Should I take a microeconomics course?

[jic8989]

I'm planning applying for the Fall 2016 class and I have a decent amount of quant classes (unfortunately with less than impressive grades as you can tell by my GPA).  I'm wondering if taking a microeconomics class will boost my chances at all? I have taken macroeconomics but not micro, I'm planning on taking the self paced online  Introduction to Microeconomics class at UT Extension. If anyone has any experience with this course, I would love to know how it is. Here's my profile,

 

Undergrad  - U.S. Coast Guard Academy

GPA/Major - 2.69/Public Policy

Quant Experience - Calculus I, Calculus II, Statistics, Macroeconomics, Statics and Engineering Design, Intro to Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ships and Maritime Systems (Naval Architecture intro class), Physics I,  and Physics II

GRE - 163Q/162V 5.0 Writing

Foreign Language - Native Korean speaker

Interested in - HKS, SIPA, and Yale's Jackson Institute.

Work Experience 

- Four and a half years as a Coast Guard Officer doing the following jobs:

 - Responsible to the Commanding Officer for the safe navigation and operation of the cutter; supervised a 7 person watch. Conned ship for 180 days of deployment at sea (Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and the Bering Sea)

- Intelligence Officer onboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter: Supervised all deployment evolutions from the cutter's operations center, 11 subordinates, and responsible for the maintenance and accountability of 100+ U.S. classified materials and documents. Managed $10,000+ budget.

- Marine Inspector: Conducts safety, environmental, engineering, and security inspections on U.S. & Foreign Flag vessels (Chinese, Russian, Panama, Greek, Filipino, Korean, and many more) in U.S. waters.  Determines Compliance with U.S. and international laws, regulations, and policies. Inspects structural strength, engineering, resistance to flooding, navigation, lifesaving & firefighting systems. Extensive study and expertise in international and domestic safety and security regulations, laws, and policies. 

- Korean language translator: Translated for high seas fisheries inspections at sea, enforced international fisheries regulations and laws, gathered valuable foreign fisheries practices.

- Executive Assistant - Responsible and coordinated Commanding Officer’s and Executive Officer’s schedule, plan of the day, & administration tasks. Managed daily schedule for the entire ship served as a bridge between the command and the rest of ship. Audited and managed $2000 budget.

- Public Affairs Officer - Responsible for drafting press releases, photography, and overall media relations for the Coast Guard unit and the local and national media. 

Volunteer - Active participant in Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program, Partnership in Education

I'm well aware of my poor GPA. I have 3 years of full funding through the GI Bill and I have enough money saved up. So I will attend any of these schools with no scholarships or funding.

 

 

[netflixnchili]

I'll bet it can't hurt to take the class as long as you get a good grade. Perhaps it will also demonstrate that you are now more focused on your studies than in your days as an undergrad.

Edited July 28, 2016 by snofax

[MD guy]

Yup you should, get a good grade!

[chocolatecheesecake]

You sound like a really great candidate, with good work experience, language abilities, and good funding, and should have a really good shot at getting into these schools. In that case, taking an intro microeconomics course is less to boost your chances of getting in (which are already high), and more to help yourself acclimate to studying microeconomics. Public policy school throws an incredible amount of things at you in two years, and it will make your first semester much much easier, and you can spend more time taking advantage of other possibilities if you prepare yourself this way. More econ knowledge would've made the difference between spending two hours on problem sets and spending 4-6 hours! For that reason, getting a leg up on stats wouldn't hurt either. =)