Glut of Econ majors

[Anonymous]

DC is a junior at Williams, and it is shocking to see how many peers are majoring in Economics. I understand the cost of college has soured, but how does economics, at all, give you any skills needed for jobs? And if anyone can enter business careers, what's the point of business majors? It just seems very confusing.

[Anonymous]

This is an odd post. Economics gives you plenty of skills needed to get a job…far more applicable than a lot of majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a junior at Williams, and it is shocking to see how many peers are majoring in Economics. I understand the cost of college has soured, but how does economics, at all, give you any skills needed for jobs? And if anyone can enter business careers, what's the point of business majors? It just seems very confusing.

There is a difference in a BA and a BS in Economics. A BS is much harder and regarded more highly. So, they aren't all going for the BS, I assure you!

Also, there are comparatively fewer kids who major in econ (or finance, or accounting, or anything specific), as opposed to just "business." Those (business administration type) are the degrees I would be concerned about. They mean little in the competitive marketplace.

[Anonymous]

What a strange post. I was an Econ major at Williams almost 30 years ago, and my year it was the most popular major. It’s popularity at certain schools is nothing new

[Anonymous]

Supply and demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a strange post. I was an Econ major at Williams almost 30 years ago, and my year it was the most popular major. It’s popularity at certain schools is nothing new

It's nothing new, though I agree that it doesn't give that much skill. Econ is only useful, because enough econ majors sold themselves as useful. The average econ grad isn't that quantitatively inclined, even with an econometrics course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a junior at Williams, and it is shocking to see how many peers are majoring in Economics. I understand the cost of college has soured, but how does economics, at all, give you any skills needed for jobs? And if anyone can enter business careers, what's the point of business majors? It just seems very confusing.

Uh, FAANG jobs.

[Anonymous]

Economics is the business degree at elite schools that look down on having an undergrad business degree. Economics is seen as more practical than English and less touchy-feely than Psychology.

There are a couple of good wisecracks about Econ majors in Liar's Poker and the Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Both popular books from the '80s when Econ majors and MBAs became dramatically more popular. Very funny to me, I joined in on both trends.

[Anonymous]

Surprise! It's fine to come out of an (excellent) college without job-specific "skills" that you learned as a direct result of your choice of major.

I know the CS echo chamber doesn't want to hear that, but it's absolutely true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a junior at Williams, and it is shocking to see how many peers are majoring in Economics. I understand the cost of college has soured, but how does economics, at all, give you any skills needed for jobs? And if anyone can enter business careers, what's the point of business majors? It just seems very confusing.

You seem hung up on the idea of getting a job in one's specific degree field. Most people don't. You can go into business with any degree (or none) and you can go to grad school in economics without doing your undergrad major in economics.

[Anonymous]

I was an Econ minor and gained so much skills. If someone majored in Econ especially doing the BS instead of BA it is instrumental in the job market. Then to be a math, statistics, or computer science minor would be even better. Actuary, Data Analyst, Research Analyst, Investment Banker, Quant, and so much more

[Anonymous]

I graduated from another NESCAC school 30 years ago also and Econ was definitely one of the most popular majors. Nothing new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprise! It's fine to come out of an (excellent) college without job-specific "skills" that you learned as a direct result of your choice of major.

I know the CS echo chamber doesn't want to hear that, but it's absolutely true.

+10000
Touché

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprise! It's fine to come out of an (excellent) college without job-specific "skills" that you learned as a direct result of your choice of major.

I know the CS echo chamber doesn't want to hear that, but it's absolutely true.

This point! And often the "practical" majors need a ton of outside learning. I know CS majors who spend hours outside of class learning important code they actually need for their jobs. No one calls CS impractical for making you do projects, learn other frameworks, grind through leetcode, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was an Econ minor and gained so much skills. If someone majored in Econ especially doing the BS instead of BA it is instrumental in the job market. Then to be a math, statistics, or computer science minor would be even better. Actuary, Data Analyst, Research Analyst, Investment Banker, Quant, and so much more

So then what's the reasoning for a liberal arts BA in econ? The most they're doing is intro stats...