Engineering curious?

[xnfs93hy]

Ok so as some of you know, I change my major every five minutes.

Honestly, I've kind of been looking around.

I am looking at maybe doing a math/science double major. Or 5 year ChemE masters. Or something of the like.

Thing is, at least with math, I've had such a crappy background.

I mean, I can handle math, it's just, I'm not good at it. And if you are going to be a Physics or Engineering major, you REALLY have to be pretty gifted in math.

Idk if I am. I think I am lacking the basics which is why I am trying to review it this summer while I prepare for SAT's again in the fall. I may also take a college algebra class.

I mean, I want to take Calc and everything but I just can't.

English, low level math focused economics, maybe Bio, I can handle. Because that is all algebra based.

The hard sciences and math classes would eat me alive if I took them right now.

What I am getting at here is, Engineering leads to a high salary (if MS doesn't work out, but it will, because I will try my best to get in.) and all Engineers do well.

It's like, I want to do Engineering, I feel that I could be good at it, but you NEED to do well in math, and I am just lacking in math so much right now.

I mean, English I'm good at, History, and science with no math. If math didn't exist, I'd get straight A's. Throw math in there and put me in a class and I go from being Mr. Smart Guy to the kid who cheats off of everyone. I don't know whether I'm just dumb or the foundation required is shaky or just not there at all

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[EyEnStein 07]

I have tutored a lot of students in math before, from basic algebra and geometry that you learn in the 7th or 8th grade all the way up to calculus.

I feel most students who struggle with math either cannot grasp concepts (for example, its very difficult for some people to imagine 3d, and they get easily confused with things like vectors) or they missed a topic that is very crucial. Maybe its best for you to get a tutor? to catch up?

Also to get a good idea of if you can handle engineering physics or math in college, is take the SAT II Math Level 2, and check your SAT I math score. If you can manage 650 -700 + in both, then i think your good.

Noone cares if you change your major to be honest. Thats all up to you. In fact its good that your not decided now because it shows that you havent explored everything your interested in and you will end up finding something you enjoy without regrets.

Plus, my calc professor told me that he got mostly B's in his undergrad in math courses, and he didnt go anywhere special. So unless your aiming in the future for a PhD at MIT or Harvard, i dont think you have too much to worry about. Do your best throughout college you will find that there are many (atleast i hope) resources available to you. if you are that passionate about it, you will be able to do it if you put in the time.

 

[Crazyday]

So you're horrible at math, it doesn't sound like you enjoy it, but you want to do a major that consists of mostly extreme difficulty math, which a lot of students that are really good at math don't do well in...

Sounds solid.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Comments like that don't help.

I want to improve. And yeah, I actually do enjoy math.

 

[broken tibula]

So you're horrible at math, it doesn't sound like you enjoy it, but you want to do a major that consists of mostly extreme difficulty math, which a lot of students that are really good at math don't do well in...

Sounds solid.

He's looking to justify the $200 he just wasted on his calculator.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I have tutored a lot of students in math before, from basic algebra and geometry that you learn in the 7th or 8th grade all the way up to calculus.

I feel most students who struggle with math either cannot grasp concepts (for example, its very difficult for some people to imagine 3d, and they get easily confused with things like vectors) or they missed a topic that is very crucial. Maybe its best for you to get a tutor? to catch up?

Also to get a good idea of if you can handle engineering physics or math in college, is take the SAT II Math Level 2, and check your SAT I math score. If you can manage 650 -700 + in both, then i think your good.

Noone cares if you change your major to be honest. Thats all up to you. In fact its good that your not decided now because it shows that you havent explored everything your interested in and you will end up finding something you enjoy without regrets.

Plus, my calc professor told me that he got mostly B's in his undergrad in math courses, and he didnt go anywhere special. So unless your aiming in the future for a PhD at MIT or Harvard, i dont think you have too much to worry about. Do your best throughout college you will find that there are many (atleast i hope) resources available to you. if you are that passionate about it, you will be able to do it if you put in the time.

God, tell me about it. I scored near perfect in every math section of some exam (I want to say it was the ACT, but perhaps it was the PSAT/SAT... If the ACT doesn't break down the math percentiles then it must of been the PSAT/SAT), but I got like 20th percentile in the geometry/spatial reasoning section. Geometry was, for me, by far the hardest math class I've ever taken, far beyond the difficulty of calculus. After I started dancing, I actually got a tad better at spatial reasoning, but I doubt I would have fared much better even if I had been dancing in HS.

OP, I would strongly avoid engineering majors. Good at math or not, its a very time consuming area of study. It cuts into a lot of EC building time.

 

[niblet]

Or 5 year ChemE masters. Or something of the like.

Why would you do this if your goal is to go to medical school?

Thing is, at least with math, I've had such a crappy background.

Then how do you know you'd enjoy a math-intensive major?

I mean, I can handle math, it's just, I'm not good at it.

That doesn't make any sense.


Jeff, it's obvious you have no idea what to major in at this point, and you really don't have to. All this speculation about what you might like to major in is worthless. Instead of dwelling on it, go practice math or something.

 

[yanorglu]

Oh man here it goes

There's a lot to like about engineering. Safe, stable, great pay considering you'll be fresh out of college, plenty of opportunities for management positions if you play your cards right, and sometimes you get to work on some pretty cool stuff.

But there's a lot to not like. The curriculum itself can be pretty boring. My brother's a ChemE major and often laments how his major is not only arguably the hardest at his school, but also the driest. The sleepless nights will probably start to get to you. The endless math and science problems will wear down on your mind. By your junior year, you'll start to wonder if you even have the energy for a summer internship. The attrition rate in engineering is absurd for a reason.

As for pay, engineering sure does start high, but hits the ceiling very fast. If you're in a set field like Mech or Chem, you'll probably level out around $100k. If you're in a constantly-advancing field like EE, CSE, or, heaven forbid, BME, you'll find yourself struggling to keep up with constant refresher courses and the like, lest you lose your job to some kid fresh out of college.

And don't get too starry-eyed about the engineer's workday. Most are either stuck in cubicles doing mundane work, or in an industrial setting working on processes (essentially an overglorified maintenance-man), or in sales. Yes, there are "rock star" engineers out there working on fighter jets and chunnels and super-futuristic cars, but they're in the minority.

It's called "work" for a reason.


Now that I'm done giving a speech reminiscent of the various "Don't get too hyped about medicine" posts, I'll actually help you out with the math thing.

In a nutshell, don't get too down about it. Your post makes you seem more worried about having to put in extra work, rather than you genuinely feeling you lack math capabilities.

There's plenty of engineers who insist they suck at math. It's okay. Get a tutor or something. Math is nowhere near as scary as most high school kids seem to consider it.

 

[Silverman780]

Trust me, if I could learn calculus, anyone else can

 

[EyEnStein 07]

Take intro classes as electives to see if you can handle it or not.

One of my good friends graduated college about 2 years ago with a degree in mechanical engineering form a top 30 school. He had a 3.0 gpa when people in his class had from 2.7 to 4.0, im pretty sure he told me they all were able to get into a masters program or get a job straight out (yes he only had a 3.0 and he got a decent job as a level 1 engineer)....

so if you feel engineering is what your interested in then go for it.

Usually people who want to go into engineering and apply to med school have big clear plans unless it was a sudden change. Others just love
the topics covered in engineering but want to be a doctor. Do somethign you enjoy and that you can handle. Remmeber you can always chose a major that is suitable for you and learn about engineering and stuff on your free time.

 

[tennisball80]

How about business?

I am not good at math either in spite of the fact that I look like an Asian math guy.

 

[Salvorix]

If you become an engineering major you will have a harder time getting into medical school, which is what you really want to do, and thus this detour will ironically hurt and not help you as it sounds to me like you have no passion for engineering which is what you could be stuck doing.

Jeff, if you really want to go to medical school, major in whatever interests you. Forget about that major's potential salary. A major you like will lead to a good GPA which will help you. Then, if you don't get into medical school, get a graduate degree to boost your potential backup income while raising your GPA and/or retaking the MCAT.

I don't think you should creating a back-up plan for not getting into medical school before you're even a senior in high school. Follow your heart and it can only lead to happiness. Prepare for success by working as hard as you can and archiving your full potential. If your heart is set on being a doctor, congratulations, you are already a step ahead of your peers the second you walk into your first college classroom. Armed with that knowledge you will achieve to your fullest potential, and you will get into medical school, first try, guaranteed.

 

[vpv]

What I am getting at here is, Engineering leads to a high salary (if MS doesn't work out, but it will, because I will try my best to get in.) and all Engineers do well.

Dude, you gotta change some aspect of your thinking. All I have heard in your posts is how much a certain career will help you get. Satisfaction, rather should be the consideration. As long as you keep on putting the salary before your interests, you will NOT be able to find a major that you will enjoy.

 

[Future Doc1]

Dude, you gotta change some aspect of your thinking. All I have heard in your posts is how much a certain career will help you get. Satisfaction, rather should be the consideration. As long as you keep on putting the salary before your interests, you will NOT be able to find a major that you will enjoy.

This is kind of true

 

[vpv]

Also, in your clinical psychology thread, people have suggested that you get out more often and seldom come on SDN as it takes away from your social life. Buddy you have to understand, you are what? Not even 18? And you are in 1K club. People who have been on this forum for years haven't even reached such a feat. Shows you really need to get off SDN. Personally, I joined before you, and I think this is my 50th post. -.- Dude if you ask for suggestions on this board, take some at least. GTFO of SDN, for the sake of your social life.

 

[Salvorix]

Also, in your clinical psychology thread, people have suggested that you get out more often and seldom come on SDN as it takes away from your social life. Buddy you have to understand, you are what? Not even 18? And you are in 1K club. People who have been on this forum for years haven't even reached such a feat. Shows you really need to get off SDN. Personally, I joined before you, and I think this is my 50th post. -.- Dude if you ask for suggestions on this board, take some at least. GTFO of SDN, for the sake of your social life.

I agree with the whole get off SDN part.

Jeff, your 1 year anniversary since you joined SDN is approaching (June 24th). If I were you, I'd set a goal of not going on SDN for a month starting on June 25th, the day after your 1 year anniversary. It's summer, you should be socializing with friends, playing sports/games, working, or just in general enjoying yourself.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Yeah, I should probably knock it off.

 

[Future Doc1]

Subsequent to your short away time from SDN, you will most likely notice a difference in your life all together--just try it.

 

[Terpskins99]

What I am getting at here is, Engineering leads to a high salary (if MS doesn't work out, but it will, because I will try my best to get in.) and all Engineers do well.

No it doesn't. I don't know where you are getting this from. Becoming an engineer does NOT guarantee a high salary. The only ones who end up at the top of the ladder are those that are extremely talented in it as well as those who have a strong business acumen to apply it to the real world. At present, you've demonstrated neither.

It's like, I want to do Engineering, I feel that I could be good at it, but you NEED to do well in math, and I am just lacking in math so much right now.

No, its like you have absolutely no interest in engineering because you haven't shown that you know anything about the field. Nothing in your post mentions any interest in engineering outside of making a potentially high salary. While you COULD be good at it, more likely you will do horribly in it because you will always be bitter at how much more you could have made doing something else. No offense, but this is a pretty lousy way to determine a career choice. You are always going to be miserable.

The ONLY time I have ever heard you mention any serious interest in a job is when you brought up your experiences working with the mentally ******ed (better known as cognitive delay patients). For whatever reason, you've decided to abandon such a career. Ironically, psychiatrists, while on the lower end of average compensation for physicians, make considerably more than the average engineer.

 

[soonereng]

Trust me, if I could learn calculus, anyone else can

The problem is that calculus is the easiest math in the engineering curriculum.

 

[yanorglu]

No it doesn't. I don't know where you are getting this from. Becoming an engineer does NOT guarantee a high salary. The only ones who end up at the top of the ladder are those that are extremely talented in it as well as those who have a strong business acumen to apply it to the real world. At present, you've demonstrated neither.


No, its like you have absolutely no interest in engineering because you haven't shown that you know anything about the field. Nothing in your post mentions any interest in engineering outside of making a potentially high salary. While you COULD be good at it, more likely you will do horribly in it because you will always be bitter at how much more you could have made doing something else. No offense, but this is a pretty lousy way to determine a career choice. You are always going to be miserable.

The ONLY time I have ever heard you mention any serious interest in a job is when you brought up your experiences working with the mentally ******ed (better known as cognitive delay patients). For whatever reason, you've decided to abandon such a career. Ironically, psychiatrists, while on the lower end of average compensation for physicians, make considerably more than the average engineer.

I'm gonna go ahead and agree with this since Jeff decided to completely ignore my post and instead talk more about money in his other active thread .
Assuming you haven't quit SDN yet, Jeff, I suggest really looking into what engineering and its myriad sub-fields actually entails. I get the feeling you only chose BME because it's the one that covers the most med school pre-reqs within the major itself.

 

[Pepipanda]

Speaking of BME, I'm doing an internship in a BME lab (specifically with ultrasound). I've only been there 3 days so far, but most of the day is spent working on papers, and I'm going to spend most of the rest of the week filling in holes in pictures of blood clots from slices of pig brains. Everyone there agreed that this kind of relatively tedious work is the main thing you do in research. Granted, there is some pretty cool stuff (like the setup with the human skull in the water tank).

As for hours, people come in around 9:00 to 9:30 and leave sometime from 5 to 6, but I don't know if this is different during the school year, as most of the people at the lab are working on a master's or PhD at the university that the lab is at.