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Mas-Colell as an undergrad


jebba

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Hello forum

 

Senior UG at an east coast LAC with dual econ/math, staying 5th year to take more math classes (applying 2011). Going to do year long independent study with 2 professors in the econ dept that I know quite well. Topic will be grad micro because I think I will go into theoretical micro in grad school.

 

My question is as follows, should I do one semester of adult Varian then transition to Mas-Colell or just do M.C. for both semesters. My professors tell me M.C. assumes you know Varian so I plan on getting both books to see where I am at. I think my math skills are decent considering I have taken:

RA I

abstract algebra

calc sequence

LA

ODE

other standard math major cores..

 

Planning on taking along side this independent study:

topology

RA II

abstract algebra II

adv LA

PDE

numerical methods

graph theory

 

Thanks for your time, and of course appreciate any feedback :)

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Planning on taking along side this independent study:

topology

RA II

abstract algebra II

adv LA

PDE

numerical methods

graph theory

 

That's not all in the Fall is it? I believe I have discovered a new definition for crazy. Moreover, on the topic of Varian or Mas-Colell I would suggest Mas-Colell especially since you're interested in theory. I was fine with just the rudiments of RA by referencing Varian or Rubenstein's notes when I reached something I didn't understand. Honestly I think I'd be kinda dissatisfied if I was independent studying Varian just because its not different enough from Undergrad Micro. Also, I disliked how, in my opinion, Varian didn't handle proofs very thoroughly. Sometimes I thought of cases it didn't include and, low and behold, Mas-collel had the proof in a much more general case.

Edited by Charis
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Varian is definitely at a lower level than MWG.

 

However, in my opinion, Varian is considerably better written than most of MWG. I second the idea of keeping copies of both on hand because there are times (at least for me) where MWG didn't make much sense until I read through the related section of Varian and then came back to MWG.

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If you want to maybe take a lighter book before MWG I would try Jehle instead of Varian. Jehle is GREAT! In my opinion it is much more rigorous than Varian. It explains concepts much more intuitevely than MWG but is not near as thorough.

Agreed. Jehle/Reny is intuitive and more rigorous than Varian. It's definitely not enough alone, however. Great book.

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