Prof. Mankiw chimes in on the weak math background issue

**elhuevon** · 06-01-2006, 11:23 PM

Here:
http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2006/...d-at-math.html

I don´t think he realizes how competitive admissions is for LSE masters programs. Then again, maybe it is a lot easier with a Harvard undergrad degree (even if you did take no math).

Other than that, he recommends getting a law degree instead

**aclax2k** · 06-07-2006, 08:54 PM

well he does have a point that if you aren't comfortable with doing lots and lots and lots of math, then you won't make it through an Econ Phd. The numbers are low enough for people who LIKE math, you just don't see the 'I hate math' people coming out with Phds anymore.

**werner** · 06-14-2006, 08:48 PM

it depends on the definition of 'i hate math'. if you are eager to start research without spending much time preparing yourself for it then there is no problem. on the other hand some people might dislike math because they don't like brooding over a subject at all, that would be the problem. i got the impression that math is merely a signal that is cheap for people who enjoy it, like me

**notacolour** · 06-14-2006, 08:55 PM

I don't understand how you got the impression that a phd program would allow someone who hates math to start research without spending much time preparing for it. Everyone has to take the core classes, which certainly involve fairly high-level math, and field courses, which almost certainly use similar math. You can't just skip the coursework and dive into some research that you think doesn't involve math.

**Ivo** · 06-15-2006, 04:28 PM

I know Mankiw is big, but his advice seems quite bizzare to me. It sounds like "well if you want to do econ but can't handle math, why not trying law instead" as if law would be a minor and easy-to-do major complementing economics. For sure, they are related as most social sciences are, but I can't see how an econ devotee would fall in love with law even if one finds law courses that could be of interest.

I really feel that econ and law are, after all, quite different and doing a PhD in it isn't easy either.

But if we insist on suggesting a substitude for econ, why not political economy then? It's got certainly a very close link (much closer than law) to econ and one doesn't have to be so competent in math either (pol.sci. departments usually run this type of courses).

Quite honestly I almost had the feeling when reading the blog that he was trying to sell himself in a flaunty style: "you know besides economics, I've done law too and I could even get back to it if econ doesn't work out for me"

. If it wasn't Mankiw, quite a huge name in econ, I'd almost say he's really showing off. But this guy doens't have to do it. So I am puzzled.

Mankiw's words:
"I spent 1 1/2 years in the early 1980s as a student at Harvard Law School, and I think I could have forged a happy career with a law degree instead of a PhD. In the end, I decided that my comparative advantage was in economics rather than law, so I suspended my law studies. But I can always go back and finish the law degree if this economics thing doesn't work out for me."

**notacolour** · 06-15-2006, 04:44 PM

I agree with you, Ivo. His "advice" didn't strike me as all that useful, but seemed more like a way to drop the name of the law school that he attended, and obviously could have mastered because he's The Man and all.

Law is an option for an alternate approach to certain branches of economics. If you're serious about applying it to economic concerns, you'll need to find a way to take some econ and develop a decent familiarity with economics, though. On the other hand, other fields are more applicable to branches of economics, and wouldn't require nearly as much effort to take outside courses to apply what you learn. Say, public policy for applied issues and some development stuff, or political economy/poli. sci., as mentioned above, or business PhD programs, for more finance- and business-related stuff. The latter field isn't light on math, but my impression is that the math would be considered much easier than econ PhD-level math by the vast majority of people.

**buckykatt** · 06-26-2007, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by Ivo

I know Mankiw is big, but his advice seems quite bizzare to me. It sounds like "well if you want to do econ but can't handle math, why not trying law instead" as if law would be a minor and easy-to-do major complementing economics. For sure, they are related as most social sciences are, but I can't see how an econ devotee would fall in love with law even if one finds law courses that could be of interest.

Law is a very natural thing for someone who enjoys economics to take up--I think Mankiw's advice is dead on. Sure, law school isn't trivial, but it takes less time than earning a Ph.D. and doesn't require higher math, so it's a great option for someone who can think analytically but can't handle or doesn't enjoy abstract math.

**crslr** · 06-26-2007, 06:09 AM

I'd interpret Mankiw's statement in a similar way to "as a mathematician, you have economics as a fall-back option." People with economics backgrounds are popular with law school adcoms because they're trained to think analytically in a discipline which is more demanding in that respect. Whether or not they like law is a different matter, just as many mathematicians may not like economics. Mankiw was just saying that he, for one, could see himself going into law.