Academic cooker?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1

<p>As an upcoming freshmen, I heard and read a lot that the amount of work is considerably large even so for the brightest students of their high school. I also heard that we should prepare to study and that everybody there at RPI just studies. I didn't exactly cruise through high school. I took all the hardest classes but I still don't feel prepared for college. My college counselor said that I would be better off going to Drexel than this school. I want to prove him wrong.</p>

<p>On average, how many hours does a person study? What are the classes like? Two times a week? Any advice except keep up with the work? Have you ever failed classes? If so, how many and how many times?</p>

<p>I am majoring in Mechanical engineering... -_-</p>

2

<p>Biased here because I’m BME, but mech e is all about memorization. If you did fine in high school you’ll do fine in college.</p>

<p>RPI is an extension of high school. You have people who barely study and like to have fun and you have people who are hermits. The majority are in between or tilted towards the having fun. I guess you could call RPI a nerd school because people are into online games or anime, but it’s nothing like revenge of the nerds where people do science projects for fun.</p>

<p>Your guidance counselor is an idiot. If you want to do well you’ll find out how much you have to study to meet your expectations. If you’re really smart you won’t have to study much, if you aren’t really smart you’ll have to study more than average to meet your expectations. It’s honestly just like high school, but now you’re taking all AP classes at a time rather than one or two.</p>

<p>No I haven’t failed any classes, I have a 3.6GPA right now (dropped last semester due to biomechanics and IED…). I just finished ochem 1 for the first summer session and I might have gotten my first C. I recommend that you don’t take any hard classes in the summer session because the people in those classes tend to have already taken it once before and are taking it again to increase their grade. You will be competing against people who already know the material vs you learning it for the first time… the curve is killed. While I might have gotten a B or B+ during the year, I might now get a C or C+ because of the curve.</p>

3

<p>Response to LWS:</p>

<p>If your background in algebra, trig, and whatever else they call precalculus is solid (i.e. you could get something like 770-800 on the SAT math if time weren’t an issue), you have the preparation to begin studies here. That said, there will likely be people here with more preparation than you, so you might need to work harder in your classes than they do (but all of the material you need <em>will</em> be taught to you).</p>

<p>I have no idea about homework load in engineering, but, if it’s anything like science, any average number someone gives you will be a very crude estimate. Some semesters here (ex. my first semester), I spent maybe 8 hours doing homework each week. Not bad at all. Other semesters, though, I easily averaged >30 hours/week, with a couple weeks heading into the 50-60 hour range (I’m working on repressing those memories, since there were other factors then that only made the load less manageable). That said, I always went for the most interesting sounding courses in my two majors, which oftentimes meant the hardest ones available. I recommend you use your first semester or two to figure out how to pace yourself through your degree.</p>

<p>Most classes are two times a week. Some introductory classes meet thrice a week, and may or may not have additional recitations (sessions with a teaching assistant – usually a graduate student – that go over last week’s material) in addition to the lecture times.</p>

<p>Advice for keeping up with work: don’t ever get behind. The easiest trap to fall in is one where you’re a bit behind with some assignment (say only 60% done) so you delay turning it in (accepting some lateness penalty) until it’s finished, only to have other things get in the way. Eventually, the next assignment is due and you feel bad about starting it before completing the last one, at which point (if progress is slow) one can get dramatically behind with little hope of ever catching up. I’ve seen this happen (to myself, my friends, and others) too many times. Don’t let it happen.</p>

<p>I haven’t failed any classes myself. I know plenty of people who did (I was a TA for a few semesters while completing my MS, so I know who failed my classes). I’d say it takes some dedicated slacking to completely fail a class, as it generally means that you aren’t turning in work and that you are bombing the tests. Failure generally isn’t really an issue to those who show up and try.</p>

<p>Resonse to JG:</p>

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<p>I wasn’t an engineering major myself (I did science…), but I did show up to random classes from pretty much any nonbusiness major every once in a while. I’d have to completely disagree with you about Mech E being all about memorization, and am bewildered as to what gave you that impression. The courses for a Mech E degree can be found at [Program:</a> Mechanical Engineering - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Program: Mechanical Engineering - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Mechanical Engineering - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™) . I’d say a good two thirds of the required courses are legit problem solving classes (as opposed to even marginally memorization based), and you can bump that percentage up further by taking appropriate electives.</p>

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<p>Speak for yourself. Plenty of CS majors, myself included, work on their pet projects during the weekends.</p>

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<p>1st of all there’s no such thing as an easy engineering school. Whether its RPI, MIT or your 3rd Tier State School, engineering requires a lot of work. If you ever find an “easy” engineering school, avoid it like the plague, it will be a waste of money.</p>

<p>If you got into a top school like RPI, you’re smart enough to get thru the program. Often kids who didnt “cruise” thru high school do better than those who did, because they already have good study habits. What a trips up a lot of frreshmen in engineering is they get overwhelmed by the amont of work required- from day 1 and are not prepared or willing to work that hard. As C55 said, never, ever get behind. </p>

<p>However that doesn’t mean you have to study all the time either. The secret is time management, getting extra help when you need it and having good study partners. The best advise I ever received was to treat it like a job. Go to school at 8 am and don’t leave before 5 (or later as required) whether or not you have classes; study in the library or coffee shop or where ever in between classes. Do assignemnts right away and don’t skip classes, and be prepared to put in the time when required (there will be a few late nights/ early mornings) but follow this and you’ll be surprised how much free time you’ll have. </p>

<p>Finally, Mechanical Engineering (or any of the others) is absolutely NOT about memorization. Its about understanding basic concepts and applying them to situations where they’ve never been applied before. </p>

<p>As for “nerds”- well they get good, high paying jobs right out of school, that most LA grads can only dream about.</p>

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<p>Cesium, I live with a PhD mechE student and that is all he told me about his undergrad curriculum… so I guess that is where I got my impression + seeing peers in that major slacking off all the time.</p>

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<p>People with PhD minds rarely struggle with undergrad work, regardless of the field they’re in. </p>

<p>All my exams in my Jr and Sr engineering courses (not RPI incidentally) were either open book, or we were allowed “crib” sheets. That’s not memorization.</p>

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<p>LoneWolf - also realize there’s a LOT of help available if needed. From TAs to professors (yes they talk to students) and LAs (learning assistants in dorms). Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help if needed. There’s sources for back exams for each class, which is probably the best way to study for exams. I agree with others good study habits are key. My daughter just finished her freshman year in MechE/PDI there and had time to become an EMT on the side. My son plays in several jazz ensembles there while doing undergrad research and double majoring.</p>

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<p>My daughter is also coming to RPI as a freshman for Aerospace/Mechanical Dual Major. If you have any AP/IB credits your course load may be a bit lighter. Chemistry is her biggest concern as her school did not have the best chemistry teacher & program when she took it and it was sophomore year, so she has been way from it. She is reviewing AP Chemistry books and refreshing on it over the summer. You can get those in the library if you are worried. Incidentally, my husband is a Mechanical Engineer and works in Aerospace. His first year of engineering was very difficult, but as he describes it, this was a problem stemming from putting too much emphasis on his social life and not realizing college would be so much harder than high school. He says the key to his first year troubles was missing classes and not studying enough. He swears your final grade drops a couple percent for every class you miss because you are building on concepts and can easily fall behind. By second year, he learned to be disciplined and did just fine and was even in the top of his class in some subjects. Definitely the “treat it like a job” advice is totally on the mark. That is maybe the best piece of advice you can follow. If you never miss any classes, hang out in the libraries between classes doing homework and take time to look up any concepts you are struggling with - plus get in to those writing labs, or extra help sessions and haunt your TA like the ghost of engineering past – you should be perfectly fine. I am sure you will cross paths with my D. Good luck Lonewolf!</p>