- #1,016
pongo38
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Sol: To answer the immediate question, you first need to address where you want to end up in say 20 years time. Then the pathway to that goal may be clearer.
russ_watters said:- I'm a mechanical engineer working in the field of HVAC design. I started off studying aerospace engineering, but the math was just too much for me. I like mechanical engineering because it is a very wide field with all sorts of job opportunities everywhere.
russ_watters said:At the suggestion of Shahil, I'm starting this thread as a general guidance thread for prospective engineers. Some typical questions:
-Should I become an engineer?
-What engineering discipline should I study?
-Is engineering difficult?
I encourage people to post personal experiences in school and in the professional world regarding the field of engineering.
Some background info on me - I'm a mechanical engineer working in the field of HVAC design. I started off studying aerospace engineering, but the math was just too much for me. I like mechanical engineering because it is a very wide field with all sorts of job opportunities everywhere.
russ_watters said:-Should I become an engineer?
-What engineering discipline should I study?
-Is engineering difficult?
The answer to this question should be that one should try to become an Engineer if one wants to. As simple as that. Whether one will complete his degree in Engineering or not is a different thing. But if if one wants to be an Engineer then he must give it a try at least.russ_watters said:-Should I become an engineer?
Depends on which subject you found more interesting in your high school. If you liked Electrodynamics/Semiconductors then go for Electrical. If you found Thermodynamics and Mechanics more interesting then go for Mechanical/Civil. Similarly Chemical for Chemistry loving people and Software Engineering for those who like Coding.russ_watters said:-What engineering discipline should I study?
russ_watters said:-Is engineering difficult?
Usually one would obtain a degree in one of the engineering disciplines which is recognized by NSPE (http://www.nspe.org/) or one practices engineering under the guidance of an engineer, or licensed professional engineering. Anyway, one take a fundamentals tests (FE), which used to be the EIT or engineer-in-training. After some experience, one would take the PE, or P&P, which is the Principles and Practices test, in a particular discipline, e.g., Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, . . . .Cod said:Is a bachelor's in an engineering discipline required to become a certified PE? Or can one be certified with just a master's degree in an engineering discipline?
I have a bachelor's in computer science, but looking at different grad school options for engineering at this time.
Any help is appreciated.
ME_student said:I have a general question about engineering. I'd thought I just post here instead of making a new thread. So I am almost done with my sophomore year of engineering, only a few engineering core classes than I can transfer.
So how much harder is junior year? I heard it's way harder than sophomore year, however one of my engineering instructors said sophomore years the hardest... I heard as an ME student junior year you take fluid mechanics 1 and 2, thermodynamics, an upper level statics, machine design, and an upper differential equations class (forgot the name of it). Today while studying circuit analysis I saw an old classmate I took vector Calc with. He told me he was taking 300 and 400 level EE classes and not having a life. So I am pretty much not going to have a life junior year?
Do you like math, phy, science, programming, circuits analysis, not having a life (social life), and studying all the time? If you like the following then I say go for it!jorcesca said:Should I become an engineer: I am currently a nursing student but I've always had a knack for computers and technology i take apart cell phones and mp3 players and laptops and put them back together to make them work more efficiently, and I am great with most math effortlessly, and today i realized those gifts could be nurtured in a career that id love and it would actually pay me (the pay being a bonus)
but I am 27 and i feel like id be starting all over and its too late in life to start over bc I am getting old and need to hurry up and get my degree.
if i do switch I am thinking magor computer hardware engineering with a minor in geology geared toward oil and gas extraction
Shahil said:Lastly, the money is good BUT you should
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
ever choose a career for the money - and I'll stand by that.
Hope this helps.
the person who ask this question..should be probably the last person to become an engineer on earth...russ_watters said:-Is engineering difficult?
I remember the freshman and sophomore year classes to be the "weed out" non-engineer students. I had plenty of fun in all 4 years of my mechanical engineering undergraduate program. The list of classes you have -- thermo, fluids, thermal power systems was some of the best classes I ever took (you can tell I'm a true blood ME).ME_student said:I have a general question about engineering. I'd thought I just post here instead of making a new thread. So I am almost done with my sophomore year of engineering, only a few engineering core classes than I can transfer.
So how much harder is junior year? I heard it's way harder than sophomore year, however one of my engineering instructors said sophomore years the hardest... I heard as an ME student junior year you take fluid mechanics 1 and 2, thermodynamics, an upper level statics, machine design, and an upper differential equations class (forgot the name of it). Today while studying circuit analysis I saw an old classmate I took vector Calc with. He told me he was taking 300 and 400 level EE classes and not having a life. So I am pretty much not going to have a life junior year?
I transfer next term as a junior. I would say Sophomore year was a lot of fun. I did pretty well in all my engineering classes.kevnst said:I remember the freshman and sophomore year classes to be the "weed out" non-engineer students. I had plenty of fun in all 4 years of my mechanical engineering undergraduate program. The list of classes you have -- thermo, fluids, thermal power systems was some of the best classes I ever took (you can tell I'm a true blood ME).
If you decide to major in ME, then the upper division EE classes you might have to take is either in Process Controls or in Automation. Those are useful classes and I really enjoyed the practical lab aspects of it. When it came to theory, not so much for me. And obviously it showed it my grades -- good thing I had stellar grades in the first two years such that my last two years of college only managed to pull me down to a 3.4 GPA. I aced every upper division class related to thermal / fluids / energy. I did my best to skip every upper division non-engineering courses.
The last two years is basically when you get to apply the knowledge you have gained and do fun stuff in classes and labs and projects. Oh, it was also in the last two years when I took on engineering internships of 20-30 hours per week on top of taking a full ride in courses. So I think your instructor might be on the right track...
Zionic said:That is insane! I have only at most done 5 courses in one term and it ended up being decent however, 7 seems suicidal. So my question for you folks is that, how does one manage to even DO 7 courses in a term (around 4 months)
Derek Francis said:Would studying engineering on a part time basis (2 classes per semester) - while working - make the difficulty more manageable?