something like Finance as opposed to economic. The only reason I am even considering this is because the job prospects are probably slightly better at the business school.</p>

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<p>Neobez --
If you have any thoughts of going to a professional (MBA OR JD)graduate school, stick with Econ undergrad, and then get an MBA or JD. It will be more interesting, and likely more valuable, than a business undergrad.</p>

<p>If going to work right after school, the top banks, consulting firms, and investment cos. may be more happy with econ undergrad than business. </p>

<p>However, best idea is to get in touch with your school's career counseling center...and pre-professional counseling...to see which they recommend --- based on what you think you want to do when you finish school.</p>

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<p>2 Boysima---</p>

<p>I'm thinking of doing the MBA/JD thing too, which is why the C worries me. I do only have two more core classes and then I can pick more fun stuff. But I also don't want to get so invested that that is all I can do.</p>

<p>The other thing I guess I should have mentioned was that I took a pretty heavy load that quarter. I did my usual 20 units, but with much more difficult classes than usual. I wound up with As or passes (some were pass/fail) in the other classes, but the C was of great concern.</p>

<p>I can't think of another undergrad major that would fit my ambitions as well as Economics. I'm taking an International Relations class (Global Political Economy) right now during a study abroad to see if I want to head in that direction. I'm not sure if IR will be of much use to me, though, because I'm not terribly interested in pursuing international politics (just international business).</p>

<p>Neobez -- I'd second the view that Econ undergrad is better than business for job-hunting. Before I transferred, I was at a school with a very good undergrad business program and I was repeatedly told that I should major in Economics because it's viewed as more intellectually challenging. It also has more flexibility, in terms of going to graduate school in IR, Policy Studies, Business, Law, etc. instead of just going straight into business. Well, that's what I heard. :)</p>

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<p>I'm hoping that's true. Thanks for the thoughts, guys. In terms of doing a JD, MBA, I'm not really thinking that far down the road, as I will probably work atleast a year or two after graduation before going back to school. But it's nice to keep my options open to anything (econ, law, mba, etc.) </p>

<p>And I don't doubt that economics is better IN GENERAL, but somewhat unfortunately for me, the business school I am talking about is Wharton. So in a way, for jobs it seems I will have to compete quite often with wharton students, and they seem to have the edge in the job market . . .</p>

<p>Penn Econ is pretty strong and in all likeliness I won't have to worry TOO much about getting a job, people tell me all the time I have nothing to worry about, but I guess I still worry quite a bit. </p>

<p>Anyways I think I will stick with economics if only for the fact that I really love it.</p>

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<p>Neobez, </p>

<p>Yeah, Wharton might be a different situation. The school I was talking about was in the top 5, but not number 1. :)</p>

<p>By the way, to draaaag this post back to the original. Ahem, what do you guys think about staying with Econ for me. I have 2 core classes left, and 8 upper division.</p>

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<p>the problem i think is not so much doing something different as it would be finding another major that you genuinely like. You've said that you weren't a big fan of International Relations or politics and what not, so I'm personally going to say you should stick with Econ. For one, you like it (despite the mathier aspects of this one course you had trouble with). Second, it's quite possible that the other core classes you have to take will not be so difficult (maybe it was a weeding out course). Finally, I'm guessing the 8 upper division courses are up to you to choose, correct? That's pretty exciting, I'm sure Stanford offers many different things that would be quite interesting, and you will have the choice to pick what you want and shop around for the right course. </p>

<p>So I'm going to say stick with Econ despite the difficulty of that one course. Things will probably get better and as far as I can tell from what I've read, no other major would really fill your interests so well. </p>

<p>That's just my 2 cents though.</p>