Do any of you find Economics to be tougher than the PRE-MED courses???

[PreMedPrincess]

I just took micro and macro-economics this summer and found it to be tougher than the pre-med science courses. The quantitative analysis required, and the abstract theories leave me lost and frustrated. It almost reminds me of physics; in a weird way.

I can't even imagine how tough upper-div economics gets, or doctorate level economics.


what do you guys think? Would you qualify this major as hard/tough?

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[Raryn]

From what econ I've taken, its all either common sense or requires some baby logic. I'd much rather take econ than some of the ridiculous upper division bio I've taken...

 

[myKuduSlewaZulu]

I just took micro and macro-economics this summer and found it to be tougher than the pre-med science courses. The quantitative analysis required, and the abstract theories leave me lost and frustrated. It almost reminds me of physics; in a weird way.

I can't even imagine how tough upper-div economics gets, or doctorate level economics.


what do you guys think? Would you qualify this major as hard/tough?

I was an econ major. Its a thinking man's subject...like physics. Which is prob why I liked physics the most of all my premed classes. Bio is just memorization basically. Intermediate microecon was one of the toughest classes I took...I think the avg on the first test was ~30. The prof was so mad he lectured us the whole next period on how ******ed we were and made us take the test again haha.

 

[TehDoc]

no

 

[txprodigal]

it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around the theories, but if you can figure out the relationships, it gets easier.

my upper level economics classes were pretty tough...lots of complex mathematical formulas mixed with even more complex theories...


i was thinking about doing a phd in economics, and i was told that doctoral level economics classes are basically just applied mathematics...they really want you to have math classes all the way up to real analysis before you start...but if math is your kind of thing...shouldn't be too bad

 

[THX]

Meh, I've taken a lot of higher level science courses (histology, pathology, forensics etc) and they are far easier than true economics courses. ie. the calculus based ones.

Economics blows.

 

[PreMedPrincess]

From what econ I've taken, its all either common sense or requires some baby logic. I'd much rather take econ than some of the ridiculous upper division bio I've taken...

Well, to be fair, you can't really compare upper-div courses with lower division courses.

Lets compare, for example:

Macro/Micro-Economics, Bio 1/2, Chem1/2, Orgo 1/2, and Physics 1/2

I'll admit, I found Physics to be the toughest in the science classes. However, bio was a lot of memorization, chem was basic math and almost NO logic, Orgo was alot of memorization...and physics, well physics sucked ass. I would say physics was harder than Econ.

I don't know, maybe it is just the way I think or where I go to school. Econ allowed for alot of reasoning and I really tried to embrace it. The principles were pretty elementary and fundamental, but the more I tried to deconstruct stuff, the more it became confusing.

 

[PreMedPrincess]

I was an econ major. Its a thinking man's subject...like physics. Which is prob why I liked physics the most of all my premed classes. Bio is just memorization basically. Intermediate microecon was one of the toughest classes I took...I think the avg on the first test was ~30. The prof was so mad he lectured us the whole next period on how ******ed we were and made us take the test again haha.

Yah! Totally agree. I found Econ to be as conceptually tough as physics. Glad im not the only one that thought this way.

Man, I have a new found respect for some of these folks.

Science majors are always ragging on them and what not.

 

[PreMedPrincess]

it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around the theories, but if you can figure out the relationships, it gets easier.

my upper level economics classes were pretty tough...lots of complex mathematical formulas mixed with even more complex theories...


i was thinking about doing a phd in economics, and i was told that doctoral level economics classes are basically just applied mathematics...they really want you to have math classes all the way up to real analysis before you start...but if math is your kind of thing...shouldn't be too bad

Hey cool, your mdapps says you majored in econ and were in hedge-funds. How high up in math did you have to go? We started talking about regressions and stuff in the micro class and that stuff seems hard. Why did you make the switch to medicine, if you don't mind me asking? and how would you compare science courses to the quantitative stuff you did?

thanks!

 

[gasdf1234567]

As an econ major, I found the beginning econ classes to be easier than most pre-med courses. But, I found upper division econ courses to be much harder than both lower division and upper division science courses. Especially bio, where memorization is everything.

 

[jult24er]

At my school, econ was a bit of a joke. professers werent allowed to use calc in class because the football coaches would get mad. I think pre-med courses were much harder, especially because of the lab time ...

But, I'm thinking the medical world could learn a thing or too from an econ class ...

 

[PreMedPrincess]

At my school, econ was a bit of a joke. professers werent allowed to use calc in class because the football coaches would get mad. I think pre-med courses were much harder, especially because of the lab time ...

But, I'm thinking the medical world could learn a thing or too from an econ class ...

lol!

ummm, where did you go to school? wow

 

[TupacalipseT96]

I don't think econ classes are necessarily harder, just different.

Once you take enough bio/chem classes, you get to know the kinds of people you are competing against and how they tick. When you take a tougher class outside of the premed bubble, the game has changed and you may have to scramble a bit to compete. I've found this to be true in engineering courses and computer science courses too... so I'm weary when i take these kinds of courses for the first time... but once you get used to the change, it's all the same ****.

 

[Ride Big Sky]

Econ classes vary a ton between upper and lower levels and also between different schools. The baby econ classes are usually cake at most schools, but once you get into the legit economics where calculus is everything it turns into a whole new game.

 

[jult24er]

lol!

ummm, where did you go to school? wow

uh oh, at the risk of outing my alma mater, which i loved, including the econ profs and the football team, Brown ...

 

[GreenShirt]

I agree with the OP in a way. Econ has taken many people I know by surprise, including myself. It's not harder per se, but equally challenging. I think most pre-meds are under the assumption that only science courses are difficult (since most of the non-science courses they take are easier) so they don't expect econ to require a little thinking.

 

[txprodigal]

Hey cool, your mdapps says you majored in econ and were in hedge-funds. How high up in math did you have to go? We started talking about regressions and stuff in the micro class and that stuff seems hard. Why did you make the switch to medicine, if you don't mind me asking? and how would you compare science courses to the quantitative stuff you did?

thanks!

the hedge fund i was at was a fundamental investor with a contrarian view that focused on consumer sector small capitalization stocks, so it wasn't too quantitative in focus

the funds that really require math are DE Shaw, Citadel, etc... they basically hire newly minted PhDs in math and physics to run their quantitative models. you basically have to be a math prodigy if you try to get in from undergrad

there are programs in graduate school called masters of quantitative finance or masters in financial engineering that are basically tickets into trading at a i-bank or a career at a hedge fund but they are very expensive too

i was planning on going to do a phd in econ and settle into academia after i worked a little in finance so that i could pay off undergrad debt, but i realized that academia is research, and although i like research, i knew i couldn't spend my life doing economics/finance research

i made the switch and am trying to pursue medicine because as a child, that was the only thing i thought i could do...but as i grew up and especially in HS, i heard about all the crap physicians have to deal with - malpractice premiums, long hours, long education, etc... and thought i would do the economics/finance route since the potential to make money was amazing
after working in the real world, i don't think there's anything else i could actually wake up and do every morning without wanting to jump off a cliff frmo boredom....additionally, there is a completely different attitude in finance versus healthcare

i love money just like everyone else in the world, but there is no way i can base my entire career on just making more and more money, and that's the attitude i knew i would be surrounded by in finance - in healthcare, the patient is the #1 priority, and i really love that. i feel like i actually make a difference whenever i volunteer/research/shadow.

i don't think there is too much of a difference between economics and my pre med classes so far, but i will probably not be taking too many upper level science courses to get into medical school. the way to succeed is the same. you have to do problems for economics, physics, and chemistry and understand what is going on rather than just trying to go the rote memorization route... so far, i think the sciences classes have been easier in terms of trying to understand what is going on (but once again, i am only taking lower level classes)

PM me if you want any other answers

 

[deleted106503]

No. I majored in Economics and currently work as an Economist. Pre-med courses were more difficult imo. Less theory based in pre-med so just plain memorization with massive amount of material. I can see the angle where concepts can be picked up easier in pre-med because you can relate the material to other stuff, but the shear volume offsets it compared to econ imo. Econ is easier...

 

[myKuduSlewaZulu]

I'll admit, I found Physics to be the toughest in the science classes. However, bio was a lot of memorization, chem was basic math and almost NO logic, Orgo was alot of memorization...and physics, well physics sucked ass. I would say physics was harder than Econ.

I don't know, maybe it is just the way I think or where I go to school. Econ allowed for alot of reasoning and I really tried to embrace it. The principles were pretty elementary and fundamental, but the more I tried to deconstruct stuff, the more it became confusing.

Yeah, math, physics, and econ are sorta similar skill wise...abstract and quantitative. For me, orgo was academic kryptonite. It seemed the more I put ito it, the less I understood haha.

Science majors are always ragging on them and what not.

Maybe they have econ majors confused with business students. The former tend to be nerdier, the latter tend to dress better haha. Those girls in advertising/marketing can sure put a wardrobe together.

But, I'm thinking the medical world could learn a thing or too from an econ class ...

 

[FSAP]

One thing I hate about Econ is that there is never a right answer.

 

[txprodigal]

One thing I hate about Econ is that there is never a right answer.

haha yup, as long as you fully explain your reasoning, your answer could be correct

 

[bwonger06]

my basic 100 micro/macroecon classes required for my finance degree were easy. heck i skipped 80% of the classes showed up on test days and still got an A. It is not too fair though because i took AP econ in high school and got 3's on both sections (i blame senioritis at the time).

do not know about your upperdivision econ classes though.

 

[engineeredout]

I took Game Theory last year, which everyone told me was the hardest econ/math course that you could possibly take as an undergrad.

I thought it was easy. Got an A with not that much effort.

 

[robocop1998]

hey i am an econ pre-med and i have to say that econ classes are very similar to physics in terms of thinking. hell, most of econ faculties at my school either majored in physics or double majored in econ physics before getting their econ phd. there are basically two types of econ classes: quantitative and non-quantitative. Quantitative ones tend to be requirement for graduation and these courses are micro/macroeconomic theory, econometrics, industrial organization, etc. The non-quan ones are the electives that require a lot of writing on exams such as monetary analysis, international trade, etc. For me, i think the quantitative econ classes are much harder than premed prereq classes. I have been always pretty at physics since high school so I got A+ in physics in college and mostly A's in quantitative econ classes. If you want to do econ phd, you have to basically be extremely good at math, having AT LEAST a math minor, because phd classes are all math, math, math, math. John Nash was a mathematician who was awarded with a nobel prize in economics so go figure how much math is needed to understand complexed econ theories.

 

[Narmerguy]

What exactly does one do with an economics degree?

 

[Raryn]

What exactly does one do with an economics degree?

Make shiznit up.

Remember, economists have predicted nine of the last five recessions.

 

[JLC]

I've always found econ to be very fun, but then I've only taken the AP class which is the beginning econ class

 

[Narmerguy]

Make shiznit up.

Remember, economists have predicted nine of the last five recessions.

39S and 18... you realize you're a freaking genius right?

 

[Retsage]

Not really, no.

 

[Retsage]

Make shiznit up.

Remember, economists have predicted nine of the last five recessions.

A tad short-sighted. Economics is not a simple science, and I doubt anyone would claim that to be the case. That being said, economics was a field embraced widely by the government after the 30s to avert the next major depression, and it has done a good job keeping the economy strong since. Clearly, economists know something.

Current housing bubble notwithstanding.

 

[DrYoda]

I didn't find lower level-econ courses to be very hard. I shall give them a "maybe more difficult than intro-bio", but that's as much as I'm willing to give.

 

[xiaoyi666]

I was a econ major, took every "tough" econ course offered at my school except econometrics bc i didnt actually want to be an economist. Found the courses to be much easier than bio courses. Econ is really just basic logic and common sense plus simple math.

 

[Virgil]

Easy courses: you can study the night before and pull off an A.

Hard courses: if you study the night before, you can rarely pull off an A.

Science courses are usually the latter.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

Depends on the teacher, the school, and the course...but overall NO. Intermediate Micro, though, was a b**ch..and I don't see that being easy anywhere unless you're a very math-oriented thinker.

Most my econ exams - i studied the night before, and I ended up with A's in almost all of them. my science classes, however, were not like that.

 

[Soon to be Dr E]

No, but I thought Environmental Ethics was the most irritating class I've ever taken.

Guess that isn't economics, but it starts with an E so that's similar enough.

 

[coldweatherblue]

I took micro and it was a lot easier than any of the pre-req classes.

OTOH I put way more time into music theory I and II than any science class in undergrad.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

I took micro and it was a lot easier than any of the pre-req classes.

OTOH I put way more time into music theory I and II than any science class in undergrad.

Intermediate Micro and Intro to Micro are two COMPLETELY diff things.

The only thing they share is the fact they deal with firms.

 

[coldweatherblue]

Intermediate Micro and Intro to Micro are two COMPLETELY diff things.

pretty sure I never said they weren't. The OP said she took micro and macro together in the summer, implying that they were 100-level courses so wut u b talkin bout?

 

[hopefuldoc87]

I took micro and it was a lot easier than any of the pre-req classes.

OTOH I put way more time into music theory I and II than any science class in undergrad.

pretty sure I never said they weren't. The OP said she took micro and macro together in the summer, implying that they were 100-level courses so wut u b talkin bout?

I b talking about the fact that intermediate micro and intro to micro are two diff things - how do you know it was a 100-level course? and you said that micro was easy, and intro to micro was mad easy, but inter micro was a little more challenging. i think it was just simple miscommunication. no harm no foul.

 

[135892]

If you're comparing intro economic courses to intro science classes, then I would have to say the science classes are tougher (but they're still pretty easy). I would imagine that the upper-division economic classes become just as challenging as the upper-division science classes though.