These advice and comments items are all from the 1996 survey and are essentially unedited.
ADVICE:
> Get a broad-based education -- read literature, study history, do the arts, learn to sail and play Frisbee golf -- you never know what you'll end up doing and what part of your education will end up being practical. You can specialize in grad school.
> Obtain an advanced degree to expand future opportunities, a year or two of work experience before additional schooling is advised to help focus area of study.
> Enjoy college and work hard.
> (1) Start as high as you can. (2) Learn the basics first.
> Don't expect to leave Eckerd and become an Economist. A Master's degree (at least!) is a prerequisite unless you can bring truly useful, demonstrable skills to your prospective employer.
> A stronger mathematical background than I had: 2 semesters Prob. & Statistics, 2-3 semesters Calculus. Also, a stronger sense of the interaction of Economic study with the other behavioral sciences -- sociology, psychology, history, management. I enjoyed the "History of Economic Thought" and "Managerial Economics" classes which put economic behavior into social, historical context.
> Balance Econ classes with Management and courses from other disciplines, Poli Sci, Literature, etc.
> Get a good mix of qualitative and quantitative courses and analytical tools. Try and focus on understanding what causes changes in trends versus continuation of them.
> Study broad variety of topics.
> Study harder than you think you should. Try to focus on a specific area of econ by your junior years (e.g., environmental, micro, etc.). That is something I wish I had done. If you are not a good writer -- learn. Being able to write is of utmost importance in almost any career. Take advantage of economics tutors if they are available to you. Develop a good relationship with your mentor and ask lots of questions. Remember -- there's no such thing as a dumb question. I wish I had asked more. Read, read, read. Become computer literate. I take that back, become more than computer literate. The more you know about computers and how they are used in your area of interest, the more of an advantage you'll have in the job market. Find a way to explore your career options before you get out there. Learn how to speak effectively in front of your peers and professors. Put your best foot forward -- if you are intelligent and you don't try your hardest, you will regret it in the future.
> Study the Finance sections -- stocks, bonds, what causes changes.
> When graduating, try to find a company with an exceptional training program. The initial pay is NOT important. Learn a business you like well and once you do, start kicking butt! Be the best at what you do.
> Find a specialization. Discover what type of career you are interested in. So many graduates have degrees in Business, Economics, etc., but have no idea what they want to do.
> Study hard -- grades do matter. Go to the best grad school possible. Follow your heart.
> Try to have some idea of what general profession you're interested and try to get some experience. Get good grades.
> Take classes outside of your major; understand computers; learn the basics of writing concise factual and persuasive papers.
> Take Economics courses seriously, but also take as many courses outside of the field that relate to Economics; i.e., History, Psychology, Philosophy, Mathematics -- get a true liberal education.
> Consider internationalizing your course of study with studies at Eckerd College in London or another program abroad.
> (1) Econ is excellent preparation for a legal career. However, don't choose a legal career because you don't know what else to do. Have an affirmative goal and desire to do whatever you choose. (2) Diversify. Get as much exposure as you can now to multiple areas because that opportunity only will shrink as you settle into a career.
> There are a lot of opportunities for Economics majors in a wide variety of fields. Eckerd offers such different courses from business to social to environmental -- explore them all. Pay attention to Macro -- it'll affect every aspect of your life and it's nice to understand why!
> The Economics major has served me well. Although it doesn't directly impact my current profession, I apply the logic I learned studying Economics every day.
> Get an MBA!
> Choose your senior project carefully and really learn from the experience. It gives you real world experience that will help you get a job. Use your class projects to learn how to write technically -- it's a skill that is invaluable in the workplace today.
> Take seriously the required courses, which will provide you with valuable competencies and a broad exposure to micro and macro issues; follow your heart in choosing program electives, which may well expose the right career path for you.
COMMENTS:
> I miss the beach.
> I really do have fond memories of my Econ classes.
> I wish I could come back for a couple of years.
> Since I ended up in the financial field, I wish I had either minored in Finance or double majored.
> A friend of mine was commenting the other day about all the incompetent people we meet every day in our business. I told him not to be so negative; after all, if it wasn't for those people we wouldn't be gainfully employed today. Because of what I learned, I find myself constantly looking for opportunities where everyone else sees doom.
> Do not go to law school! Follow your heart. Enjoy yourself.
> I would like to be more supportive of the Economics Department. Raymond James is based locally and can offer numerous types of "on-the-job" experience for those looking to get a foot in the door.
> It was a great opportunity and experience!
> Studying Economics at Eckerd was a wonderful experience because of the great professors (THANK YOU!), their challenging courses, and their interest in connecting Economics to other disciplines. I can't really articulate why, but I know studying Economics has made a significant impact in the way I think, the way I understand issues, and the way I make decisions.
> Economics provided a solid foundation for entry into a variety of fields past graduation! In addition, the thinking process helped prepare for the study and practice of law.
> I hope History of Economic Thought is still a role playing course. Although it required more effort than a traditional lecture-oriented course, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile effort.
> Eckerd College is one of the most exceptional schools I have ever attended. It is a 4-year must and should be taken seriously in order to get the most out of it.
> In the transportation industry, the modeling of data is very commonplace. There are data collection techniques that allow some measurement of utility and trade-offs (i.e., between time and cost of travel). Congestion Pricing is looking more like a reality (we're involved with a demonstration project in San Francisco/Oakland).
> (a) The faculty are top-notch educators, academic advisors, and most importantly, great people. Their teachings both from the classroom and "the real world" will continue to guide you life-long. (b) The mix of quantitative and qualitative studies will provide a solid base of skills for most any post-graduate career or degree program -- in fact, they'll put you ahead of your peers.
> Three aspects of the Eckerd experience have fostered a competitive advantage: (a) The liberal arts foundation and innovative, values- based pedagogies encouraged me to not only think broadly, but to think for myself, and to consequently strive to make unique contributions both to my field and organizations. (b) Most every professor assumed it part of his/her role to develop my writing abilities, the cumulative effects of which have aided me greatly as a writer. (c) Ample opportunities for student leadership (newspaper, student affairs, etc.) gave me invaluable opportunities to experiment with and learn key organizational skills and develop confidence.
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