I really apologize if I freaked students out by describing my experience and offering suggestions. I had two goals: candor about time inputs needed to pass prelims, and a discussion about the psychology of goals. These were different discussions though & maybe combining confused

The candor part I will always do bc I think full information is key to making good choices. Furthermore, as I was telling @DinaPomeranz , I don’t think the concept of the prelim is salient soon enough. People if they even know what it is don’t really know what it is.

So I simply wanted to say that passing prelims requires substantial time inputs, and while maybe it didn’t some on #EconTwitter (amazing if true), you should expect youll probably be someone who will need to lay out the time. Do it smart and do it in a way that isn’t destructive

Which leads to the second point of my thread - the psychology of setting and achieving goals. If you become an economist, it’ll be a series of goal setting behavior, or at least has been for me. I’ll share something embarrassing for its hubris now

When I started my sex work research back in 2008, six months into tenure track, I made 5 year goals. They included getting into NBER (didn’t happen), getting a top 5 and four fields (didn’t happen then), & the most ridiculous, to become worlds leading expert on internet sex work

I didn’t achieve them exactly, but I had those goals for myself. Other people just do good work, one after another, and live a great life but I set goals. I set running goals,
I set exercise goals, I set weight loss goals, I set publication goals, tenure goals.

Im not unique for being that way bc theres literatures on this, and the concept of a commitment device is out there. Use it or don’t use it. Point is, though, it’s not a bad thing to have a hard to achieve goal. Not for everyone anyway. Maybe you’re one who needs to hear it

Many times, a person looks forward and says “I want this”. Yes, along the way they get information that they use to update and abandon a goal. There is absolutely nothing wrong with stepping off any of these tracks *if that is what you want*. Even leaving academia is that way.

But I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you do have a goal, and want to hear more about what to expect so you can better prepare for those obstacles. And here is your first one if you’re starting out - passing micro, macro and sometimes metrics field/prelims.

I don’t remember when it really dawned on me that the prelim was a big next step, but I do remember getting my hands on about ten years worth of prelims and realizing “uh oh. How in the world am I going to pass this?!” That happened just after the second semester ended

I remember my IO professor giving me advice for preparing for it. He said “do your best to get to the bottom of this material, to really understand it at the deepest level. That will help you handle surprises on the exam”. I remember making passing a critical goal

So I mapped out a strategy - 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, 6 weeks. Why so much? Well I barely passed my courses for one. I was always the guy getting 30s and 40s on problem sets and sometimes even exams. So I had to relearn a years material if I was to achieve my goal

Anyway, I am glad many people piped in and shared their experience, as well as wondered whether this was optimal to begin with. One thing about that though - I don’t think its unreasonable to teach doctoral students contemporary methods and research.

Part of the reason first year is hard is bc those classes are hard and I am not in the camp or saying that we shouldn’t be learning hard material if we are doctoral students. But, so long as we are teaching micro, macro and metrics, we will hire for those classes.

And while we all wish we could get Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society inspiring us and changing us, the coursework doesn’t always lend itself to that type of experience. Or rather, it’s a scarce talent to successfully do that. I genuinely try to be that professor.

Anyway, wrapping this up. Candor. I want to say substantial time inputs are needed to pass prelim, both in immediate preceding preparation and the whole year. That isn’t a lie or an exaggeration. Do what makes you do your best but know you probably can’t avoid time investments

And two, the psychology of goals. Goal setting is not a bad thing, and working hard to achieve goals is not a bad thing. It just isn’t. And honestly even if you leave the program, you’ll still encounter what feels insurmountable goals. So figuring out your strategy is key.