Applied Mechanics vs Mechanical Engineering?

[Ishida52134]

What exactly is the major difference between applied mechanics and mechanical engineering degree like the one in caltech?
Is applied mechanics generally less popular now?
Would it be better to pursue a career in physics or applied mechanics?

 

[DrummingAtom]

Are those your current choices?

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/applied-mechanics/what-applied-mechanics

http://me.columbia.edu/what-mechanical-engineering

 

[Ishida52134]

I'm just wondering what's the difference between those two fields. And would pursuing a career in physics be more prestigious and more popular than one in applied mechanics?

 

[DrummingAtom]

I thought the choices were applied mechanics and mechanical engineering.

 

[Ishida52134]

oh lol and physics.

 

[Ishida52134]

any ideas?

 

[DrummingAtom]

I've seen from your other posts that you're a freshman and I think I know what you're trying to do: You're attempting to lay your entire undergrad schedule right now but I can tell you from experience it doesn't work well. I wanted to do EE and physics double major but I quickly found out that at my school I would have to stay an extra year to fill all the requirements and even then I would be taking 5-6 technical classes every semester which is way too many for me.

Here's what I found out and what I'll recommend to you. Take each type of class (one mechanics, one physics, etc.) that you think you're going to like asap; hopefully by your second semester and see if you do really like it. If you do then great, if you don't then your decision is easier already. My views changed drastically after one class of each.

 

[Force]

I've seen from your other posts that you're a freshman and I think I know what you're trying to do: You're attempting to lay your entire undergrad schedule right now but I can tell you from experience it doesn't work well. I wanted to do EE and physics double major but I quickly found out that at my school I would have to stay an extra year to fill all the requirements and even then I would be taking 5-6 technical classes every semester which is way too many for me.

Here's what I found out and what I'll recommend to you. Take each type of class (one mechanics, one physics, etc.) that you think you're going to like asap; hopefully by your second semester and see if you do really like it. If you do then great, if you don't then your decision is easier already. My views changed drastically after one class of each.

I totally agree with you.

 

[Ishida52134]

lol I'm only a senior in high school. But I already took physics C and taking multi right now, and I liked both mechanics and EM. I'm just not sure if I'd like doing quantum physics everyday for the rest of my life though. I just want to know a bit more.

Would it be better to pursue a career in physics or applied mechanics?
And would pursuing a career in physics be more prestigious and more popular than one in applied mechanics?
isn't applied mechanics not really that popular/prestigious/useful in comparison to a career in physics now?
And also, mechanics is already completely understood which is why physicists are studying modern physics.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Note that you just totally ignored the advice given to you by DrummingAtom and Force.