<p>Any idea of how good economics at Swarthmore? I am trying to decide between Swarthmore and NYU Stern (among others few). I'd like to study quant economics and finance (not necessaire business), but also have an option with natural sciences. Thank you</p>
<p>Wow… Swarthmore v. NYU Stern?!! What are you hoping to do post-college? </p>
<p>In general, if you’re interested in doing quant economics, you’ll first have to load up hardcore on math, stat, and probably CS, so economics beyond intermediate micro probably shouldn’t be on your mind. Check to see you can get into the classes you want at NYU-Stern. I also imagine the quant classes you want won’t be at Stern but rather will be at Courant in NYU’s math dept. Swarthmore’s econ department doesn’t have hardcore quant classes, but few (if any) undergraduate departments do. [If they do, they’re probably in the university’s graduate school.]</p>
<p>Note that at Swarthmore you can take classes at Penn (Wharton too), and Wharton >> Stern. I went to Swat and have friends who went to NYU and the consensus seems to be Swarthmore > NYU. </p>
<p>I don’t know how undergrad Stern placement is, but I imagine it’s not worse than Swarthmore into finance. [Big finance/consulting firms don’t recruit on campus at Swarthmore.]</p>
<p>Swarthmore’s ranking is no joke though: It is definitely more prestigious (and very likely more rigorous) than NYU.</p>
<p>Since we are on the topic - does anyone here takes Econ at Swarthmore as Major? Is it common (or at least heard of) for someone to go to Wharton for a class of a few?</p>
<p>I did. It’s not very common, mostly because the department does a good job of providing the classes most students think they want. I say “think they want,” because students otherwise interested in doing honors may actually be better served by taking classes at Wharton. This is not to say Swarthmore < Penn for econ, but rather that Wharton has more courses than Swarthmore does. Note also that Wharton houses Penn’s stat department, so students may want to go to Wharton for applied econometrics work. Doing honors makes taking courses at Penn more difficult, but the friends I reference did honors and took a course at Penn.</p>
<p>Thanks, sounds great. I did not get what you meant by “honors” though - do you have to be in honors to take classes at Wharton (or elsewhere)? Also (sorry to hijack this topic), but do many people take econ as minor?</p>
<p>Dude-</p>
<p>Use google. Seriously.</p>
<p><a href=“swarthmore honors[/url] - Google Search”>swarthmore honors - Google Search;
<p>No, it doesn’t offer a “normal” minor.</p>
<p>okay thanks, perhaps I misunderstood what your said earlier. And thanks for that google thing! Much faster than altavista :)</p>
<p>One of my best friends picked Swat over NYU Stern for econ. PM me and I can put you in contact with him.</p>
<p>@swattiechick - have not heard back from you. would really appreciate the contact, as I need to decide quickly!</p>