Greg Mankiw is a professor of Economics at Harvard University. He has written an introductory Economics textbook that is widely used in AP courses around the nation. He has served on the Presidents Council of Economic Advisors, and is a real star in our field. In this New York Times article, he spelled out his advice for the college bound. Read the article and leave your comments. Do any of his points hit home for you? Remember no copying your fellow student's comments.
85 comments:
Something that hit home for me was how he said that when you leave school, the ordinary business of life will be your primary concern. And this is right, because once someone is out in the real world, they have other things that preoccupy their time which are daily and mundane routine things. Another thing that really hit home to me was how students would benefit much more from learning probability and statistics than geometry and trigonometry. This is also right because in the real world, geometry is not going to be of much use as compared to something that is of data and facts, such as statistics.
Blesson Chacko
7th Period
The section on learning finance really hit home for me. Learning finance is an important aspect of life, but schools do not really address anything about it. I realized that as I get older I cannot depend on my parents in financial matters, so I must learn to do it on my own. Most of the decisions that I will have to make in the future depend on financial issues, therefore, it is important that I understand how to hand financial problems.
Jeslin Johny
1st period
I think what really stuck with me the most from the article was when he discussed the idea of how to interpret advice. Many times I have so many people telling me which direction to go and what the best way is to complete things. At the end of the day, advice can only help me so much. Advice is important for consideration, but should never dictate any future decisions I might make. I have to follow my own instincts and passions if I want to both succeed and be happy in the coming future.
Garrett Foresman
Period 6
I agree with all of the points made in this article. I find it particularly interesting because it addresses subjects that aren't really mentioned in our education. I believe that all of the subject areas described are important and have an impact on our lives, but the section that stood out to me the most was the one titled "Ignore Advice as You See Fit." As we draw closer to college, there have been so many people giving me advice and suggestions for the next four years. But it's reassuring to know that I don't have to listen to them, that I make my own choices. It's also encouraging because we as incoming college students are essentially the future of this world. Overall, I enjoyed this article, and it made some very interesting points.
I found all of the advice to be useful as of right now. I have taken many of the classes listed and find the information I learned in those classes useful in daily life and applicable in other subjects. The advice he gives does not only pertain to life after college but also works for people our age (and perhaps even younger). The last bit of advice was something I found useful because we should consider any advice we can get to succeed, but it is up to individuals to decide who's advice and what pieces of advice are important and actually useful because bad advice from the wrong people can and will lead to failure instead of what "advice" is typically good for: success.
Bonita Hall
Period 6
I agree that out math classes now focus on things that are unlikely to pertain to daily life and studying statistics will be more beneficial. As we exit high school, we fail to understand ss, and basic management. I also agree that college is a good investment for young adults because it almost ensures a living wage in the future. The advice he offers in this article opens an eye to traditional education and what we should be doing instead.
Tiffany Huynh
1st
I agree with learning economics so you can know why demand and supply rise in which you are spending more on a product or service.We should kn9e Econonics because it's the business of mankind which should have knowledge about the patterns that affect us as consumers.Another important one is learning finance to see interest rates are changing on student loans after graduating college so they can be more aware of what money to accept for covering the tuition and to maintain an excellent credit score for the future of buying an asset.The advice offered should really help the people make better decisions in life that cannot hinder their future expectations.
Kenan Edwards
6th Period
I agree with all of points in the article. Since middle school I knew that I wanted to major in some aspect of business. However once I entered high school I didn't know which business class to take because business has so many aspects. If our math classes would teach us the math involved in accounting and finance. The school system has forced us to take math classes that all degrees don't require. I feel that with learning about subjects like finance or statistics we learn skills that will help us in the future like our credit scores. This article focuses on what we should learn.
I agree with the idea that an economics class in high school is beneficial for a student's future. Often, students complain they are not learning basic necessities to the adult life, such as learning how to pay bills or taxes or not understanding loans and interest rates. Taking an economics class provides the basic tools to make smart choices. Sometimes, the history classes or poetry lessons that have been taught every year are tools that are not applicable to our daily lives. Learning about probability and statistics is something we can apply to our daily activities which is why I agree with the key points of this article.
Reba George
Period 1
I agree with all of Gregory Mankiw's points, but the one that stood out to me most would have to be the section about finance. Finance classes aren't readily available for students at most schools, which explains why so many high school and even college graduates don't feel confident about making financial decisions independently. The purpose of an education is to give children the tools necessary for their future success, especially in their careers. However, if all careers offer some sort of financial benefit, students will only be able to thrive in their careers after understanding the financial aspects behind them.
I think he makes many good points about what to learn and I find it humorous that he would end his article by cautioning students to not take advice blindly, both adding and subtracting from the point of the article. The specific courses he mentions as well are important I feel, and have seen use already in my life after I've taken the courses so I have no qualms with what he advises.
Henry Zhang
7th Period
I agree with Gregory Mankiw's point that us students need to study the fundamentals of financial decision making, because it'll help you later on in the future with your career. As a student it is going to be hard on you later in life , if you do not know how to manage money. You will end up putting yourself in many risky situations.
Mykaela Llacar
6th
Some points he made about students leaving home and trying to be independent, and how they should listen to their elders and parents and people who have experienced it, but ultimately they should listen to themselves and do what they see fit, and not just d and say whatever they are told to, because in order to be independent and to fine yourself, you have to separate what you you think you want because of what others try to persuade and influence you to think, from what you actually want.
Katarina Shanar 6th period
Mankiw tackles many good points, but the one's that really hit home to me were that we need to start learning more about economics now, and to follow your own path. I think it's a bit ridiculous how many of us students know how to solve trigonometry problems, but don't even know how to file taxes, understand data given to us, etc. It's concerning because we are just a few years away from being college graduates, yet we are still so dependent on our parents figuring out the finances. I also agree with his stand on ignoring advice as we see fit. We can definitely take what other people advise us into consideration, but it's ultimately up to us which path we choose to take.
Angie Mancino
Period 6
I agreed with all of the good points that were made in the article. I especially agreed with the point that said you do not have to take everyone's advice that is thrown at you. That no ones know what the future holds and that you need to be prepared for the unexpected. Learning about stocks and bonds now can help us now to save and become better prepared for the future if something unforeseen should happen. We need to always listen and learn from our teachers, parents, and peers to learn from their successes and their failures.
Hannah Golding
Period 1
I agree that today's educational curriculum enforces unnecessary mathematical concepts like trigonometry on students and that it would be more beneficial to enforce learning statistics. Since our generation is trending toward the knowledge of data and observations, it would make sense for students to learn what the data means in depth from taking statistics courses. I also agree that people should learn about finances. Today, Americans have to take charge of their own financial future and are in control of making their own changes financially.
Brandon Wong
7th
Mankiw had many great points that pertains to my life right now. I agree with him when he states that having knowledge in many areas of study can help a person be a good citizen. Specifically, I agree when he says that knowing finance, economics, statistics, and psychology is important to include in today educational environment. It helps prepare students for the "real world" rather than being thrown into it during college. This helps us be knowledgeable about the world around us and further helps us compete for our own success.
Angel Yeung
Period 6
Throughout this article I tended to agree on most thing but one thing that stood out was the part titled, "Ignore advice as you see fit". Through my experiences I have noticed that all advice isn’t necessarily good advice or advice that applies to me. For example my parents often give me advice based on their life and experiences that they have gone through in their lifetime but often this advice can’t be helpful to me. Because of the shift in lifestyle from now and then I have realized that all advice does not necessarily help me or apply to me.
Edward Joseph
Period 2
In this article I agree with many of Mankiw's points. The part I most relate to is "Few high school students graduate with the tools needed to make smart choices,' particularly day to day life. He talks about how many high schools don't give students the proper preparation for real world situations. Another idea I agreed with was his idea of "ignore advice as you see fit". Each person has a varying perspective on life and the uncertainty it holds. This article shows how economics can apply to everyday lives.
Jessica Neal
2nd Period
I believe the point that Mankiw made about the importance of taking psychology in college and acknowledging the importance of it in day to day life. By making people aware of social and behavioral patterns, society would be able to function more effectively and efficiently. Mankiw is correct to believe in the importance of psychology in economics because ultimately that is what drives peoples intentions and decisions.
Juliana Quintana Pr. 6
Many of the points that Mankiw made for all good points for college bound students. The point that really got me interested was following your passion is important. Mankiw says that you have to follow your passion to be successful and this means you sometimes have to ignore the advices adults give to you. People like Mark Zuckerberg are people who follows their passion and created a life that they wanted to live in. I believe to be successful and happy in your life, you have to follow your passion.
Paul Manavalan
7th Period
All of the points Mankiw said were definitely compelling. However the one that was most outstanding to m was how he said to ignore advice however i see fit. I completely agree with this statement as not everyone knows whats in your best interest. When makings decisions its best take into account the advice you were given but only choose from a few or one or none, in the end its your choice and only you know whats best for you.
Mankiv has given excellent advice as well as good points for college bound students, One of the more interesting advice I think he gave was about taking up psychology which i believe goes hand in hand with Economics as we can see how people react when a certain company gets good pr or bad their stock declines or goes up due to it and psychology helps us predict these outcomes.
Peter Martin
2nd Period
Although many parts of the article were all good points, the one that stood out to me was the "Ignore advice as you see fit" section. Recently I have been able to get a glimpse of what it’s like getting into the real world, before going directly into college, such as making my own decisions over college, applying for jobs, and trying to manage the money I have. But this also comes with all the advice given to adults and other people in our lives who went through similar things as us but overall it is totally opposite from what they went through and what we go through today so, I believe that all advice isn’t always the greatest advice and that some should be ignored if its not appropriate for your situation.
Reeba Abraham
Period 2
Mankiw made good points that many of us could agree with. One point that hit home for me is when he states "high school mathematics curriculums spend too much time on traditional topics." Rather than spending the majority of our time on these traditional topics, Mankiv mentions we could use our time more efficiently to learn lessons that would be more beneficial in our daily life.
Nia Eugene
Per. 6
In the article, I can agree with the many aspects of Mankiw's points. One example is that students need to learn finance before entering college. Making money decisions is an important key to our lives and by knowing the risks of money, students can reduce that risk through this essential skill.
Angela Fang Period 6
I agree with many of Mankiw's points such as how school spends too much time on classes that have application to most students. I believe that there should be more emphasis on classes that prepare students for adult life such as managing money and understanding how others think with psychology. By having more conscious students, our economy would probably more stable and people would work more efficiently.
Andrew Yang
7th
In the article above, a majority of the points made by Mankiw were valid in the sense that they demonstrated the true nature of the world and the importance of showcasing economics to the youth before it’s too late. One specific point I agreed with from the article was “ignore advice however I see fit.” This hands down is the most crucial and valid statement simply because life and decision making are aspects that we have full control over, therefore we must ignore the typical norms of society and do as we see fit. Finally, what I believe Mankiw is trying to say in his article is, in order for one to be successful they must be true to themselves and remain passionate in whatever it is they’re doing.
All of Mankiw's advise are essential to leading a more successful life. I agree with many of them, especially when it comes to learning what is beneficial for our future. It defeats the purpose of school if what students learn is not applicable to them. When living in such a rapidly developing economy it is very important to be knowledgeable of how to proceed while making decisions and/or resolving a situation.
Matthew Manalel
Period 2
In this article, Mankiw provides a list of advise that are critical to making better decisions in our lives. One that caught my eye was being familiar with psychology because it enables you to understand that people's decisions can alter depending on their behavior. Learning about people's behavior and personalities can help us better distinguish what choices they may make in the future, but that is only if their behavior is consistent.
Erin John
Period 2
Throughout this article, Mankiw makes many points that hold much relevance to the modern college student. All of the points function as solid advice that could be used in making more educated decisions as we grow up. One point that caught my eye was being familiar with statistics because it enables one to understand "number-crunching" and, by default, the potential limitations of analyzing data. This point stuck out to me because I agree that statistics mean nothing unless one can accurately evaluate them and come to a good conclusion that can better support the future decision.
Bryanna Godfrey
Period 1
One point that stood out to me in the article was the mention of "401K"s and other social security plans. I realized that I have very little idea of how these work and that this was something that I would have to look into as college is seen as an investment with a great return. I realized that I would have to learn to allocate my money towards spending and saving and also learn to make the correct financial decision as I will soon be off on my own.
Angella Baby
Period 1
The one thing that hit home was the advice of taking a physcology class for college. Many advised me to take this course to see the way people act and it will also be a great foundation for my major. It will teach me how to make wise rather than impulsive decisions so I would not put myself in a bad financial position.
Camryn Pugh 6th period
An aspect to this article that I greatly agree with is the relevance of certain high school courses. I believe the fact that high school geometry is a requirement, while statistics is an option, is ineffective. Most occupations require number sense and data analysis while very few require analyzing shapes. I also believe from experience that psychology courses, which are also optional in high school, are more life changing and lesson-enriched than most other courses, which is why more people should apply for it. Students graduate missing out on a lot of useful and necessary information about the real world because of the classes we are required to take, leaving no space for more useful and relevant courses.
Lujayna Taha
Period 2
In Mankiw's article he gives out great advice for college bound students. I agree with all of his points, but the one that made a big impression was that students should, "learn some psychology." Psychology is the study of the human mind and its functions and the affecting behavior. Throughout life you will meet new people everyday who you have to communicate with; knowing basic psychology will help you better get to know them scientifically and your interpersonal communication skills will be stronger.
Linda Zhu
7th p
The only thing I 100% agree on is how the modern computers has given everyone data to learn independently. When the demand arises to learn a particular skill, we can always head to the internet. For me, school has been the greatest time waster and cause of discouragement, so I take these advises with a grain of salt. Mankiw does mention how these particular subjects have practical uses, which I agree on. Practical education is rare in our current education system. Practical education, also, in the sense of going out into the real world and exploring. It's so hard to figure out goals and dreams when we are told that to prepare for a math test is more desirable than independent learning. To sum things up, yeah, I agree with the article for most of its points.
Henry Feng (dispenser of cursed images)
7th period
There are a lot of things in the article that I can relate to and are agreeable. For instance, even though I did not take psychology and statistics classes, I agree that they may seem irrelevant to many careers, but they are essentials in understanding the everyday life- especially with the human behavior in psychology. Also, now that I am taking economics classes, I couldn't agree more with the article's comment about investing and the importance of developing analytical skills regarding the economy.
Michael Ibay
7th Period
I agree with a majority of the article pertaining to the notion that a wide variety of problem solving skills is necessary for a fast paced society. The idea that one needs psychology and economics is very true because without these tools we just live in an uneducated society. Another point that "hits home" is the idea of new technology and its accessibility to all. Whether it be the idea of free education or theorems the new tech nonetheless has evened the playing field for all.
Dhilan Patel
Period 7
The section on learning finance really stood out to me. Learning finance is crucial to life, but in school you do not learn much about it. I realized that I cannot depend on my parents in financial matters, so it is up to me to do it on my own. Most of the decisions that I will have to make in life depend on financial issues, therefore, it is imperative that I am knowledgeable on these things.
Anson Sam
6th Period
"Ignore advice as you see fit" is a point that hit home for me personally. As a senior graduating to become a freshman in college, advice is coming from every direction and I have been trying to the best of my ability to consider,retain, and apply the advice that has been bestowed upon me. Without a doubt that is difficult and although the advice is coming from a good place, everyone has different walks and outlooks of life and something that once applied to someone else may not apply to you.
Nicole Jean
1st period
I agree with the majority of what George Mankiw says in his article. He discusses several aspects of finance and psychology and how they go hand in hand. For me what really stood out was the quote, "For those who have left college behind, it is not too late to learn." This hits home for me because it makes me believe that regardless of what your situation is, it is never too late to expand your knowledge. And this knowledge is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you and always help you further in life.
Nikita Damodaran
Period 2
"LEARN SOME STATISTICS" and "LEARN SOME PSYCHOLOGY" were two points that hit home for me.
Statistics - A lot of the math we learn from Elementary school days up until High School graduation is pretty much not applicable to daily life. At no point in a majority of our lives are we going to be in a life or death situation because we can't calculate the area of a cylinder or what-not. Statistics helps us understand how to analyze, interpret, and present data, sometimes valuable data, that can help us all.
Psychology - Everyday we see new people, there are almost 7.5 billion people in this world, and the number is constantly growing, no matter what you're going to bump into someone new every time you step foot outside your house. Psychology is the study of the human mind and its functions, it's good to know how the mind works as it may help you when encountering a new person. It helps us with our views on other peoples behavior, especially our own.
Mark Mufarreh 1st Period
I agree with most of the article, but the section that really hit home for me was section “Ignore advice as you see fit”. As heading to college, one is left with many decisions to think about which college, getting jobs, and etc. You don’t have to agree to every advice thrown at you from many directions. No one knows what the future holds and what challenges one has to face. As go in, we learn and listen to our parents, friends, and teachers advice, but at the end of day it is our judgment that makes the decisions in our life.
Amaani Nazarali-6th Period
The one thing that hit home for me is that we must study psychology, as people it is important to understand human beings considering how much we interact with each other every day. Everyone is different; therefore it is crucial to understand other human behaviors. It also makes me really appreciate taking psychology as one of my electives and gave me a better understanding of the world around me and the way things are. I also liked how Mankiw pointed out the importance of learning statistics since they are often used in daily life. Also I liked how Mankiw stressed the importance of learning economics and taking an economics course it has really opened my eyes by being able to understand how our economy runs.
Ashley Odstrcil
7th period
A couple things that i thought were important were the "business of life" and how just everyday human life has business in it, and its important to at least know the basics about everyday business process. Also learning a bit of finance, it will teach you how to manage your money and also save it for the future which is very very important. Lastly i thought it was important to listen to other peoples advice and reflect on it but to follow your own passions and goals.
Matthew Benton
6th Period
The need for psychology and statistics is what really resonated with me. When teachers create tests, if you know the teacher well enough you can predict what kind of questions he will put on the test. The same principle can be applied to life and how you can expect people to act. Psychology helps to teach you how to get out of your mind and get out of your own way. Statistics and basic number analysis helps to root out and better understand all of the information that is online these days. It also helps you understand when someone is trying to mislead you.
Jahrid Clyne
Period 6th
I think the most interesting thing about that article was about ignoring advice. It is very rare to hear adults not give advice. It is hard to ignore the advice when it comes from your parents. It is even harder to make decisions when you get millions of opinions from millions of different people. I thought everything in the article had a point and he was very right. At the end of the day, we are the future. It is in our hand to shape our future. It will either be our success or our failure, it’s our choice.
Sumeyye Islamoglu
1st period
The thing I found most interesting about the article was the section about psychology. Oftentimes, people really don’t think rationally and end up making choices that negatively affect them in the long run, so I think it is important to understand the flaws in human behavior In order to prevent certain things from happening. Personally, I believe being humble is a very important trait but can be difficult for some to achieve. This section is also important because it relates to every other section in the article because in summary, everything is in our heads and we have the control to shape the present and future.
Bailey Corley
6th period
The whole article made valid points relating to the importance of studying economics and how it relates to everyday life. The one point in the article that I like was the importance of psychology. Being able to get out of your mind and better understand yours, and others can really help you predict how person will act. It is important to know how people think so that there is less unpredictable events in an already unpredictable world. Economics relates to how the world around us works. Psychology deals with how people think. Combining the two provides a great understanding of everything around us.
Luke Leblanc
Period 6
The piece of advice that stood out the most to me was that he advises that a student should learn psychology. I like how he admits that after he audited a psychology class, he believes he became a better, more humble, person. It made him able to see his own personal flaws in life and become more considerate to others flaws as well. By learning a little of this topic, you might be able to improve your interactions with people later in life. This point made the biggest impact on me because psychology is my chosen major for college.
Gaby Bonus
P.2
This article made valid points, but the point that hit home with me was to learn some finance. In school there is few to no classes that help with financial decisions. So this dilemma hurts us when we have to submit a 401k and in knowing how much we should invest in a certain stock or bond. Also learning about finances can help in our financial stability and learn how to use our money.
Jacob Aickareth
2nd Period
Much of the article had lot s of good points but I think the section on learning finance really hit home for me. Something that Is rarely taught in some circumstances, learning finance is an important aspect of life, and schools do not really talk about the sole importance of it.. We as young adults cannot depend on our parents and grandparents in financial matters all of our lives, so It must be learned. Many of our grown up decisions we will make in the future will be dependent on financial issues, therefore. I realize that finance is really important and it made some of the biggest impact.
Christopher Tilford
Period 6
I agree with pretty much all of the points made in this article. I find it fairly interesting because it addresses subjects that aren't really mentioned in our education. I believe that all of the subjects described are important and have an impact on our lives, but the section that mainly stood out to me the most was the one titled "Ignore Advice as You See Fit." As we draw closer to college, many people giving me advice and suggestions for the next four years. But it's reassuring to know that I make my own choices, and I don't have to listen to them. It's also encouraging because as incoming college students, we are essentially the future of this world. Overall, I really enjoyed this article, and it made some very important points.
Roshni Jose
Period 1
One interesting thing he said that caught my ear was what he was saying about Takeing a Psychology class. He said in economics we always assume people are going to be ration and choose what best fits them I think back to the demand curve and find my self thinking is that really what the demand curve looks like in real life or is it simply another assumption
Reece Lasris
P 6
I totally agree with the points made in this article. It was very intriguing since it addressed the psychological aspect of economics and its importance. Because prior to college a lot of us are very dependent on our parents and our role models in our day to day lives, but as life progresses people become less nice and sheltering. Therefore, it is good for first year students and all to learn about the field of economics and that it isn't always rational and so giving, do to the fact that trends are constantly changing.
Danielle Davis period 6
There are several points that Professor Mankiw mentioned in his article that I found truly intriguing. One specific point that he emphasized in his argument about the importance of learning about economics that I found true was how it could prevent us from being "fooled" by other economists. Furthermore, I agree with him on how high schools should focus more on teaching subjects that are of practical value to the student rather than those that give us mere intellectual exercises.
Stephen Iype
Period 1
Most of the points made in this article do hit home for me, since i agree with most of the things he says. The main things that sticks out to me was when he says that its more beneficial for people to learn statistics, saying that although regular math that we do in school is a useful intellectual exercise, it has no practical applications in real life, unlike statistics, which actually has practical applications in real life. Therefore, its good for students to learn about statistics, since it can help them in the future.
Benjamin Sunny, 6th Period
Many of the points Profressor Mankiw made in his article hit home, but the most interesting was to ignore advice as you see fit. Usually people who are transitioning into adulthood and college are to learn from other mistakes and take their advice. However, it is easy to forget to also listen to yourself because you know what is best for yourself. It was also very interesting that he stated to know finance, economics, and statistics. Some students make be so focused on their major that they forget to expand their knowledge on skills needed for making smart decisions in other aspects such as taxes and home owning.
Irene Gratil
Pd. 2
One of the things that’s he spoke on that hit home for me is to know stuff about finance. As I’ve grown up and continues to do so, I have Learn little to nothing when it regard 401k and different loan systems. I often fear that I am behind the curve compare to my peer but whenever we start comparing I witness that we are in the same both. I want to learn more about finance because I don’t want to be the grown up with an unreasonable amount of loan and I have no idea how it got there or how to go about fixing it.
Albert Tzukam Tamdjo
Period 3
Professor Mankiw made so many good points that its hard to pick one that I connected with the most. The advice to take statistics really struck a cord with me, because not only do I perform poorly in math, but I also can't see where, in my career path, I would use anything beyond basic algebra. I can understand how statistics can be useful, and I think it would be beneficial. Mankiw's point that high school generally loads you up with information but no way to apply it also resonates with me. I think it would help everyone if high schools shifted their focus to preparing students for life after School.
Keegan Jones
7th period
The points that resonated with me were the points where he talked about how students should learn finance and how useful psychology is. The way people think influences how they act, interact with other people, and how they choose participate in society. Finance is an extremely useful tool. Managing money, how to plan for the future, and knowing the policies that influence how are able to use our money are really important to know. There are grown adults who don't know how to manage their money. Shouldn't we teach students better so we don't end up mismanaging our money as well?
Lauryn Ewens
2nd Period
The article by Gregory Mankiw provides multiple points for the improvement of the secondary education system. Although I do not agree with his statement emphasizing the redundancy of the math courses students are forced to take, I do believe that economics and psychology courses are necessary to build an overall brighter future for an individual. Mankiw's arguments toward financial awareness mostly connected with my current misunderstandings about loans, 401k plans, and retirement. It has made me realize that this is something that I should at least start educating myself on it before I begin a steady career.
Angelica Miranda
Period 2
I truly enjoyed reading this article because it looked at college in a different perspective. I agree with the author when he mentions that learning finance is important. We do not get taught theses things in school, which is very crucial, since we will end up using it in our everyday life as adults. The section that really hit home was the section that talked about interpreting advice. My parents have always taught me to make my own decisions based on what I believe rather than what others tell me. They constantly remind me to listen to what others say, but at the end of the day, decide on what I truly want, which is what the author says in his article. With college coming up, this advice is one to follow.
Camila Ferrero
Period 1
The points that most resonated with me were the points on learning finances and following your instincts. Although k-12 education prepares you for college and some jobs very well, it is lacking in teaching these integral life skills such as doing taxes and managing money that are as integral as academic subjects such as english or math to a successful life as an adult. In addition, it is important to follow your own instincts as although you get a lot of advice about college, from where to go to what to major in or what dorm to live in, you are the only one who truly knows what will make you happiest and give yourself the most chance of success.
Alisha Zuté
Period 6
In the article, it says that Schools should focus more towards Probability and Statistics and Finance rather than Trigonometry and Geometry and such. This point hits home as we don't necessarily use Trig and Geometry in our daily lives, but learning things like Finance and Statistics can really help us. It can prepare us for college and be useful in our daily lives. Another point that hit home was when the author suggested that we take more psychology classes. As someone that is already taken Psychology, I agree that it can applied to everything in life. From your personal life to your social life, psychology helps you think more rationally which is important to be successful in life
Alan John
Period 2
This article was very interesting and relatable to read. I felt that It gives lots of good advice to anyone who just starting of learn and understand the basics and foundations of economics. Mankiw does an excellent job of proving why college or high school students should further their leanings about economics. What really hit home for me is the part about that high school students graduate without the essential tools they need in life. Most of us are about to graduate and have little to no knowledge on what stocks and bonds are, their risks and returns, and how best to manage them.
Christian Toy
period 1
Professor Greg Manwik's article called "A Course Load for the Game of Life" talked a lot about the real life and what is needed but some of his points hit home for me but the most important point that hit home for is this. When Manwik stated that "High school mathematics curriculums spend too much time on traditional topics like Euclidean geometry and trigonometry." Which is fairly true and he also stated after that "For a typical person, these are useful intellectual exercises but have little applicability to daily life. Students would be better served by learning more about probability and statistics." Now the reason why this hits home for me is because, I have always been terrible at math, I just can not grasp the concept at all. So, all I truly ask for schools to do is to teach basic math and then move on to how to teach students to complete their taxes and how to put a downpayment on their future home, etc.
Maheen Meraj
6th Period
In this article, I have learned a few points. Learning how to do taxes and other things should be taught in school because that's something useful. More and more students can graduate high school with better financial futures.
In Mankiw's article, one point that specifically hit home for me is that the learning of economics essentially teaches a student how to be a functional member of society. All my life, during school, I have continually questioned whether the class I had been currently taking was truly "necessary" for me in life. We always talk about how school does not truly prepare one for real life. Economics is an exclusion to this concept. It has clear, real world application and is very important to anyone approaching the age of adulthood.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Samuel Shteyman
1st Period
I agreed with the article in that students in high school are taught various subjects that have little to no applicable use and that the subjects he mentioned, psychology; statistics; and economics, all had practical uses in an everyday life and in many career fields. I also agree in the article how he reers to high schools as behind and needing to catch up because I feel many of the things we need for an adult life are not taught while some unnecessary subjects and topics are.
Brian Rivette
6th Period
The section about learning economics because it describes how there are many forces that may sway those who don't know whats going on in economics and can often be swayed by economists who would try to take advantage of them.
The movement for people to do their own return plans and social security maters also increases the need to learn how to properly manage money. It also helps to learn statistics and other mathematical fields in order to help manage this. It is very important to go to college because these facts help the average college student immensely. The changes to classroom policies will never be enough to match the high school economics class to AP or College economics classes.
Shahzab Badarpura
2nd period
I agree with all the points in Professor Mankiw's article as they are advice to help us better manage our resources and have the best opportunity in life. Economics and finance go hand in hand to help make better use of our money. The point that stuck out to me the most was to learn statistics because it teaches us how to read data and find probability. I like how he describes high school math is good for brain puzzles but has no use for outside/real world applications.
Kollin Chang
2nd
I agree with the part that says today's college students will be the next Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. This is particularly true because I believe that going to college should not only be about learning but also thinking about some type of product that will make the lives of others easier or better. Thus, I believe that one should go to college with not only a spirit of learning but also one of entrupentrership.
Jerin Jose
Period 2
Something that stuck out from the article was the idea that life is more than just trigonometry or geometry. There are many real world scenarios that some schools don’t often prepare young adults for such as things like credit or a mortgage, and I feel that districts should find a suitable way to implement these lessons into the curriculum for seniors.
Erek Castro
7th Period
What surprised me the most was that he was able to give advice from the standpoint of someone who has gone through this before and gave his honest opinion on certain subjects. I felt that the fact that the author understood that a large amount of geometry and algebra isn't traditionally very useful in everyday life, but can be used as an intellectual exercise. I never thought to look at alternate fields of mathematics as something practical which I could use throughout my day. A lot of the things that the author recommended to learn were things that I had previously just assumed as being common sense or naturally learned with age and experience.
Paul Nguyen
2nd Period
What hit home to me was the advice part and how everyone has advice you should listen but listen closely to the ones that matter to you more, heed that advice carefully. I have a lot of people giving me advice in my life, but not all of them have been in my shoes or what i've been through to be honest. Only a few had and those were the people whose advice i took seriously.
2nd period
Christian Young
A lot of the points that the article made were insightful and gave me a different perspective of what I should be concerned about when entering college. One point especially was the idea that students shouldn't always take whatever their parents say to heart but rather to rationalize whether or not such information is helpful to the student. I think it's important for people to be able to think for themselves and make sound financial decisions backed up by economic knowledge instead of relying on their parents as sometimes such advice can be outdated. Also that I agree with the point that students should be more aware of their financies through knowing about mortgages and loans.
Ayush Singh
6th Period
The areas that stuck out most to me we’re about learning statistics and igniting advice as you see fit. I think everyone should be learning the real world applications of math with a higher stress than math just used by a fraction of professions available. Like the article stated, not all advice needs to be takes time in 100%. Many people will want to give you advice, but not all will be appropriate for your field of study of career choice. Definitely listen to it, but ultimately, do what feels right to you.
Sarah James
Period 2
Yes, one of his points really did, which included how we need to study human psychology more. It's true that economics assumes all humans are rational, but still people tend to misinterpret current economic conditions or may not know how to respond. My dad would complain about me spending too much when going to the mall, but he doesn't realize it's what keeps the economy going. Also, the simple truth remains that when we try to sell off our stocks or cryptocurrency, when doing the same thing as others, we tend to forget that supply and prices are moved as well, so we should do the opposite of our instinct. Definitely, for this very reason, it's important for students to study behavioral economics to find how humans make decisions to influence the economy.
Divya Aaloori 6th period
Overall, this article supported the ideas that most students have about school and the subjects being learned or subjects that don’t get enough attention. I feel like schools should focus more and the financial aspect of having a job and taking full advantage of the companies policies and plans. That would help the new generation by giving them options on making the right financial decision for there Futures. This subjects rarely get the attention it deserves.
Amilcar Rivas
6th period
I thought the article was very interesting because it didn’t feel like someone pushing a message but rather someone giving advice by reflecting on their own experiences. The math part I related to because even though the random parts of math are all Elkins focuses on I definetly learned the most relevant topics in my stats class (although the teacher is absolute garbage). His points on psychology was also very eye opening because I didn’t really realize how the people behind exonomics can affect it.
Brian Rivette
6th Period
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