Sophomore Course Advice

[Menzer18]

I'm in the process of registering for classes for the spring semester, and I could use some advice on course selection.

 

Some relevant background: I'm a math/econ double major at a lower-ranked (t-70) LAC and I am very interested in pursuing a Ph.D in economics. I've been pretty set on that plan since the beginning of my first year, and being exposed to gradually more math and economics makes me more confident that it is a good career path for me. That said, the low rank of my school, and particularly it's economics department, means I have some hurdles to jump through to get into a T50. So far, I've taken Calc I-III (AP,A,A), Intro to CS (A), Principles of Econ (A), and Urban Econ (A-) in my first year. I'm currently enrolled in Linear Algebra, Transitions to Adv. Math (basically intro to proofs), and Inter. Micro Theory. I expect that I will get A's in Transitions and Micro, and either an A or A- in Linear.

 

Here are my relevant course options for next semester. I'm looking to choose a total of 3 math and econ courses. Those distinguished by an "or" are at the same time, so I could not take both.

 

Calculus-based Probability and Statistics OR Intermediate Macro Theory

Mathematical Modeling OR Economics of Development

Real Analysis I

Health Economics

 

My math advisor has strongly encouraged me to take RA, but I am very hesitant to do this. It seems to me that I would be better off, from a grading perspective, taking it in another year when I have more mathematical knowledge/maturity. He is the professor teaching RA, and has a bit of a reputation as a difficult grader. Given that I am at a low-ranked school, it seems like my RA grade would carry even more weight in admissions decisions.

 

What do you recommend? Would it be a mistake to take RA this early, and potentially risk a non-A grade? Thoughts on other courses?

 

I appreciate any advice!

[econphd14]

You need both probability and intermediate macro, so get one of those out of the way. You'll probably want to take real analysis at some point. You could take it now or save it for a less busy semester. I took it my first semester of undergrad, so it's definitely not too early. Lastly, I wouldn't take development or health econ unless your interests lie in those fields. A lot of the more qualitative undergrad economics courses are not very useful in grad school. They will give you some intuition and a good foundation if you intend to specialize in a related area, but if you are not interested in the field, you stand to gain comparatively little. Math modeling means a lot of different things, so it's hard to judge usefulness, but I'd have to guess that it would be better preparation than development or health. One caveat here may be that you don't know what your interests are, so taking the development or health econ class can help you refine your interests.

 

Edit: I attended a similar institution and am now at a top 10 phd. Maximizing your chances at a higher tier university will require the double major, so you have a good start. You may also want to spend a semester or more at a prestigious research university, either domestic or abroad. British universities (Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL) are good options that you will see frequently mentioned on this board.