Anyone regret their engineering decision?

[speedboxx]

I picked chemical engineering as my major and I think I am starting to regret it.

I get pretty good grades, so I'm not that bad in my classes. I just don't find it very interesting. Its just hard for me to find pipe flow or saturation curves (the stuff we learn in class) interesting no matter how hard I try. As a kid I would always tinker with electronics and self teach myself. As a result, I am pretty handy with the soldering iron and am pretty familiar with basic electronic components. In general, I find electrical stuff very interesting and think I would have made a better electrical engineer. I regularly read up on electrical related issues/topics, yet I never really do that for chemical stuff.

I also managed to score myself a fairly high paid summer job working for an oil company. Its a pretty ok job, but I just don't think I can get myself interested in flowing gas, well measurements, compressor engines, or etc... Sure beats flipping burgers, but still nothing too particularly interesting or exciting.

So I'm just wondering if anyone else had felt they made a wrong choice in the type of engineering to go into? Perhaps the work life of a chemical engineer isn't as dull as the stuff we have to learn in class?

 

[SlideMan]

Not at all. But I chose to do electrical...which is what I've always been interested in. Just curious...how did you end up doing ChemE instead of EE if that's what you like?

 

[turbo]

I started in Chem E, and was awarded a 5-year scholarship in a pulp-and-paper track, but by that time, I had decided that I hated the grind, and dumped engineering for a double major in English literature and Philosopy. My first job out of college (after a stint in construction)...process chemist in a Kraft pulp mill. Fate intervenes.

 

[ekrim]

I did regret it, but made a change.

I started out as a math/physics major. Those were happy times.

Someone coerced me into civil engineering, I figured it'd be like building with legos. Legos were rarely if ever brought out, so I switched to mechanical. It was kinda like civil, but with more air conditioning. So I switched to engineering physics. Almost back to the starting point, but at least I stayed on the four year track

 

[mcknia07]

I'm in ME right now. Does anyone know if it's fun, or is it like all about the Physics and applying it. I heard you hardly ever use Physics, but only once in a great while...

 

[yoran]

I am currently a computer science major but I'm taking as much as EE courses as I can. Also I plan to do a MsC in computer engineering which is somewhere between EE and CS. In the last few years I figured out that being a computer programmer isn't that much fun after all...
It's funny because when I finished high school I knew I certainly didn't want to do any engineering. I wanted to understand how nature works and not how to use it in society. Now, two years later, I'm thinking the opposite...

 

[Mokae]

Making a decision no matter what direction you head for always always give you back some results that are good from some standpoints.
Life is short, and this world is small.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you don't like chemical engineering, switch! This should be a no-brainer - complaining to us isn't going to make things better. Switching majors can.

 

[Ex1]

Not sure if my experience would translate to chemistry and chem eng, but it's certainly a different mindset moving from pure science, to science in an engineering context.

I've always been physics-minded with a large splash of engineering inclination, but my satellite engineering masters (coming from a physics major/astrophysics minor) has made be realize that I'm definitely a physicist who can bluff his way in engineering and not the other way round.

The mindset and personality between the two cultures is close, but not close enough that there isn't a lot of confusion and frustration between the two groups when anything serious has to be done. I think if I were in your shoes I might feel the same as you.

Perhaps a move from chem eng to chem would help?

 

[KennyCivE]

What attracted you to chemical engineering in the first place?

 

[HD555]

I'm an EE. I've lost interest in EE after my two internships. I don't mind doing it, but I'm not as passionate/interested in it as before.

 

[lisab]

If you don't like chemical engineering, switch! This should be a no-brainer - complaining to us isn't going to make things better. Switching majors can.

I agree. Start talking to profs from other departments...maybe EE would be a good place to start.

 

[Usaf Moji]

At the end of the day, all professions suck, and you will hate your job no matter what it is. Those who deny hating their jobs are LIARS. Engineering is a huge waste of intelligence; i.e. for the same amount of intelligence, you could be making more money as a lawyer or dentist. And yeah, right now the oil patch is doing well, but it won't last forever.

You should just go for the money - make a list of the most lucrative professions you can tolerate, then move your way down until you find one that works. Trust, me, you'll be glad that you did.

 

[lisab]

At the end of the day, all professions suck, and you will hate your job no matter what it is. Those who deny hating their jobs are LIARS. Engineering is a huge waste of intelligence; i.e. for the same amount of intelligence, you could be making more money as a lawyer or dentist. And yeah, right now the oil patch is doing well, but it won't last forever.

You should just go for the money - make a list of the most lucrative professions you can tolerate, then move your way down until you find one that works. Trust, me, you'll be glad that you did.

My favorite part of my day: getting home, with my daughter, and husband, and cat, and two dogs are all there. Pure heaven.

My second favorite part of the day: getting to work. My work is infinitely challenging, with the rewards of success ripe for the picking. My coworkers are like extended family - such enjoyable people!

I hope, Usaf, that you will someday enjoy your job like I enjoy mine. My life is GOOD.

 

[Mathemaniac]

At the end of the day, all professions suck, and you will hate your job no matter what it is. Those who deny hating their jobs are LIARS. Engineering is a huge waste of intelligence; i.e. for the same amount of intelligence, you could be making more money as a lawyer or dentist. And yeah, right now the oil patch is doing well, but it won't last forever.

You should just go for the money - make a list of the most lucrative professions you can tolerate, then move your way down until you find one that works. Trust, me, you'll be glad that you did.

Are you trolling, being sarcastic, or are you just plain selfish and ungrateful?

You do not speak for everyone if you can't find a job you enjoy.

Also, if engineering is a waste of intelligence, what, if I may ask, would you say a good use of it is?

 

[Cvan]

Engineering is exactly the opposite of a waste of intelligence.
Engineering is applied intelligence.

 

[Usaf Moji]

Are you trolling, being sarcastic, or are you just plain selfish and ungrateful?

You do not speak for everyone if you can't find a job you enjoy.

Also, if engineering is a waste of intelligence, what, if I may ask, would you say a good use of it is?

Wow, a very hostile reaction indeed. No, I'm not trolling, as should be evident from the time I've been on this forum. I'm trying to give what I consider to be good advice based on my experience. I've taken engineering, and I grew up in a family of engineers. They are all underpaid and consider their jobs a chore - i.e., if they won the lottery, they would quit. Accordingly, I chose to become a lawyer instead, mainly for the money - and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others.

Your unduly hostile reaction is exactly why people who dislike their jobs don't just come out and say it - and exactly why the next generation ends up in underpaid work.

 

[lisab]

Wow, a very hostile reaction indeed. No, I'm not trolling, as should be evident from the time I've been on this forum. I'm trying to give what I consider to be good advice based on my experience. I've taken engineering, and I grew up in a family of engineers. They are all underpaid and consider their jobs a chore - i.e., if they won the lottery, they would quit. Accordingly, I chose to become a lawyer instead, mainly for the money - and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others.

Your unduly hostile reaction is exactly why people who dislike their jobs don't just come out and say it - and exactly why the next generation ends up in underpaid work.

I see nothing hostile in Mathemaniac's post. Look again at your post:

At the end of the day, all professions suck, and you will hate your job no matter what it is. Those who deny hating their jobs are LIARS.

My profession does not suck, and I love my job. Are you calling me a liar?

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

I see nothing hostile in Mathemaniac's post. Look again at your post:



My profession does not suck, and I love my job. Are you calling me a liar?

liar, liar, your pants are on fire! (-:

just kidding.

 

[nicksauce]

"By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others."

Chiropractic?? Maybe to you scamming people out of money with quackery is a good use of intelligence, but I think that most people want to have at least some balance between personal income and making a positive impact on society.

 

[lisab]

liar, liar, your pants are on fire! (-:

just kidding.

 

[TMFKAN64]

I think that most people want to have at least some balance between personal income and making a positive impact on society.

<Insert generic lawyer joke here.>

 

[Mathemaniac]

Wow, a very hostile reaction indeed. No, I'm not trolling, as should be evident from the time I've been on this forum. I'm trying to give what I consider to be good advice based on my experience. I've taken engineering, and I grew up in a family of engineers. They are all underpaid and consider their jobs a chore - i.e., if they won the lottery, they would quit. Accordingly, I chose to become a lawyer instead, mainly for the money - and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

In the U.S., at least, I do not think engineers are underpaid. And most seem to enjoy their work. Any who don't are simply ungrateful and they fail to see the bigger picture; there are billions of people in the world who would kill for such an opportunity, even if the wage was half of what it is now.

By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others.

No, a good use of intelligence is a use of it in such a way that will benefit society. I can't stand the "every man for himself" mindset in this world. It is precisely that selfish mentality which will destroy humanity.

At any rate, I think my "hostility" is warranted when you are so arrogantly presumptuous as to say that anyone who claims they enjoy their job is lying.

 

[Cvan]

Wow, a very hostile reaction indeed. No, I'm not trolling, as should be evident from the time I've been on this forum. I'm trying to give what I consider to be good advice based on my experience. I've taken engineering, and I grew up in a family of engineers. They are all underpaid and consider their jobs a chore - i.e., if they won the lottery, they would quit. Accordingly, I chose to become a lawyer instead, mainly for the money - and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others.

Your unduly hostile reaction is exactly why people who dislike their jobs don't just come out and say it - and exactly why the next generation ends up in underpaid work.

I was going to write an honest response to this, but then I realized that he's just doing an incredible job at trolling.

9/10

 

[RufusDawes]

Oh bla bla engineers are underpaid waa waa

Its a great profession.

I regret my engineering decision not to study engineering.

The only thing I have against "engineering" is that a lot of engineers but obviously not all tend to have an over inflated opinion of themselves.

 

[RufusDawes]

By waste of intelligence, I mean society will benefit from your intelligence, but you won't. Good use of intelligence (i.e. that will allow YOU to benefit from it) is: business, law, accounting, medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and a few others.

You don't need to be intelligent to do any of those jobs, you just need good people skills and good academic ability. Success in business, law and accounting has very little to do with intelligence.

 

[Lacero]

No, a good use of intelligence is a use of it in such a way that will benefit society. I can't stand the "every man for himself" mindset in this world. It is precisely that selfish mentality which will destroy humanity.

That selfish mindset also brings innovation. It brings the bad with the good.


Also, why is someone always on here bashing engineering? Maybe if engineers were paid more and given the respect they deserve for serving humanity this wouldn’t be a problem...

 

[turbo]

Also, why is someone always on here bashing engineering? Maybe if engineers were paid more and given the respect they deserve for serving humanity this wouldn’t be a problem...

Huh? I'll bet that (on average) most people with engineering degrees make more money than most people with physics degrees. In addition, engineers with good managerial skills can often leverage that into project-management positions or end up managing entire engineering departments. These can be demanding jobs, but they are lucrative positions. Look into salaries in pulp and paper, waste management, pollution mitigation, etc, etc, and you'll see that engineers can not only have jobs that are very rewarding and satisfying - they can also earn a comfortable wage. I have worked for very competent engineers that have ended up in managerial roles, and generally, their job satisfaction was quite high. One fellow (one of my closest friends after we got to know each other) prided himself on being able to 1) understand what his engineers and chemists (I was one of the process chemists) were doing to optimize the efficiency and yield of the pulp mill, AND 2) express these projects in terms that the bean-counters could understand so that we were properly funded, staffed and equipped. We did our best to make him look good and he did his best to give us autonomy and proper equipment and supplies.

 

[Andy Resnick]

My previous job distinguished between *designers* and *engineers*, even both jobs had "engineers" sitting in the seats. A designer generally created a model in ProE, or a circuits program, or ran Fluent or some other modeling code to design something. The engineer had the responsibility of actually constructing said device and ensuring it met specification.

The designers inevitably hated the engineers because the engineers tweaked the designs, the engineers hated the designers for not living in the real world. I'm talking about details like the radius of a weld, or a thread specification, or a clearance as opposed to large-scale features.

Personally, I learned a lot from both (and from the techs that physically built the stuff). IIRC the *engineers* were paid more than the *designers*, but that reflected the reality that the engineering job required more experience and ability than a designer job.

 

[Cvan]

My previous job distinguished between *designers* and *engineers*, even both jobs had "engineers" sitting in the seats. A designer generally created a model in ProE, or a circuits program, or ran Fluent or some other modeling code to design something. The engineer had the responsibility of actually constructing said device and ensuring it met specification.

The designers inevitably hated the engineers because the engineers tweaked the designs, the engineers hated the designers for not living in the real world. I'm talking about details like the radius of a weld, or a thread specification, or a clearance as opposed to large-scale features.

Personally, I learned a lot from both (and from the techs that physically built the stuff). IIRC the *engineers* were paid more than the *designers*, but that reflected the reality that the engineering job required more experience and ability than a designer job.

The 'designers' are engineers, whilst the field engys probably have engineering tech degrees. Different concentrations.

ME vs. MET

 

[Mathemaniac]

That selfish mindset also brings innovation. It brings the bad with the good.

It hinders innovation more than it brings it.

Innovation isn't begotten through selfishness, that is just silly; it is begotten through creativity, intelligence, and a drive to improve (be it selfish, or not).

Also, why is someone always on here bashing engineering? Maybe if engineers were paid more and given the respect they deserve for serving humanity this wouldn’t be a problem...

What problem? I don't see a problem that results from engineers being "underpaid" here. I just see whining.

 

[Lacero]

I have never come across so many people advising others not to enter a certain field. When that field is engineering, it is a problem.

 

[Defennder]

Wow, a very hostile reaction indeed. No, I'm not trolling, as should be evident from the time I've been on this forum. I'm trying to give what I consider to be good advice based on my experience. I've taken engineering, and I grew up in a family of engineers. They are all underpaid and consider their jobs a chore - i.e., if they won the lottery, they would quit. Accordingly, I chose to become a lawyer instead, mainly for the money - and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

So does this mean you switched majors from engineering to law or do you have both law and engineering degrees and you've worked as an engineer to know that it sucked as a career path?

 

[Defennder]

I have never come across so many people advising others not to enter a certain field. When that field is engineering, it is a problem.

There are apparently a lot of such threads here. Ironically one of those fields many here would advise against is physics as a major.

 

[Asphodel]

There are apparently a lot of such threads here. Ironically one of those fields many here would advise against is physics as a major.

Physics is a very impractical major since it doesn't efficiently lead into a career path that you have a good probability of being able to enter. However, some of us are interested enough in it that we're willing to either put up with the low odds of entry or with the extra work in entering a career field outside of physics in order to study it.

 

[Johannes]

Hmmm... as it seems to be most of the people here are talking about the situation in the US. Well, in Germany (and I guess all over western Europe alike) the situation is different. Here the lawyers and doctors ( at least most of them) are under payed and the scientists and engineers make big money. Also the job perspectives for physicists and mathematicians are great. Graduates from all sciences are the most highly demanded job, while business and law might be considered a "waste of intelligent" if someone is smart enough to master a science or engineering subject.
I never thought the differences were so big.
Are lawyers really the well paid in the us? I mean on average, or course in Germany, if you pass your final exam with an A, which means you belong to the best 1 - 1,5 % , you will get jobs starting at 60 - 80 k Euro, but for most of them it just sucks.

 

[RufusDawes]

Hmmm... as it seems to be most of the people here are talking about the situation in the US. Well, in Germany (and I guess all over western Europe alike) the situation is different. Here the lawyers and doctors ( at least most of them) are under payed and the scientists and engineers make big money. Also the job perspectives for physicists and mathematicians are great. Graduates from all sciences are the most highly demanded job, while business and law might be considered a "waste of intelligent" if someone is smart enough to master a science or engineering subject.
I never thought the differences were so big.
Are lawyers really the well paid in the us? I mean on average, or course in Germany, if you pass your final exam with an A, which means you belong to the best 1 - 1,5 % , you will get jobs starting at 60 - 80 k Euro, but for most of them it just sucks.

Americans like to sabotage their economy for the sake of faulty market principles so it probably is a bad as they are describing here.

Does Germany have a minimum wage yet ?

 

[TMFKAN64]

Are lawyers really the well paid in the us? I mean on average, or course in Germany, if you pass your final exam with an A, which means you belong to the best 1 - 1,5 % , you will get jobs starting at 60 - 80 k Euro, but for most of them it just sucks.

http://www.nalp.org/content/index.php?pid=543 gives you some idea of what a newly minted lawyer makes in the US.

http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/career.html gives you some idea of what a newly minted BS in physics makes in the US.

This isn't quite comparing apples and oranges (lawyers have a graduate degree), so you might want to look at http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/emptrends.html to see the salaries of the Ph.D. class of 2003.

 

[Cyrus]

I'm in ME right now. Does anyone know if it's fun, or is it like all about the Physics and applying it. I heard you hardly ever use Physics, but only once in a great while...

You heard wrong. You will use physics in every single class you take!

 

[mcknia07]

You heard wrong. You will use physics in every single class you take!

Ok, thanks Cy. I'm just now starting to get into the Physics, it's ok, but I wish we had more labs I could learn a little bit easier...

 

[Cyrus]

Ok, thanks Cy. I'm just now starting to get into the Physics, it's ok, but I wish we had more labs I could learn a little bit easier...

Physics and engineering will start to depart from each other around sophomore year. Engineering will do the classical stuff, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, materials, structural analysis; whereas, physics will go into more modern stuff: electrodynamics, stat. theromdynamics, nuclear physics, astrophysics.

You will be doing a different kind (and more application based) physics, than the physics majors.

 

[Bull Killgore]

At the end of the day, all professions suck, and you will hate your job no matter what it is. Those who deny hating their jobs are LIARS. Engineering is a huge waste of intelligence; i.e. for the same amount of intelligence, you could be making more money as a lawyer or dentist. And yeah, right now the oil patch is doing well, but it won't last forever.

You should just go for the money - make a list of the most lucrative professions you can tolerate, then move your way down until you find one that works. Trust, me, you'll be glad that you did.

Because intelligence is only being used if it is earning income. How high-minded.

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

I am EE and I sometimes regret not going into math. But my regret vanishes when I think about the fact that, I can , actually, get a real job after my Ugrad.

 

[General_Sax]

^ your username is frickin awesome btw.

 

[johng23]

I majored in materials engineering and I kind of regret that. Don't get me wrong, the things that materials engineers learn are mostly pretty interesting, but I wish I had done physics. I guess I thought engineering would be more applied and give you more job opportunities, etc. But I went to grad school so that point is pretty much irrelevant, and the type of research I do and the interests I have would have been much more suited for a physics major...

I'm in kind of a tough situation now because I doubt I'm at a high enough level to jump into grad level physics classes, but even if I wanted to go back and take undergrad classes that would seem like a backwards movement and I wouldn't get credit. And sure, you can learn and catch up if you set your mind to it, but at the same time, I've got plenty I need to be doing on my actual research. I can't be spending all this time learning basic physics just because I'm a wannabe physicist.

 

[clope023]

*raises hand*

I went into electrical engineering based on things I read on these forums that EE had lots of overlap in physics and that turned out to be blatantly wrong, but I think that's more of a factor of my specific school rather than the EE field as a whole. EE is interesting however, I rather like my electronics and controls courses so far but overall I would like to learn more science and think I would've been more intellectually satisfied if I'd done a physics bs and an engineering ms instead of what I'm currently doing. If my uni had an engineering physics program I would've been all over that but it doesn't and I can't transfer so I'll probably just take more physics courses as electives so I can go into a physics heavy area of EE (solid state devices) in grad school. I've thought about going back to physics and using my engineering courses as electives and speaking to a few physics professors I have some background that could work in research but I think it would just take too long to finish at this point.

 

[Topher925]

I regret going into engineering and wish I would have gone into physical chemistry instead. Engineering is fun, and will probably pay much better, but I much rather enjoy finding new catalysts or inventing new solar cells rather than just studying transport phenomenon all the time.

 

[Astronuc]

I started in Physics and ended up in Nuclear Engineering. I actually love my job, because I work with many wonderful colleagues across the industry, both suppliers and users of the technology, as well as scientists and engineers in R&D and application. And I get paid quite well - maybe not as much as a doctor or lawyer - but well enough.

At the moment my work involves both design and engineering, which is a great blend. Whereas in the past, I'd strictly do analysis, creating a design from scratch and implementing the knowledge of engineering and physics in the design process is a lot of fun, as well as a challenge. In addition to physics, my background includes aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering - all of which I've employed at various times.

I strongly urge engineers to take as much physics as possible.

One (of many) of my current tasks involves the fluid dynamics involved in the operation of a control system. The work involves taking the designs of two systems and materials properties for the fluid interface, and developing and solving some differential equations and ultimately coming up with displacement and velocity (speed) as a function of time and distance, while meeting the time constraints and ultimately an impact load between two components.

Many of the older folks in my profession were physicists who ended up doing a lot of applied physics (engineering), simply because there were few, if any, nuclear engineering programs 40 years ago. One of my professors majored in engineering physics. One colleague who recently retired after 40+ years in the industry is now pursuing his interests in astrophysics, which is what had studied in university.

 

[NeedsHelp1212]

I started in Physics and ended up in Nuclear Engineering. I actually love my job, because I work with many wonderful colleagues across the industry, both suppliers and users of the technology, as well as scientists and engineers in R&D and application. And I get paid quite well - maybe not as much as a doctor or lawyer - but well enough.

At the moment my work involves both design and engineering, which is a great blend. Whereas in the past, I'd strictly do analysis, creating a design from scratch and implementing the knowledge of engineering and physics in the design process is a lot of fun, as well as a challenge. In addition to physics, my background includes aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering - all of which I've employed at various times.

I strongly urge engineers to take as much physics as possible.

One (of many) of my current tasks involves the fluid dynamics involved in the operation of a control system. The work involves taking the designs of two systems and materials properties for the fluid interface, and developing and solving some differential equations and ultimately coming up with displacement and velocity (speed) as a function of time and distance, while meeting the time constraints and ultimately an impact load between two components.

Many of the older folks in my profession were physicists who ended up doing a lot of applied physics (engineering), simply because there were few, if any, nuclear engineering programs 40 years ago. One of my professors majored in engineering physics. One colleague who recently retired after 40+ years in the industry is now pursuing his interests in astrophysics, which is what had studied in university.

sounds very complicated.. lol.

 

[nlsherrill]

In the U.S., at least, I do not think engineers are underpaid. And most seem to enjoy their work. Any who don't are simply ungrateful and they fail to see the bigger picture; there are billions of people in the world who would kill for such an opportunity, even if the wage was half of what it is now.



No, a good use of intelligence is a use of it in such a way that will benefit society. I can't stand the "every man for himself" mindset in this world. It is precisely that selfish mentality which will destroy humanity.

At any rate, I think my "hostility" is warranted when you are so arrogantly presumptuous as to say that anyone who claims they enjoy their job is lying.

I think I agree with these two sentences more so than anything else I have read on this forum since I have been writing here. I agree 100%, and it really is sad to see so many people with this mindset.