1997 Major: Economics; certificate in Markets & Management Studies
"I have always been pleased that I chose Economics as my major. While I occasionally use super-technical information I learned during my studies, the more valuable part of learning the Economics mindset for me has been the application of the logic behind economic thinking to my real world problems. Thinking in terms of marginally diminishing returns and looking at problems in terms of marginal utility instead of simple average utility help me solve problems better. I always encourage students to consider an economics major because it gives you the tools/mindset to be an engineer in non-physical, socially oriented (business) enterprises. Even (and especially) if you're not planning an academic career, Economics will empower you to think circles around the other people sitting around the boardroom table."
"Focus your time on the thought process you encounter in your studies. Work out the "why" in your exercises to train your mind to apply that technique to other problems. (And definitely take an econometrics course or two! That is going to help you in a data-intensive world!)"
