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WHAT DID YOUR COLLEGE MAJOR DO FOR YOU?
Questions for:
Ben, Haverford College '99
Q: What was your major in college?
A: Economics.
Q: Why did you choose it as your major?
A: Econ is more about learning an approach to decision-making and problem solving
than it is about memorizing how the GDP is different from the GNP.
Fundamentally, it provides a model based on the core concepts of supply, demand, opportunity cost, risk, etc. in which it is possible to make an impirical judjement as to what course of action is the best. I always found the economists' mindset to be an interesting and useful one when trying to make decisions in my own life, and Economics have become an inextricable part of the
way I think.
Q: Were you happy with your choice?
A: Yup.
Q: What did you end up doing after graduation?
A: I worked in I-banking for a few years in New York. I learned a lot and got to do very interesting work, but the hours are murder (80 on a good week, 100+
when things got busy).
Q: Did your major help you or hurt you in your search for a job?
A: It helped me a lot... employers seem to sense that economics provides the tools for making informed, sensible decisions, even in the face of incomplete or
overwhelming information.
Q: Did your major give you the skills to succeed at your first job?
A: Yes. I can't imagine a job that would not make use of the things economics
teaches. Even a gardener could benefit from such concepts as expected value and opportunity cost when deciding which fertilizer to buy, or how to spend
their time if they have too many tasks to do in a limited amount of time...
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