Chris Carey ’08
Economics Major
X06-S07 D-plan: R-R-L-R

Favorite and least favorite thing about department: My favorite thing about the Econ major is the wide range of classes offered and the range of the major. My least favorite things about the major are that it is pretty hard to get into classes and some of the students seem to be a little too competitive.

Important info for potential majors: Did some of the principles and ideas in Econ 1 excite you? This is important, because the principles and basics of Econ 1 are the foundation of every Econ class.

Internship experience: Sperry Mitchell and Company, Internship as Financial Analyst, W07, New York

Most valuable academic information learned: The resources you have around you to help you pick out your classes. It also took me a year to realize how much your friends and people at Dartmouth love to tell you about the classes they took, who the good profs are, what classes are hard or easy, etc. Looking back I probably could have chosen some classes freshman year that were a little more interesting with the help of my friends and other resources.

Favorite class and professor: My favorite class is Econ 26. During class the Professor randomly picks a student to present, so there is absolutely no lecturing, solely student participation. The amount of work preparing for a class is more than any other I’ve taken, and you are required to teach yourself. The rewarding thing about the class is that you discover the potential you have to learn independently. It’s also extremely engaging and amazing how much you can learn from your classmates.

Major classes taken: ECON 1, 10, 21, 26, 56.

Major journey: I came in not really knowing what I wanted to major in. I took Econ 1, really liked it and decided to take a higher-level course, which I loved, so I became a major.

Other activities: Varsity Rowing; Big Kids LEAD Mentoring- Co-Chair; Big Green Readers.

Talk to me if: Talk to me if you’re worried about work load.

Chetan Mehta ’08
Mathematics & Economics Double Major
F07-S08 D-plan: R-R-O

Favorite and least favorite thing about department: The best thing about the economics department is the faculty and the wide array of courses offered. The department does a great job of covering almost all the important fields in economics – from public economics to international trade to finance – so that any potential major can pursue his/her specific interest in a comprehensive way. The not-so-great part of the department is its size: economics is the most popular major at Dartmouth and it shows! Class sizes, while certainly manageable and much smaller than at other schools, are slightly larger than in the average Dartmouth course.

Important info for potential majors: The Economics department offers certain higher-level courses that only have Economics 1 as a pre-requisite. Potential majors should try to take one of these courses early on to get a taste for Economics outside the introductory macro/micro-economics material. Some of you may be surprised at the breadth and depth of discipline.

Internship experience: McKinsey & Co., Business Analyst Intern, NJ, W07.

Most valuable academic information learned: I learned you should take classes outside your ‘comfortable interests’ if they’re being taught by Professors with a reputation of inspiring an interest in the subject. Excellent instruction can make any topic fun and worthwhile.

Favorite class and professor: My favorite class so far has been Economics 20 – Econometrics with Prof. Amitabh Chandra. Econometrics is one of those dreaded classes that every Economics majors puts off till the very last, but Prof. Chandra made it accessible and fun. He didn’t resort to antics or pander to students, he simply had a genuine enthusiasm for the subject and it came through in his teaching.

Major classes taken: ECON 10, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28 35, 36, 38, 46, 81

Major journey: I came in wanting to be a Physics major, but took Math 14 during my Freshman Fall, enjoyed the rigor and switched to Math. I took Economics 20 during the Spring of my Freshman year and found the intersection between mathematics and the social sciences to be fascinating, so I decided to do a Double Major.

Other activities: Dartmouth Mathematical Society; The Dartmouth Independent; Montage Film Journal Dartmouth Dining Services; Student Computing Help Desk; Grader for Math department International Student Mentor

Off Campus Program: Economics Exchange Program, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy, 06F

Other major-specific activities: Presidential Scholar Research Assistant (last year); Dartmouth Society for Investment & Economics; Economics Tutor at Academic Skills Center; Research Assistant at Tuck Business School (05-06); Social Sciences Computing – Stata TA

Talk to me if: you're interested in Economics research or applied mathematics.

Alison Hiler ’08
Economics Major/Government Minor
F07-S08 D-plan: R-R-R

Favorite and least favorite thing about department:My favorite thing is the variety of the classes offered and the ability that majors have to choose what their focus is. It is also great that majors can take courses outside of their core track. Also, all the professors I have had in the apartment have been very approachable and I find office hours helpful. The one downside about the department is its size, as there are so many Economics major at Dartmouth. Fortunately, if you really need a class, they will do what they can to get you into it.

Important info for potential majors:You can take courses in three different tracks before deciding which track you want to be your core track and which core you want to be your supplemental track. Take advantage of this to ensure you are focusing on the track you have the most interest in.

Internship experience: Intern U.S. Senator Judd Gregg's Washington, D.C. office 07W ; Intern Chicago Board of Trade R.J. O'Brien & Associates 07X

Most valuable academic information learned:Take advantage of the wide variety of classes Dartmouth has to offer. It is easy to get set in the mindset that you have to take this class and that class and you need to have all your courses planned out far in advance. Aside from major courses, be sure to take classes that really pique your interest.

Favorite class and professor: Financial Intermediaries and Markets with Meir Kohn. After hearing how much work the class is and how intimidating Kohn can be, I was pleasantly surprised when I found the course very enjoyable. Kohn's teaching method is extremely effective and if you are willing to put the time in for each class, you will excel. I was amazed at how much I learned about the financial world.

Major classes taken: ECON 1, 10, 21, 22, 26, 29, 39 (as well as 28 and 36 as transfer credits)

Major journey: I came to Dartmouth interested in both Government and Economics, despite limited exposure to both in high school. I took both Government and Economics courses throughout my freshman and sophomore year and did not decide on Economics until it was time to file a major card. I chose Economics because I found I enjoyed studying for exams (as much as anyone can) and I also appreciated that it has a mathematical aspect to it.

Off Campus Program:Transfer term through Butler University's Institute for Study Abroad- City University, London, 06F

Other activities: Women in Business- Campus Relations Chair; Kappa Kappa Gamma- Breast Cancer Walk/Run Co-Chair; Upper Valley Lightning Women's Soccer (what was the Dartmouth Women's JV Soccer team until April 06)

Talk to me if: you are interested in the Finance or International tracks. Also, talk to me if you are interested in doing a transfer term and receiving credits for an Economics major.

Thesis Status: Not planning on writing one.

Hazel Kent ’09
Economics/Portuguese
F07-S08 D-plan: R-R-L

Favorite and least favorite thing about department: My favorite thing about the department is the enthusiasm of the faculty. Every professor I've had has been extremely dedicated to their subject, and their engagement is contagious. They're all very approachable outside of class and encourage students to come to office hours with questions. Even when the topics are somewhat dry, as is the case in the lower 20s, the professors make things interesting by tying in current events. My least favorite thing is the limited depth of the course catalogue. Within each series, there aren't that many courses to choose from.

Important info for potential majors: Don't let the lower 20s deter you from the major. Like all prerequisites, they can seem tedious. When you finally graduate out of them, however, you'll likely remember why you wanted to be an economics major in the first place.

Most valuable academic information learned: Professors like nothing more than students who are enthusiastic about their subject. Going to office hours to ask a question or to talk about their research if it interests you will improve your classroom experience.

Favorite class and professor: My favorite class was actually outside the department, but was nonetheless very relevant. GEOG 6, Geography of Development with Professor Freidberg, got me thinking about economics as something other than just a prerequisite to a career in finance. It changed my perspective about the both the history and future of global capitalism, and made me understand the predicament of the developing world far better than I ever had.

Major classes taken: ECON 1, 10, 20, 21, 22, 26, 29

Major journey: I came to Dartmouth having known I wanted to major in economics since about the 8th grade. Freshman fall I took ECON 1, and since then I've really never doubted the choice.

Major specific activities: Presidential Scholar working with Prof. Pascaline Dupas on Development research (Hopefully-if my application is accepted)

Off Campus Program: Portuguese LSA+ in Salvador, Brazil, 06F

Other activities: College Republicans

Talk to me if: you're not sure if the major is right for you, or are struggling in it. I happen to love economics, but I also find it challenging and understand that it can be a particularly stress-inducing major.

Thesis Status: Undecided.

Michael Peng ’08
Economics and Mathematics, Pre-law
F07-S08 D-plan: R-R-R

Favorite and least favorite thing about department: I enjoy the incredible diversity of the economics department. The flexibility of the upper-course tracks gave me incredible freedom in studying what I found interesting. The professors are top-class researchers and academics, and have always been willing to meet me when needed. On the other hand, I do not like the lower-course track design at all. I think it is overly restrictive and turns away many potential majors.

Important info for potential majors: Please don’t be fooled by Econ 1 and the other low-numbered courses. The upper-division economics classes are wonderful. If you feel capable, jump ahead as soon as you can; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You can always make up some of the set requirements later on, and I think you’d find yourself more motivated to take those classes than if you had to slog through them from the bottom up.

Internship experience: Legal/Intellectual Property Department intern, ; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, F06 ; Presidential Scholar research assistant, Dartmouth Department of Mathematics, Hanover, NH, 06X ; Records Department intern, Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher, LLP, Irvine, CA, 05X

Most valuable academic information learned: Talk with the professors, whether it’s office hours, after class, or whenever. Read relevant magazines and watch related television shows/movies. Incorporate what you’re studying into your everyday life. Definitely immerse yourself beyond class lectures and homework; the material really comes alive and becomes so much more interesting.

Favorite class and professor: My favorite professor is John Scott (Industrial Organization); he is extremely intelligent and a very good researcher. I loved that I could go talk to him as much as I needed, and could always count on coming away with some new bit of knowledge. My favorite class was Applied Economics in Developing Countries; this was an eye-opening examination of poverty and developing countries. It’s certainly not a “typical” class. I came away more informed than I ever thought I would, and with a different attitude.

Major classes taken: Econ 1, 10, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29, 35, 39, 45, 49, 74

Major journey: I came into economics almost randomly. I was watching Alias and a character on the show said he was “the CIA’s top game theorist”, and that led me to the Game Theory class. From there on, I just kept on taking classes that interested me. I never really planned out my major, and yet I ended up with a very vibrant, coherent program.

Major specific activities: I’m taking an extra research class beyond the basic major requirements (I love research), and I’ve tutored economics (both group and one-on-one) for the ASC for the past two years.

Off Campus Program: none

Other activities: Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Law; Dartmouth Fencing Team; Triple Helix magazine; International Humanitarian Foundation; Sigma Nu

Talk to me if: you’re interested in developing economies, industrial organization, or law, if you need advice on constructing a coherent major or pair of majors, or if you feel lost!

Thesis Status: Up in the air; for the past year, I’ve been slowly outlining an idea for a paper based on utilities privatization in developing countries. If enough comes together, I’ll probably link up with a professor and start working on it Fall 07 or Winter 08.