jmh530 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > luisg99 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I was thinking about taking an intro Computer > > Science class where they teach VB or taking an > > advanced Econometrics class which would give me > > the credits to get a Bus. Economics degree > > (already Acct/Finance). What would you > recommend > > (comes down to what would help me more, knowing > > VB/VBA or the Econ. degree)? I’m also thinking > > about getting a Masters in Finance if I can’t > get > > a job. > > > I would say do both. > VB is obviously useful if you work with excel, but > it might be better to take a C++/Java/Python class > instead. Once you have the skills of a stronger > language, every other language is pretty easy. My > first programming language is Matlab and I think I > could have learned it on my own with the online > resources that are out there. > > If the decision is between a single major and a > double major, it can’t hurt to have one additional > class to be able to say you double-majored. A lot > of advanced statistics involves packages with > their own programming languages. While you may not > need it for the class, you would need it if you’re > doing something complicated in the real world. In > my experience, advanced econometrics classes > normally focus on either instruments and panel > data or time series, but normally not both in > detail. If the class you’re taking focuses on time > series, it will be worth it (ie. learning time > series topics well is probably as valuable as > learning a programming language, since it is > easier to teach yourself the basics of a > programming language). If it focuses on panel data > and stuff and you already know statistics and > econometrics already, it may be less important and > I would take the programming language. I appreciate you JMH!
jmh530 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > luisg99 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I was thinking about taking an intro Computer > > Science class where they teach VB or taking an > > advanced Econometrics class which would give me > > the credits to get a Bus. Economics degree > > (already Acct/Finance). What would you > recommend > > (comes down to what would help me more, knowing > > VB/VBA or the Econ. degree)? I’m also thinking > > about getting a Masters in Finance if I can’t > get > > a job. > > > I would say do both. > VB is obviously useful if you work with excel, but > it might be better to take a C++/Java/Python class > instead. Once you have the skills of a stronger > language, every other language is pretty easy. My > first programming language is Matlab and I think I > could have learned it on my own with the online > resources that are out there. > > If the decision is between a single major and a > double major, it can’t hurt to have one additional > class to be able to say you double-majored. A lot > of advanced statistics involves packages with > their own programming languages. While you may not > need it for the class, you would need it if you’re > doing something complicated in the real world. In > my experience, advanced econometrics classes > normally focus on either instruments and panel > data or time series, but normally not both in > detail. If the class you’re taking focuses on time > series, it will be worth it (ie. learning time > series topics well is probably as valuable as > learning a programming language, since it is > easier to teach yourself the basics of a > programming language). If it focuses on panel data > and stuff and you already know statistics and > econometrics already, it may be less important and > I would take the programming language. I can actually pick from C or Java (not VB, sorry). Im thinking about going with C because I heard it is very similar to C++, which is very common among analysts and quants. In the Econometrics class they use SAS or R depending on the prof. Will try to do both but not in the same quarter so I leave some time for studying for Level I (would be miserable to take Adv. Accounting, Adv. Econometrics and a CS class together), thanks a lot for your valuable information.
luisg99 Wrote: > > I can actually pick from C or Java (not VB, > sorry). Im thinking about going with C because I > heard it is very similar to C++, which is very > common among analysts and quants. In the > Econometrics class they use SAS or R depending on > the prof. Will try to do both but not in the same > quarter so I leave some time for studying for > Level I (would be miserable to take Adv. > Accounting, Adv. Econometrics and a CS class > together), thanks a lot for your valuable > information. The problem with C is that it is not an object oriented language. You will learn the syntax of C++ by learning C but not how to work in an object oriented environment. I believe Java would be better for you because it is an Object Oriented language. Besides, once you learn how to program in one language it is really easy to switch to another language. In other words it would be easier to go from java to C++ than it would be to go from C to C++ because you would understand Object Oriented concepts like “Classes”, “Inheritance”, and “Polymorphism” by learning Java. The only thing you would need to learn to go from Java to C++ is a different syntax which is very easy to pick up.
I hear that C# is a bit easier to learn than C++. For the statistical packages, I recommend R since it’s free and there are some great guides out there on it. Stata is good and so is http://www.spatial-econometrics.com/ for matlab. Sas is a frustrating thing to learn. However, it is the best if you’re working with databases or huge datasets. You can directly connect to compustat with Sas. If you want to be that kind of quant, then it can be helpful to learn Sas. Otherwise, R/stata/matlab are WAYYY easier.