Which engineering branch would be the best for me?

[Mariusbb]

Hi everyone, now I'll be starting my senior year, and like most of graduates I feel concerned about my future plans. I am pretty sure that I'll study engineering, but I just can't decide which field, I read about them a lot but that doesn't help me at all so I hope that someone can guide me a bit or at least help me cross out some of possibilities that I choose, since people here sound really smart.

So I am thinking about aerospace engineering, I know its one of the hardest ones, I like watching various space videos online that's the reason I considering this, but should I draw a line between hobby and job?

Marine engineering also looks interesting to me. I also considering civil, industrial, and enviromental engineering. I know it's a lot of fields but the time is just passing and I still have no idea what certainly should I choose.

As you can see most of my listed branches are the ones that is considering easier ones. That's because I don't even know if I am smart enough to be engineer. Well I am pretty good at math and physics, I understand that it can be not enough to be ,,pretty smart'' , but I am willing to do my best with whatever I'll choose.

So I'll appreciate any guidance or notes, anything that would help

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PhysicsForums.

What kind of technical classes did you take in high school? How much calculus have you completed so far? Did you take wood shop or metal shop or any courses where you built things with your hands? Have you done any programming yet, and if so, what kinds?

Have you ever tried building a small electronics kit project? They can be pretty fun, and that would start to give you an idea of some of the topics in Electrical Engineering.

Have you been accepted to university yet? If so, does your university let you take a range of engineering classes the first year or two before you have to declare your major?

 

[Mariusbb]

Welcome to PhysicsForums.

What kind of technical classes did you take in high school? How much calculus have you completed so far? Did you take wood shop or metal shop or any courses where you built things with your hands? Have you done any programming yet, and if so, what kinds?

Have you ever tried building a small electronics kit project? They can be pretty fun, and that would start to give you an idea of some of the topics in Electrical Engineering.

Have you been accepted to university yet? If so, does your university let you take a range of engineering classes the first year or two before you have to declare your major?

I meant Senior year in high school, I am taking only A level physics and math classes in school, from what could be linked with this theme,and also soon I'll be taking draftsmanship classes, nothing else particular, actually there aren't any other opportunities to improve in engineering area here. But should I'll be taking extra classes connected to engineering so far? Also I am not even accepted by any university, guess first I should at least know what to study

 

[CrysPhys]

I meant Senior year in high school, I am taking only A level physics and math classes in school, from what could be linked with this theme,and also soon I'll be taking draftsmanship classes, nothing else particular, actually there aren't any other opportunities to improve in engineering area here. But should I'll be taking extra classes connected to engineering so far? Also I am not even accepted by any university, guess first I should at least know what to study

From this, I assume you are not in the US. What country are you in?

 

[Mariusbb]

From this, I assume you are not in the US. What country are you in?

Lithuania

 

[Chestermiller]

Environmental engineering is likely to have a significant chemical engineering component, so you would benefit from having had a good college level chemistry course, with emphasis on physical chemistry.

Physics and math skill seem to me to go along with Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Civil.

Have you researched hiring needs in any of these areas yet? Having a degree in engineering is good, but only if you are going to be able to get a job.

 

[CrysPhys]

Lithuania

In which case, be careful with advice posted on forums. The education background you receive in high school, and the options you have for university programs, will vary from country to country (and will vary among universities within a country).

In the US, most (not all; there are exceptions) universities have flexible programs. E.g., typically you do not need to declare a major when applying for admission to the university. The first year is often filled with general education requirements and electives. If you do not come in with a strong preference for a particular field of study, you can explore several, and then decide on a major in your second year. Sometimes, you can switch majors in your third year: as long as the majors are reasonably related (e.g., different branches of engineering), there are many shared prerequisites, and you have taken electives in the new major.

Students from outside the US, however, have reported here that, in some instances, they need to declare a major when applying to a university; and, in some instances, once admitted, the program is highly regimented, and transferring to a different major is difficult (or not permitted).

So you need to find out what the situation is in Lithuania or in other countries of interest to you (and policies of specific universities). And if posters offer advice, you need to find out which education systems (high school and university) they are basing their advice on.

 

[CrysPhys]

I meant Senior year in high school, I am taking only A level physics and math classes in school, from what could be linked with this theme,and also soon I'll be taking draftsmanship classes, nothing else particular, actually there aren't any other opportunities to improve in engineering area here. But should I'll be taking extra classes connected to engineering so far? Also I am not even accepted by any university, guess first I should at least know what to study

I agree with berkeman's Post #2. Helpful indicators to guide you to a future major do not need to be limited to formal courses. Consider your general interests and hobbies as well. Do you like taking things apart to see what's inside? Do you do maintenance work on cars or bicycles?

E.g., if I were to choose between mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, I would pick mechanical engineering. When I open up my grandpa's pocket watch from the early 1900's, I marvel at the spring-wound drive mechanism, the precision gears, the jewel bearings, the beautiful craftsmanship. When I take apart a 1950's vintage process controller, I'm impressed with the clever array of clockwork motors, cams, and relays. But when I take apart a laptop computer: (1) I'm aghast at how crappy the mechanical design is, and (2) I have no emotional connection to a printed circuit board populated with integrated circuits.

As I child, I played around with chemistry sets, Erector sets (mechanical), and Heathkits (electronic). But what really triggerred my future career was a microscope. I looked at the usual biological specimens. Didn't turn me on. But I did get excited when I placed drops of solutions (sugar, salt, ... dissolved in water) on a microscope slide, and watched crystals growing as the water evaporated. This led to several years of science fair projects involving crystal growth. I eventually majored in physics (concentration in solid-state physics), with electives in materials science and engineering.

So what general interests do you have? Take things apart? Blow things up? Launch things into the air? Watch spiders spinning webs? Marvel at the wide variety of flowers? ...