<p>Princetons 2007 Valedictorian will need another year before he can complete his studies and graduate with his PhD!</p>
<p>As an undergraduate, Glen Weyl has already earned a reputation as a rising star in the field of economics.</p>
<p>Nearly a decade later, Weyl continues to impress economists with insights that are advanced for his age. For his senior thesis, Weyl analyzed the impact of competition on prices in “two-sided” markets. A two-sided market is one where companies must decide not only what to charge for their products or services, but also how to divide those charges among distinct groups of customers. </p>
<p>Weyl was invited to present his research at the University of Toulouse in France by Jean Tirole, the economist who first developed the notion of two-sided markets. He also spoke at the University of Chicago at the invitation of Gary Becker, a Nobel laureate and Princeton alumnus, becoming the first undergraduate to present research at that university’s renowned “Applications of Economics” workshop. After hearing Weyl’s presentation, James Heckman, a Nobel-winning economist at the University of Chicago and a Princeton graduate alumnus, wrote to [Prof. Jose] Scheinkman [Weyls senior thesis advisor] that the thesis “made a major contribution to an important literature that surpassed the work of world leaders on this problem.”</p>
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<p>Congratulations, Glen, and thank you for making me feel very ignorant and lacking in accomplishments.</p>
<p>Hahahaha, just to the last added comment.
I’m sure you are intelligent and full of accomplishments (which would make you…accomplished), PtonGrad2000.</p>
<p>The faculty (and administration) decides from among the top ranked students based on factors like courseload, thesis quality, other academic accomplishments, etc.</p>
<p>There’s something I don’t understand. How can one get one’s doctorate that quickly? Is it more a matter of understanding of the subject than a certain amount of time spent on it?</p>
<p>That can’t be the only thing that separates him from all the people who will need a lot more time to recieve their PhDs. I’m assuming it’s a mix of “He’s so brilliant he could teach the freakin’ class” and fulfilling a few requirements early.</p>
<p>Yeah I’m sure he’s taken lots of other grad level courses, and his advisor says he is undeniably brilliant. The sophomore seminar was just an example.</p>
<p>Hi everyone,
I googled my name after all the fallout settled from this valedictory thing and happened on your discussion. I thought I should clarify…there is nothing “insanely brilliant” about me and I am not completing my PhD quickly because my professors have recognized my “genius”. I am just a student really fascinated by economics who started working on it early and that let me complete my graduate classes and exams as an undergrad. Therefore I have no classes left to take. Given that I have also already done some research, I hope I can finish up my dissertation next year. But this is not a “special exception” and I am not doing any less than any other PhD student…I just did it a bit earlier, because my interest in econoimcs developed earlier. Anyway, just thought I should clarify. In case you are interested, this is the link to my valedictory speech, which gives perhaps some sense of what inspired me to do what I did.</p>
<p>I took stats in the fall and my teacher in that encouraged me to take a graduate course. I then took mathematical micro and metrics at the intermediate level in the spring, and my metrics teacher again encouraged me to take a graduate course. So I took intro grad micro in my sophomore fall. It was brutally tough, but I learned a ton and loved it.</p>
<p>First of all congratulations! I wish I were as smart as you! </p>
<p>Also, what classes did you take in High School? I think I’ll take two senior level courses in 12th grade at my local state college. Could this possibly prepare for a feat like yours? </p>
<p>how do schools determine valedictorian in college? i’m sure a biochemistry/ physic major would have a much harder time making higher grades than a foreign language/economics major. is it by major? or is everyone together?</p>
<p>to GA,
Valedictorian is determined by vote of the faculty “taking into consideration qualifications as well academic standing”. There is one valedictorian for the whole undergraduate class. Though it might seem “easier” to get good grades in social sciences than sciences, I was the first valedictorian from social science for 17 years and the first from economics in 27 years, despite the fact that social science is 40% of Princeton and economics is 15%. So I don’t think it is much “easier” to be valedictorian from social science than natural science, especially given that it is not all GPA and depends a lot on research, how challenging the classes you took were, etc. And the graduate courses I took in economics (I only took three undergrad social science classes) were significantly harder than the toughest (say) math classes for undergrads.</p>
<p>to Hello,
I took AP Micro, AP Macro, a course on Money and Banking based on the Princeton course and an intermediate macro course. I definitely recommend taking college level courses in high school, if you are interested. In economics, I think it is more important to get a math background at your point than one in economics…real analysis is particularly helpful. Then once you get to college, you will be able to go right into advanced or even graduate economics courses. Feel free to email me at <a href=“mailto:eweyl@princeton.edu”>eweyl@princeton.edu</a> if you have questions.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for the quick reply! I am currently taking a junior level psychology course and a Calculus III course over the summer. I think that psychology will greatly help me in economics (although Im not sure). I am hoping to take differential equations first semester. </p>
<p>Im just wondering, suppose I get into Princeton, will they allow me to skip out of the college courses I took (at a state university) without much paperwork or exams?</p>