Excellence as an undergrad Econ major What defines excellence as an undergrad econ major?
I was talking to a few friends in CS and they seem to be very clear on excellence for them - straight As, widely used/well built programs, and a solid understanding of the math behind CS/algos (for interviews). However, I noticed that I am unclear about what excellence as an Econ major is.
Getting straight As is obvious, but I can't think of much more beyond that (perhaps a good senior thesis?). Yet, many people have straight As (or almost straight As) and asking for a groundbreaking paper as a senior thesis seems to be a bit much. Thus, how would I differentiate excellent undergrad econ achievement from merely good undergrad econ achievement?
Excellence demands outstanding performance, topping the class. Mastery of the subject is required. Best marks are likely, but not necessary; good marks suffice. Outstanding performance goes beyond marks. For example, a broad understanding of a discipline's application to the world, being able to apply knowledge to real problems, a thesis fit for publication (i.e., advancing domain knowledge). A good student will achieve good marks, perhaps the best marks; an excellent student will achieve something beyond marks, such as the examples listed.