Experiences of Engineering at University of Waterloo

[Nx2]

Hi guys... I am new to this forum and I am starting to like it a lot.

i am planning on going into University of Waterloo for Electrical Engineering and was just wondering how everyone found there first year of engineering like. i was told it was a lot of content and constant work. Ppl are sarting to scare me now. anyways, yea, just wanted to know how its like coming from ppl who have actually been there wit experience... THNX

o yeah and this forum rox! :!)

 

[chroot]

The first year of a EE program is likely to be indistinguishable from any other physical science or engineering program. You're going to have to cover all the bases -- calculus, introductory physics, and so on. A lot of schools also push you through "weed-out" courses that are, well, designed to distinguish those who really have the right skill set for engineering from the rest. These classes are often easy if you're very, very careful to follow directions exactly as given.

If you felt pretty confident with your math skills in high school, you'll probably find few of the first-year concepts too difficult, but you might be surprised with the workload. Do your homework immediately after you've given the assignment, rather than waiting until the night before it's due. Always assume a homework assignment, no matter how benign it looks, might actually take you several days to complete.

- Warren

 

[Nx2]

wow... so it looks like there will be no time to sleep, just constant work, just as i predicted but I'm still up for it. as of now I am doing not too bad in calculus and physics ... but I'm just not sure if not too bad will cut it...

- Tu

 

[chroot]

I actually worked harder in high school than in college, but I was in a special college-prep program that was pretty intense. The workload is not that bad; it's not constant work. Just don't slack off and get behind, or you will quickly get overwhelmed.

"Not too bad" will definitely cut it. You don't need to be a genius to get an engineering degree -- you just need to be able to follow directions and study effectively.

- Warren

 

[Nx2]

wow ... so u actually worked harder in hi school eh... damn... i guess I am just going to have to see how first year is like and hopefully survive it... my teacher told me as long as i survive the first year the rest will get easier aand easier... but i don't know man, the guy is a genious.

 

[learningphysics]

wow ... so u actually worked harder in hi school eh... damn... i guess I am just going to have to see how first year is like and hopefully survive it... my teacher told me as long as i survive the first year the rest will get easier aand easier... but i don't know man, the guy is a genious.

Waterloo is pretty top notch, MIT level I think. Just work hard... solve homework problems over and over till you know can do them without thinking too much. That'll leave you time in the tests for any zingers the prof gives you. If you work hard, I'm pretty sure you won't have too much trouble.

People like to exaggerate about how tough things will be. I myself worked hard in high school, and found it a pretty easy transition into college.

 

[Nx2]

yea... i realized that it is going to take a lot of hard work especialy bcuz waterloo is recognized for its engineering field... so how are ur days and nights like as engineering students?... u guys must have longs nights.

- Tu

 

[BlkDaemon]

Easier? When?!

my teacher told me as long as i survive the first year the rest will get easier aand easier... but i don't know man, the guy is a genious.

Well, I'm no genius, so let me tell you that it doesn't get easier. It gets harder, and more convoluted, and everything builds on what you've learned before.

BUT, what I can say is that if you don't know how to study when you start, you learn as you go along. You start to figure out what you need to do to get through all of this incredibly hard stuff, even when the equations look like Sanskrit.

Blade raised,

Daemon

 

[ProBasket]

well you will have a lot of sleepless nights. math isn't hard. i think the hardest is physics and the engineering courses.

 

[john_in_pdx]

BlkDaemon,

Whazzup Maria? How did you like that 343 final? He He He.

 

[BlkDaemon]

MTH 343 Final

HA!

You mean the one I'm **finally* taking next week??

Loooooong story, man. Ran into Nick yesterday. He's doing alright. Drop me a line sometime. You sticking with PCC or coming back over here?

 

[Nenad]

I attend the University of Waterloo for the Mechanical Engineering Program. The EE courses you will be taking are very different from the ones I took. Thats the great thing about waterloo, the undergraduate program is not all the same, the program courses differ by a lot. The calculus you take will be a lot tougher than the one I took, a lot more theoretical whereas the physics I took (Mechanics) is not comparable to the baby physics Electrical and Computer Engineers take. If you have any more questions about the university of Waterloo, I'd be glad to answer them. Just PM me. And by the way, don't believe the bull**** people tell you that you would be able to get any sleep. My first year, I went to sleep every night at 10:00 and I worked out 5 days a week. The University is fantastic and if you attend all lectures andtutorials, you will Not fail.

Regards,

Nenad