Anyone at SFU right now?

[Oleophobic]

I need one more elective for next semester (my final one)...
can someone recommend an easy course that doesn't require (too) much work?

My friend told me Eng 104 greek mythology was the best class he ever took but unfortunately I'm still on the waitlist and it doesn't seem like I will get in...

[Jgresch]

^Eng 104 is greek mythology? I took 104 a few semesters ago and it was something else I believe

[epicbeardman]

Originally Posted by The_AK

So exactly HOW difficult is econ 301? i thought buec 333 was the one that fists people

It's the weeder class with a high attrition rate. I don't know the figures, but I'd guess it has the highest attrition rate out of all SFU courses. You go from doing baby/little bits of math in econ to doing tons of calculations. All the concepts you learned get refined, but more math comes into play. Remember all the things like marginal revenue, marginal cost, utility, elasticity, etc etc? Well now you figure them out based on given constraints using calculus. You begin to use tons of production/utility functions to find profit optimization levels and utility maximization levels given people's constraints. You absolutely cannot succeed in that course without a good understanding of derivative rules.

A sample concept would be, "firm x wants to max profits or minimize costs- for instance with a production function like this: (x1^.5,x2^.5) based on some constraint. find optimal output/price". Well you recall that firms in competitive equilibrium set MC= min AVC (if you're given AVC, if not you should figure it out.) if AVC is not given you use marginal revenue, or you use the budget constraint- basically go through all your rules/theories in your head until you figure out a method to find it. So that's the theory part. Then the actual math part with the calculation. Basically you can no longer get away with knowing just theory...you must know why the concepts act like they do and you must solve them mathematically based on your theory knowledge.

Econ I think is easier to get into, but way harder to stay in before dropping out, whereas business is harder to get into, but easier to maintain.
If you find econ 301 hard and bomb it and you can't get into business, it might be an option to go sciences or other arts fields; it only gets harder from here. Check out the sample exams for Econ331 taught by Bertille Antoine.

[Thrice]

Originally Posted by gYU

Math 157 wasn't scaled this semester with the prof I took it with..

When I took it, it wasn't scaled in the traditional sense. You got the percentage you earned overall, but the marking scheme was scaled down (if that makes sense). I think like 61 to 65 was a C+ or something, whereas a C+ is usually like 67 to 70 area. There should be a grade breakdown on WebCT somewhere.

[BrRsn]

Fucking hell why the hell does my prof need to go into detail so much in the lecture slides if half this crap isn't even going to be on the exam .. stressing me out for no reason -.- .... haha13 hows ling treating you? Did my notes help at all? I made some for first MT as well if you want them.

[The_AK]

@Epicbeardman

it sounds similar to what went down in bus 254 (managerial economics). Did you by any chance take that course?

[bakasam]

Originally Posted by The_AK

So exactly HOW difficult is econ 301? i thought buec 333 was the one that fists people

I got fucking destroyed in 333.... Might have to retake it

on the other hand though A- in 343

[The_AK]

Originally Posted by bakasam

I got fucking destroyed in 333.... Might have to retake it

on the other hand though A- in 343

Nice, I got an A+
Posted via RS Mobile

[Jer3]

Originally Posted by The_AK

So exactly HOW difficult is econ 301? i thought buec 333 was the one that fists people

302 is where u get double fisted

[haha13]

Originally Posted by dhillon09

Fucking hell why the hell does my prof need to go into detail so much in the lecture slides if half this crap isn't even going to be on the exam .. stressing me out for no reason -.- .... haha13 hows ling treating you? Did my notes help at all? I made some for first MT as well if you want them.

Im on lecture 13, 10 more to go

Your notes are useful, didn't bother printing them though, haha

Wbu?

[BrRsn]

Originally Posted by haha13

Im on lecture 13, 10 more to go

Your notes are useful, didn't bother printing them though, haha

Wbu?

I'm raging fucking hard right now lol. I'm on lecture 10-16 .. No fucking clue how many more to do. I keep getting frustrated/giving up and going on RS (like now) LOL. Lecture 10-3 is just retarded! So much information! No bed till I'm done though

[yellowpower]

Originally Posted by mc.

I wouldn't recommend using your repeats right away, wait until the 9 are done, and then decide if you need to use them or not.

Right now my plan is to take 157 again, since i already took it last semester I will do better with it all fresh in my mind.

As for econ 103, I'm planning to retake later in another semester, furthest away from now if possible.

Originally Posted by EvoFire

What did you get in 157? I would hold off on that until you have a few more courses down. If you are continuing a trend of getting marks B and under, consider NOT wasting your repeats and try something else.

Take BUS 272, BUS 251, and ECON 105 first and come back and tell me what you get. If you can't get higher than a B+ in those 3 courses, I suggest doing another major. You aren't going to get into business, I've been there and done that.

Yeah I know harsh, but I don't want to see some one going through my path, especially business is harder than ever to get in now.

In 157, I got pretty horrible, but i still ended up passing with a D, keep in mind though i literally studied the bare mimimum, as a matter of fact i should have done much worse. If its one thing thative learnt about myself this last week and a half of finals, its that i can achieve a good mark if i really tried. I will for sure achieve a better mark if i apply myself, and if i dont end up with the marks i want for the nine courses i want in the end, then it just wasnt meant to be. All the concepts ffrom both 157 and econ 103 werent tough, it was just i i couldnt congest an entire semesters worth of stuff in a matter of days. Anyways from what ive read, some people value the fact that they have chosen to go into the beedie. For some reason i've actually contemplated on sitting in a chair and just doing shit all day in a suit haha working for a firm or whatnot. But in all ivalue the opinion everyones given me, but I think im gunna stick to trying my best getting that 3.2.

Hopefully i make it, right now my strategy is to *take as many courses as i can for the* language part of my two division courses, whatever that will boost my mark allowing SOME margin of errors.

[haha13]

Honestly your best bet is to take another math (eg 154, 150, 151) so you don't take up one of the retakes.

[epicbeardman]

Originally Posted by The_AK

@Epicbeardman

it sounds similar to what went down in bus 254 (managerial economics). Did you by any chance take that course?

No, but I will next term. Whatever it is, it can not possibly be harder than Econ 331. That was the hardest course I've ever taken, period.

[The_AK]

Originally Posted by epicbeardman

No, but I will next term. Whatever it is, it can not possibly be harder than Econ 331. That was the hardest course I've ever taken, period.

How did you end up doing? Any tips?

[epicbeardman]

Failed, had to retake. Tips? Don't take it. It's only necessary for honors or grad students.

[The_AK]

Originally Posted by epicbeardman

Failed, had to retake. Tips? Don't take it. It's only necessary for honors or grad students.

Wait. How so? I'm doing an econ major and according to the website its required.

[note: Sorry, bus 207 is managerial economics (not bus 254 which is managerial accounting)]

[EvoFire]

Time to multi-quote everyone

Originally Posted by Thrice

@Evo: I agree with most of your post. Everything you said about the classes are pretty accurate. I wish I had gone to class and tried harder for 336, because it wasn't bad at all.

I don't think a BBA is useless really, and I actually think that Beedie is amazing, but it depends on the individual. I need my BBA to work towards becoming a CA, so that's all cool. Beedie has been great to me. I've met amazing people, gotten great opportunities, etc. I think that the courses aren't the most useful a lot of the time, but I feel I learn in some of them and I have yet to have a bad prof in a single one of my BUS classes (though I had two mediocre ones in BUS 303 and BUS 237). I think that relevant experience > textbook knowledge any day of the week, and I feel like I've gotten a lot of opportunities to gain practical experience through being a Beedie student. Can't say I'm disappointed with my decision.

That's great to know. Everyone I've talked to that actually find a BBA useful say the exact same thing as you do. I'm happy for you that you are of the few that actually use it to your advantage. The other majority who just aim to get through, I would say a Communications or Econ major would be a better choice.

Originally Posted by The_AK

So exactly HOW difficult is econ 301? i thought buec 333 was the one that fists people

Originally Posted by bakasam

I got fucking destroyed in 333.... Might have to retake it

on the other hand though A- in 343

Originally Posted by Jer3

302 is where u get double fisted

From some one that has never failed anything in SFU until I got an F in Econ 301. Yeah its hard. Make sure you find a good prof or one that you are comfortable with. I had a terrible experience with Barkin, though some of my friends loved her, YMMV.
I found 302 better than 301. Maybe I was better prepared for it than the fist-fest that was 301.

Oh and BUEC 333.... LOL I'm retaking it next semester. Bakasam maybe I'll see you around.

Originally Posted by yellowpower

Right now my plan is to take 157 again, since i already took it last semester I will do better with it all fresh in my mind.

As for econ 103, I'm planning to retake later in another semester, furthest away from now if possible.


In 157, I got pretty horrible, but i still ended up passing with a D, keep in mind though i literally studied the bare mimimum, as a matter of fact i should have done much worse. If its one thing thative learnt about myself this last week and a half of finals, its that i can achieve a good mark if i really tried. I will for sure achieve a better mark if i apply myself, and if i dont end up with the marks i want for the nine courses i want in the end, then it just wasnt meant to be. All the concepts ffrom both 157 and econ 103 werent tough, it was just i i couldnt congest an entire semesters worth of stuff in a matter of days. Anyways from what ive read, some people value the fact that they have chosen to go into the beedie. For some reason i've actually contemplated on sitting in a chair and just doing shit all day in a suit haha working for a firm or whatnot. But in all ivalue the opinion everyones given me, but I think im gunna stick to trying my best getting that 3.2.

Hopefully i make it, right now my strategy is to *take as many courses as i can for the* language part of my two division courses, whatever that will boost my mark allowing SOME margin of errors.

If you feel like you can do it, then go for it. Don't say I didn't warn you though cause you are running right on the edge. Good luck.

Originally Posted by haha13

Honestly your best bet is to take another math (eg 154, 150, 151) so you don't take up one of the retakes.

That actually counts as a repeat. Ask me, I know cause I am doing Computer Science coming from Econ and I have to take 150/151

[epicbeardman]

Originally Posted by The_AK

Wait. How so? I'm doing an econ major and according to the website its required.

[note: Sorry, bus 207 is managerial economics (not bus 254 which is managerial accounting)]

Check the site again dude, it's not. It's only for the honors program. As for 207, I have and it's a lot easier than 301. Different levels of math, really.

[The_AK]

Thanks for the insight, looks like I have a lot of prepping for next term.

[epicbeardman]

Originally Posted by The_AK

Thanks for the insight, looks like I have a lot of prepping for next term.

Well just know the follow derivative rules (a quick google search will help you) differentiating with respect to certain variables, chain rule, exponent rule and possibly Log rule. Those are all you really need and the course should provide the rest of the tools. Maybe also get a 400lvl student to quickly show you the Lagrangian setup for maximization problems. It probably makes no sense now, but knowing that rule will help you a TON. it's not covered in 301, and I learned it in 331, however it's like the ultimate short cut. If you want to put in the work, by all means take 331, but you HAVE to put in the work. If you get a B+ or higher in 331, you can handle any math that econ will throw at you for the rest of your SFU undergrad career. 331 is also a 5credit course and if you ace that not only do you become an econ math wiz, but you get a huge boost to your GPA. It also looks good for grad schools if you ace it.

They just assume that the Lagrange method is too complicated or something for 301 (at least for my 301)...if you know how to set up the Langrangian, you can do any problem in 301.

Good job on choosing on the econ major, I was getting tired of reading posts by perspective B.A students, lol.

[RevYouUp]

lol REM 100 Final tmr, not ready at all and don't know shit

[epicbeardman]

Originally Posted by RevYouUp

lol REM 100 Final tmr, not ready at all and don't know shit

lol at freshmen and their 100 level course.

[RevYouUp]

reading what you guys are writing is making me want to drop out of school

[G]

Don't take 331 unless you know MATH well. I know a ton of honors students taking it and they are having a tough time.