Economics is a social science that brings together political science, statistics, sociology, mathematics, engineering, psychology, history, and more — basically everything — within the overarching umbrella of money markets and value creation (or destruction, depending on the circumstance). While it is a social science, economics has some major quantitative components that mean it’s nearly as much a STEM field as a humanities field.
The world of economics is often broken into two big buckets: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics can be thought of the personal, the day-to-day, and the tangible. Macroeconomics is the universal side of the field, and is focused most heavily on big-picture issues and overarching concepts. Whether you focus on the micro or the macro side of the field, with a degree you’ll have opportunities to work for banks, educational institutions, research institutions, or government agencies. Having an economics degree can lead to being an economist, financial risk analyst, data analyst, financial planner, accountant, educator, or researcher.
If you’re interested in studying economics in college, there are things you can do as a high school student to help you stand out in the college admissions process. The first is to take economics classes at your high school and, if you max those out, at a local community college. The next, though, is pursuing a few things in your time outside of the classroom that underline your interests and build additional knowledge before your even step foot on a college campus.
If you know what you want to study but aren’t sure where to go, send us an email. We help students find their perfect fit.
Summer Program
Many top-tier colleges and universities offer intensive summer programs for high-achieving high school students focused on subjects that they may not have deep access to during the school year. Economics is a very popular option for students, and attracts driven, academically-minded students who are deeply passionate and equally curious. We encourage students who are into the idea of an academic summer program to pursue ones at colleges they are interested in potentially attending, and are especially big fans of the economics summer programs at Georgetown, Harvard, and Oxford.
Internship or Independent Study
If you have time after school, or even carved out in the school day, it may be possible to pursue an internship or independent study focused on an area of economics that you find particularly interesting. If you live in a city or town with a college nearby, aim to find an internship with a department, research program, or professor. This will expose you to the subject in a deep way, and give you an opportunity to really see if you want to study economics while also building relationships and bulking up your resume. There’s also a possibility of a great supplemental recommendation from a real-world economist, which would be a win-win.
Student Governance
While the overlap between economics and joining student government may not be immediately obvious, we encourage our students who are interested in economics to become involved with their school governance groups. Student Governance builds — and thus communicates to colleges — leadership, teamwork, and an ability to manage diverse personalities, goals, and challenges. Economics is a collaborative discipline, and colleges look for students who will thrive in such a setting.
Debate Team
For the same reason we love Student Governance, we recommend Debate Team to students who are interested in studying economics in college. Debate develops analytical thinking skills, communication skills, and out-of-the-box problem-solving, which will all be crucial as you pursue economics in college and beyond.
If you want to study economics in college, it is important to show colleges that you are capable of a high level of analytical thought, are curious, and pursue opportunities for exploration. You don’t need to pack your calendar to the gills with econ-minded activities, but adding a few strategic extracurriculars that build upon your existing economics interests will make a huge difference when it comes time to press submit.
Applying to college is stressful, so send us an email. We make success simple.