An economics survival guide

academics economics
By Maya C.

For those who are not naturally math inclined, the first exposure to economics can be daunting. With a little extra work, those of us with a math aversion can grow fond of the subject. I employed some of the following strategies to get the most out of my economics courses and share them with the hope that they will help you too.

Take handwritten notes

Take your own handwritten notes, integrating material from lectures and your textbook. While old-fashioned notes may seem like a chore, this method will strengthen your memory, provide an opportunity to review course material, and identify areas of improvement. As you review the information, flag any questions or gaps in your understanding of the material. Bring questions to office hours, review sessions, and tutoring.

Combine learning styles

Economics can be expressed visually, mathematically, and conceptually. While you may absorb knowledge more easily in one form than another, bringing all these elements together will enhance your understanding. When faced with a new topic, draw the associated graphs, aim to understand the equations, and look for real-world examples. Each of these activities will complement your knowledge and bolster your ability to recall the topic on test day.

Make it practical and make it fun

Though economics may seem theoretical, the concepts become most interesting when applied. Explore course-related material outside of class to ground your understanding. Hundreds of current events can serve as examples to support your learning. If you’re studying microeconomics, consider looking into antitrust regulation or researching how rising student loan balances affect the economy. If you’re studying macroeconomics, you might look at historical examples of severe hyperinflation around the world. Check out podcasts like Freakonomics or Planet Money. You can also exasperate all your friends by making jokes about diminishing marginal returns or sharing economics memes. The more you make economics relevant to your own life, the more tangible the subject will seem.

Maya graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Religious Studies and Political Science and minors in French and Conflict Studies from DePauw University. As a Fulbright grantee, Maya taught English to over 200 students in Morocco. She's currently an MPP Candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Comments

topicTopics
academics study skills MCAT medical school admissions SAT expository writing college admissions English MD/PhD admissions strategy writing LSAT GMAT GRE physics chemistry math biology graduate admissions academic advice ACT interview prep law school admissions test anxiety language learning premed MBA admissions career advice personal statements homework help AP exams creative writing MD study schedules test prep computer science Common Application summer activities history mathematics philosophy organic chemistry secondary applications economics supplements research 1L PSAT admissions coaching grammar law psychology statistics & probability legal studies ESL CARS SSAT covid-19 dental admissions logic games reading comprehension engineering USMLE calculus PhD admissions Spanish mentorship parents Latin biochemistry case coaching verbal reasoning DAT English literature STEM excel medical school political science skills AMCAS French Linguistics MBA coursework Tutoring Approaches academic integrity chinese letters of recommendation Anki DO Social Advocacy admissions advice algebra art history artificial intelligence astrophysics business cell biology classics diversity statement gap year genetics geometry kinematics linear algebra mechanical engineering mental health presentations quantitative reasoning study abroad technical interviews time management work and activities 2L DMD IB exams ISEE MD/PhD programs Sentence Correction adjusting to college algorithms amino acids analysis essay athletics business skills careers cold emails data science dental school finance first generation student functions graphing information sessions international students internships logic networking poetry resume revising science social sciences software engineering tech industry trigonometry writer's block 3L AAMC Academic Interest EMT FlexMed Fourier Series Greek Health Professional Shortage Area Italian Lagrange multipliers London MD vs PhD MMI Montessori National Health Service Corps Pythagorean Theorem Python Shakespeare Step 2 TMDSAS Taylor Series Truss Analysis Zoom acids and bases active learning architecture argumentative writing art art and design schools art portfolios bacteriology bibliographies biomedicine brain teaser campus visits cantonese capacitors capital markets central limit theorem centrifugal force chemical engineering chess chromatography class participation climate change clinical experience community service constitutional law consulting cover letters curriculum dementia demonstrated interest dimensional analysis distance learning econometrics electric engineering electricity and magnetism escape velocity evolution executive function freewriting genomics harmonics health policy history of medicine history of science hybrid vehicles hydrophobic effect ideal gas law immunology induction infinite institutional actions integrated reasoning intermolecular forces intern investing investment banking lab reports linear maps mandarin chinese matrices mba medical physics meiosis microeconomics mitosis mnemonics music music theory nervous system neurology neuroscience object-oriented programming office hours operating systems

Related Content