Is this a mistake?

[klmama]

My senior dc will be taking pre-calculus and accounting in the fall, and I had intended also economics.  Now that I'm actually planning out the courses, I'm having second thoughts.  Yes, it would be good to have an intro to economics before college-level courses, but I'm wondering if taking a psychology course would be a better choice.  Dc would likely find it much more interesting. What do you think?  Is taking economics super important?  ETA:  I didn't word that well.  Is it important enough to require a student take economics while also taking a number of other courses that are going to be very time-consuming and rather boring to the student?  Dc only expresses interest in one of the courses planned for fall;  economics is at the bottom of the list.  Is it important enough to require it anyway?

Edited July 7, 2016 by klmama

[Brad S]

...  Is taking economics super important?

I think it's important for all students.  I'll quote from something I wrote earlier on a different thread:

 

my perspective on high school economics is that it's critical that my DS has a basic, functioning understanding of economics before graduating – not necessarily at the AP econ level, but enough to be an informed voter. Economic policies, whether labeled as economic policies or not, have a huge effect on our society: our standard of living, life expectancy, opportunities, crime rates, and national security. At least in the US, many policies – of both major parties, and others – don't even pass the laugh test economically. Often what has been known to work for decades or centuries just doesn't get done right. Politicians routinely spout off proposals that make absolutely no sense in even a rudimentary economic sense. Many policies don't have clear evidence to support a particular position, but there are a lot that do, at national and local levels. A society can either strive for a policy objective efficiently or inefficiently (and, if inefficiently, there may be many other things that can't be accomplished). My goal, first and foremost, with this one-semester class, is to provide the background and tools for my DC to evaluate relatively simple economic policies discussed in the public arena.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Brad S

[Lori D.]

Economics is very useful in everyday life. As Brad S. shared so well, many of the topics in macroeconomics are very helpful for understanding national policy in order to make informed voting decisions, and understanding current financial events for better understanding how to respond with one's personal financial decisions. And the personal finance aspects of microeconomics are extremely important for being wise with your money in everyday life -- credit, borrowing, saving, mortgages and loans, etc.

 

Even if you don't end up doing a full-on Economics course, I'd run through some of the Crash Course Economics videos and *definitely* do a unit on personal finance for wise personal money managing as an adult -- you will not necessarily learn that in an Accounting course.

 

Just my 2 cents worth! :) BEST of luck, whatever you decide.

 

[klmama]

Thanks for the input.  This dc has completed a personal finance course already and has excellent money sense, so I'm not concerned about that.  It's late, and I didn't explain my concern adequately.  See amended original post.  Getting dc through senior year with other "important and required" courses is going to be tedious for both of us.  I'm just trying to figure out where to cut. 

[Brad S]

Prioritizing is so difficult, especially with a senior where it's really late.  This is my very personal feeling on this off the top of my head.  Spiritual and emotional development is most important, with physical development next.  Monetary survival comes next, and I'd put personal finance there. 

 

Then comes being an "educated person," something that every high school graduate should have, and I'd put basic economics there.  Unless there's some individual personal situation, I'd place it before psychology, well above accounting (unless it's a prerequisite for some monetary survival).

 

That said, I certainly don't think that a full AP economics course is at all necessary.  I think a basic one-semester course would do, maybe even a little less.  I'm not familiar with the Crash Course economics videos that Lori D. mentioned, but they've gotten some good reviews by others too on the WTM boards and maybe that would do.  IMO, the basic goal is to be able to know enough to vote intelligently, understand the news, and be aware that many things discussed in the political realm can be systematically analyzed -- and sometimes there is a clearly efficient approach for government, business, and individuals to take. 

 

Just my 2c.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Brad S

[Amateur Actress]

The public high school my rising senior attends requires economics for graduation. They also "strongly recommend" a personal finance class for graduation, meaning a parent has to give written permission to opt out their kids. In our homeschool, we require both of those 2 classes.

I would agree that Econ is a better choice than accounting or psychology, if it's just a generic elective you are plugging in. But that said, you know your kids and situation best. I find it really hard to balance academics with delight-directed learning, so if psych is something your kid is interested in, then go for it! Also, he could take Econ in college...I took it as a college freshman.

[creekland]

Economics is a required half credit course in the public high school where I work.  I suspect it's required in our state, but haven't actually checked.

 

That said... I think it's good for kids to study Psychology too to have a basic understanding of how people tick.  Way too many people have no idea how the brain works.

 

In your situation, I'd have him do Psychology and watch the Teaching Company's Economic course to have the best of both worlds.  You can use the Teaching Company's questions for discussion if enough don't pop up on their own.

[wapiti]

FWIW, if I were to design an econ course for my high school student, what I'd want most want for them to remember is sorta kinda psychological in the sense of it being a study of human behavior.  I'd go micro primarily, indifference curves and such, and then tack on a bit of macro at the end.

 

I've never studied psychology beyond reading medical journals on my own, but my wild guess is that serious, foundational econ understanding is more likely to be accessible to a high school student than serious, foundational psychology understanding, which ought to have medical roots.  In other words, the psych elective seems more likely to be somewhat fluffy whereas the econ elective may be more likely to be actually useful.

 

For me, the decision might depend in part on whether my student is likely to attend a college that includes a micro econ core curriculum requirement.  If that's the case, then putting it off until then is no biggie and it would seem reasonable to go with the student's preference for psych.

Edited July 7, 2016 by wapiti

[Arcadia]

If it is at the bottom of his list, I'll let him do those on top of his elective list. I did economics in first year engineering which was a compulsory course. It was easy with no prior knowledge required.

 

My kids love crash course economics and they read an economics book from the library that was written in graphic novel format giving a good foundation to go deeper in whatever interest them. Whether my kids want to take economics as one of their electives would be their call. My kids prefer reading neuroscience books to psychology books.

 

ETA:

My kids have read The Economist, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Fortune as well as WSJ and Financial Times. We have well stocked public libraries here.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Arcadia

[RootAnn]

Is it important enough to require a student take economics while also taking a number of other courses that are going to be very time-consuming and rather boring to the student?  Dc only expresses interest in one of the courses planned for fall;  economics is at the bottom of the list.  Is it important enough to require it anyway?

 

I think a good working knowledge of economics is important, however, by senior year, I think the kid needs to be the ones who decide on their classes (within some larger framework of requirements). If your senior would rather take psychology, I'd let him/her take psychology instead of economics. [i am apparently in the minority on this type of thing since I was one of the only ones in the biology thread that took this position.] 

 

I would probably still have discussions at the dinner table about the economics of current events. DH & I have always done this and the dc either think it is really boring or take an interest & ask more questions. Some people have said that reading The Economist has been beneficial - separately or as part of their Economics course. If you don't feel like you could talk about the economics of current events adequately and want to do it, perhaps a subscription to The Economist could help facilitate some of those discussions, even if YOU are the only one who reads it.

 

Your kid is a year away from choosing his/her own courses in college. I'd let him/her decide this one.

[Lori D.]

… ETA:  I didn't word that well.  Is it important enough to require a student take economics while also taking a number of other courses that are going to be very time-consuming and rather boring to the student?  Dc only expresses interest in one of the courses planned for fall...

 

...Getting dc through senior year with other "important and required" courses is going to be tedious for both of us.  I'm just trying to figure out where to cut. 

 

That's so tough! But I lean with several of the previous posters to let the 12th grader decide, and to get personal interests in there, esp. if most of senior year is going to be not that interesting. You're already going to be looking at "senior-itis" and a struggle to finish up while doing everything needed for college search / admissions / scholarships, and high school graduation. It's important for there to be something of special interest and joy (a course of personal interest, extracurricular activity, volunteering, scheduled weekly fun social time, or other...) to the student to help finish out those required credits strong! :)

 

BEST of luck in planning 12th grade! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I didn't do an Econ course with my oldest. Economics is something that comes up a lot at our house. We do get the Economist and at this point I struggle to get it away from my kids.

 

Ds2 is doing AP Econ because it interests him.

[Vida Winter]

I'd do economics in high school. It might end up being a difficult college course that is bogged down with formulas and graphs. Many college students take psychology in college as an "easy-A" course and enjoy it since it provides some relief from some of their more difficult courses. I also think some of the topics they cover are more appropriate to a college audience.

[DebbS]

Before my daughter began her senior year, I learned that an economics course was required for admissions into the college that she was to attend. I was in the process of re-planning her courses for her senior year when, after a discussion with the admissions people, I learned that the personal finance course that we had listed as an extra-curricular met the economics requirement. Thus, I moved it to the transcript.

 

I don't think that a traditional econ course is necessary for a high school student, especially if it will get in the way of completing other requirements. Just make sure that your senior year plan completes the fulfillment of your state graduation and college admissions requirements.

[lmrich]

Check with your colleges etc. Econ 1/2 credit is required here as well. I would select econ over accounting. 

[DebbS]

 

 

 You're already going to be looking at "senior-itis" and a struggle to finish up while doing everything needed for college search / admissions / scholarships, and high school graduation. It's important for there to be something of special interest and joy (a course of personal interest, extracurricular activity, volunteering, scheduled weekly fun social time, or other...) to the student to help finish out those required credits strong! :)

 

 

Yep. My daughter experienced a bad case of senior-itis. I am soooo very glad that we decided to dial back on the academics during her senior year by focusing on just her need-to-finish requirements.  Science and math were the only courses she had to take so she was able to turn her focus to areas of interest - music theory, opera, visual art and take a sustainability/gardening course  at the local community college.

 

The senior year can be really tough with all of the college applications, scholarship essays, AP tests, final SAT/ACTs etc.

[katilac]

I would let them choose, and I would try hard to have more than one class that they are truly interested in. Colleges don't want senior year to be nothing but a few random electives, but I wouldn't stress over every course unless they are in the running for a competitive scholarship or admission. 

 

Is economics important? Yes, it is, but I could fill schedule after schedule with classes that are all important and relevant and worthwhile. At some point, you're going to miss something, and that's okay. They've done personal finance and have good money sense; you're ahead of the curve. 

 

We just came off senior year, and yep, it was insanely busy - even though we got a really early start on the college stuff! We were making return visits in the fall to various schools for scholarship interviews, honors programs, and other stuff. She decided pretty early on, but then the spring was filled with visits for admitted student day, early orientation and registration, and so on! It was busy, and my senior was definitely looking towards the future very early on in the year.  

[klmama]

Thanks again for the input, everyone.  Dc is very busy outside of school with an extracurricular sport, work, and volunteering, and I'm sure senioritis will hit hard.  We'll go over the plan again together to see what we can tweak to make it all more palatable and manageable, whether or not we leave economics on the schedule.