WUSTL VS. UC Berkeley in Undergraduate Economics

Colleges & Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
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<p>Hi, I’m an international student having a tough choice between WUSTL and UCB. I love the amazing campus environment in WU and the flexible curriculum, and I actually prefer private school to a public like UCB. Yet as I want to major in Economics, I notice that Berkeley seems much stronger in Economics than does WU (I am attending undergraduate school). So I wonder if Berkeley can better prepare me for applying graduate school or future career in the Economics field (perhaps WU’s Economics is less well-known or widely accepted?). And again look at WUSTL, the school provides me with a great many choices like double major, the access to Olin business school…these are what I cannot get in Berkeley. </p>

<p>Plz give some suggestions, and I hope to hear from students who study Economics in WUSTL. Thx for help!</p>

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<p>Though I do not study econ at WUSTL YET (will be attending in the Fall most likely :slight_smile: ), I can say that UC Berkeley offers the better graduate program for economics but I’m pretty certain that WashU will offer the better undergraduate experience for economics study. Both are clearly great, just go to the one you like. From your post is seems you prefer WUSTL so go! I visited the campus and absolutely fell in love with it.</p>

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<p>Suzimiya - I cannot say this too strongly: DON’T decide on your undergrad institution based on what you think you will major in. Around 70% (or maybe it is even 80%, I forget) of students finish with a major different that what they thought going in, sometimes radically different. And you will take maybe what, 8-10 courses in your major, even if you do stay with it? Hardly seems a basis for such an important part of your life.</p>

<p>You have answered your own question, actually; I think you just didn’t ask quite the right one. You love the amazing campus environment at Wash U, the flexible curriculum, and prefer a private school (presumably because of the smaller classes, and that will only get worse at Berkely due to budget issues in Cali). If money is not an issue, then Wash U is clearly better for you, if you have assessed yourself well. The weather will suck compared to Berkely, but otherwise… Do yourself a favor and pick Wash U.</p>

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<p>Thanks to both of you, I am leaning to decide on WUSTL…still I have something to make clear of.Is it possible that WU’s Economics is much less well-known or less widely accepted; once students there graduate, they will be generally inferior to compete with Berkeley students in the Economics field? Also, will UCB provide more internship opportunities, since it’s near a metropolis?</p>

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<p>Overall, Berkeley has a stronger reputation in economics, which mainly benefits Ph.D. students. However, WashU has paid top dollars and hired several very well known economists in the last 2 to 3 years. It has a growing reputation in research and has a well established reputation in teaching. It seems to me that the best way to go is to get an undergraduate degree at WashU and then move to Berkeley for your Ph.D. But if you are in-state in California, you do have to consider the cost differential.</p>

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<p>^ok, you gotta be aware that this is WUSTL forum. There cannot be no bias in opinion over here. I am also accepted at both school (WUSTL and Berk), but as a business major (Olin v. Haas), which is fairly similar to economics major. I am still deciding where to go, but to be honest, i don’t think WUSTL economics is as good as Berk’s. WUSTL’s is good, but Berk’s is just very prestigious for business and economics field.</p>

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<p>you are looking at undergraduate schools — not graduate/PhD programs. there is a distinct difference.</p>

<p>you attend an undergrad school for different reasons. it is in grad/PhD programs where you choose ONE specific field of study. In Undergrad, you will concentrate in one area, but honestly something like 75% of your coursework will be outside of Economics. </p>

<p>you aren’t going to learn anything groundbreakingly different in economics at one school vs. the other in undergrad. Micro is micro, macro is macro. Upper level courses are differentiated a little bit more – but honestly, you are likely going to get the same solid foundation in each university at the undergrad level.</p>

<p>With FEW exceptions (which are probably pre-med, art, architecture, and engineering to some degree), most every top-tier school will be teaching you much of the same material and give you a similar quality of education.</p>

<p>Right now, in high school, you should be comparing charactersitics of School vs. School. Not program vs. program. Now is when you need to weigh importance of: campus size, “feel” of campus, attention from faculty members, athletic and fraternity culture, availability to do research, quality of the dorms, etc. </p>

<p>When you are a grad student, hardly any of those criteria matter. You go for one program, you’ll live off campus, you won’t interact with the student body as a whole, you won’t be in a fraternity, etc. In undergrad, you need to weigh a completely different set of criteria. </p>

<p>With that said, at the undergrad level, WUSTL clearly wins out in these characteristics: smaller class sizes, individual attention, more availability to do research, nicer facilities, ability to double major, more collegial atmosphere. </p>

<p>For graduate Economics, that is when you start considering strength of the program and types of programs offered. WUSTL’s econ department has a big emphasis on the Political Economy (seeing the politics of economics, and the economics of politics), economic development in developing countries, and econometrics. WUSTL is arguably one of the country’s best programs for Political Economy. If you have any interest in combining both Poli Sci and Economics, this is one the best places to do it. </p>

<p>Wash U has the 1993 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics teaching here, and he actually teaches undergrads (Douglass North). Murray Weidenbaum, who was the former Assistant Treasury Secretary and PResident of Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisors, also teaches undergrads here.</p>

<p>At WUSTL, most undergrads do research. Each professor publishes articles and books, and regularly involve undergrads in their own individual research. There are also many institutes and research centers specifically for economics at WUSTL (copied from the website):
Center for New Institutional Social Sciences
The Center in Political Economy
Center for Research in Economics and Strategy
Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy</p>

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<p>Suzimiya - You asked “Is it possible that WU’s Economics is much less well-known or less widely accepted; once students there graduate, they will be generally inferior to compete with Berkeley students in the Economics field? Also, will UCB provide more internship opportunities, since it’s near a metropolis?”</p>

<p>With regard to the first part of your question, well-known or widely accepted by who? If you are talking about graduate schools, it is a non-issue. Going to Wash U or Berkeley, if you do well you will have the same chance of getting into Harvard, Princeton, Chicago, wherever. And since you shouldn’t go to the same grad school as you went undergrad, going to Wash U leaves Berkeley open as a possibility for grad school also.</p>

<p>If you are talking about getting a job with a BS, then Wash U’s placement center is excellent, and being a smaller school I would like your chances of getting a lot more attention and help. As vbball points out, there are also some pretty well connected people on the Wash U faculty.</p>

<p>As far as internships, you should talk directly to the Econ dept at Wash U and ask about their record in this regard, as well as getting in touch with some junior and senior Econ majors and asking them. The web site will brag, of course, but you could ask some more specific questions, especially in light of this economy. If they are still doing well getting their people internships, that should tell you something.</p>

<p>But the base reality is that for a BS degree, you are focusing on minutia. At the undergrad level there is FAR less difference in their Econ departments than there is between the schools themselves as far as major characteristics (Class size, accessability of profs, location, etc.) And I have to say it one more time: If you stay with Econ, great, I am sure either school will do well for you. But if you don’t (and even if you do), you may wish you had gone with the school that had the characterisitcs that you said you desired such as smaller classes, flexible curriculum, private, etc. It is a fundamental truth that certain other factors being somewhat equal (money, overall quality of the institution, for example) you should go with the place that really makes you feel energized, challenged, comfortable, so on and so forth. Forget about nameplate, forget about this department or that department. Most 18 year olds (and many parents) don’t believe it, which is understandable because unfortunately to make the best decision you have to have experienced it, but you can’t experience it until you make the decision…LOL. Again, good luck!</p>

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<p>Thank you all,your advice help me a lot! And Kimwb,hope that you can make your best choice.
Anyway, I decide to go to WUSTL…there is really nothing to hesitate about;WU is such a wonderful school and I will not miss it!^_^</p>

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<p>Suzimiya - congratulations, have a great 4 years!</p>