Am I cut out for Engineering?

So…recently I’ve really been checking out engineering. I’m currently taking Calc. 2, gen chem 2, and intro to physics. I really like all if it–even if physics is a pain in the ass haha. Anyway, the only problem is that I’ve never been the “building” type. I’ve never done any kind of special robot building cause I’m super smart and all that crap. If I’m not like this, is engineering not right for me? I’m just worried–since I plan on going to a technical institute–and I don’t want to get there and just be stuck. Anyway, could you guys let me know what engineering is REALLY like? Thanks.

Engineering isn’t “building”. It’s problem-solving.

Okay. So…its more of an application of science/math?

Google “What do engineers do?”

Of course I’ve done that. I’m not an idiot. But I wanted an engineer to actually tell me. Can’t trust the internet, and sometimes what it says iS different on different sites.

Some engineers build things. Some sit at a computer all day and run simulations. Some fall somewhere in between. The common thread is an education that includes a strong foundation in science and mathematics and in application of these concepts toward the solution of problems in the given field.

@Lambchoppi6

what city + state are you in? what grade are you in, and what’s your GPA and SAT/ACT?

there’s all types of engineering. certainly Biomedical would not have you “building” things. the most common I guess would be Mechanical, Chemical, and Electrical, but there’s also Computer Engineering / Computer Science, Industrial, Materials, Metallurgical, Mining, Mineral, Petroleum, Nuclear, Aerospace, Naval. it’s an incredibly broad field with lots of different emphases and potential types of jobs. one or two random engineers would not really give you a big picture of the entire spectrum of academic and career possibilities.

post the answers to the above questions so we can give you more specific and useful advice.

Okay. My GPA is a 4.0 and I’m a junior. I’m in Ohio. And I haven’t taken the ACT yet (plan to in april) so just assume I have a 30.

Did u take the PSAT?

@Lambchoppi6

what city are you in? are you closest to Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati?

well, a 4.0 is a good sign.

if you are close to Columbus, schedule a campus visit to Ohio State, specifically the Engineering Overview & Tour as described here:
https://engineering.osu.edu/future-students/visit

wow they have some engineering fields I didn’t know about. anyway, that will give you an overview of all of their different engineering disciplines, plus you will be able to tour the engineering facilities and see all the cool stuff they have and ask your student engineering guide some questions.

in addition, see if you can schedule some extra time with a dean / professor / student in one or more of the disciplines you find most interesting at this time. prepare some basic questions before your trip that you most want to get answered. try to get the a perspective from both student and professor / dean.

if you are closer to Cleveland then schedule your visit to case Western Reserve University and their Engineering School
https://go.case.edu/portal/campus-visit?_ga=1.131938639.177628121.1458056102

or U of Cincinnati and their Engineering School
http://ceas.uc.edu/visit_us.html

or Pitt, or Toledo visits if you are closer to them.

the point is, any of these campus visits that include the Engineering School will not only give you an idea of what engineers do, but will also give you a sense of what differences there are between different types of engineering, what it will take to succeed, what courses you will need, the opportunities for undergrad research, co-ops, and internships, the facilities, labs, and equipment you might get to wok with, feedback from other engineering students, etc. it will give you a small taste of what it might be like to study engineering at that particular campus.

you might decide engineering is not for you, but at least you will have investigated it more thoroughly and seen with your own two eyes, than getting advice from random people on the internet.

if you like what you see at one campus, check out another that is not too far away.

see what kinds of scholarships you can get for staying in-state. i don’t know your money situation, but if funds are tight, and the Ohio schools are still too expensive after financial aid, then a 32 on the ACT will get you a full-tuition scholarship from U of Alabama, plus $2500 per year from their engineering school.

Yes I did actually. I got a 194–not what I was aiming for haha. I was sick and forgot my calculator, so don’t view it as a representation of what I can get. I think I can get a 30 on my ACT.

And thank you! I’m actually going to an engineering camp at Ohio state this summer if I get accepted. One of my math teachers at the college I take classes at agreed to recommend me though so I’m not worried about getting in. I hope to learn a lot there as well, but I just wanted to see the opinions of some people on here. So far I’ve gotten pretty good advice–just like yours haha. And I’ll definitely check our alabama! I had no idea they offered that. Thanks again.

Focus on your likes. I hire and I size-up entry level civil, chemical and environmental engineers as outdoorsy, computer types or writers. Outdoorsy types work in manufacturing, processing or construction. Computer types are in front of computers all day. I was a writer and tended toward management and business development. Cyber security is very hot these days. Electrical is very dynamic because the technology changes rapidly. I have been in and out of the energy market a couple of times…but it keeps crashing every 20 years. Hydrocarbons still rule. The first two years of engineering college are a grind. Hang in there because the last two are much more fun.

Your state university is generally the best path. My preference for my children is liberal arts colleges that have engineering because speaking and writing skills are a discriminator IMO.

Go back to Google and you will find professional associations that engage in various ways with high schoolers. My peers and I participate in science fairs and math counts for example.

My kids take the ACT 3 or 4 times. Well worth the investment of time. Full ride and 3/4 ride. It upsets me so much that the guidance counselor says once is plenty.

@Lambchoppi6

hey, you could also check out the Summer College for High School at Ole Miss:
http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/schs/financial_information.html

the cost is only $2150 for each 4-week session and they do have an Engineering Program that will earn 6 college credits.

but if you take the ACT in April and you crush it with a 33 or higher, you will get a full scholarship that will cover program fee, room and board, and meal plan ($2000 total).

a 30-32 would knock $1500 off the cost, and a 27-29 would knock off $1000 off the program.

if you were interested in both summer sessions, then you could take the Computer Science program for the other session.

but that would mean that you would be away from home for 8 weeks on a really nice college campus away from your parents and I don’t think you would like that (ha ha)

if that sounds interesting you should apply now. maybe your ACT scores will come in in time to get some scholarship money.

oh and OleMiss offers a full-tuition scholarship for 33 ACT and darn close to it for a 32:
http://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships/#8

one of the big engineering scholarships added to that would almost make it a full ride.

both Alabama and OleMiss are aggressive about attracting top students, particularly in engineering, and are willing to be very generous with merit aid.

@Lambchoppi6

Getting into an succeeding in an engineering program has virtually nothing to do with your desire to build things, except maybe to motivate you to push through it. You will take a few labs and a few design class or two, but this will probably only count for 15-20% or so of your total coursework. Aside from general discipline, work ethic, etc., your academic success will primarily be a function of how good at applied math and physics you are.

I’m not the most qualified to talk about actual engineering work, except to say that most engineers rarely, if ever, build things with their hands. You could find a job doing that if you wanted to, and maybe you’ll develop such a passion at university, but it’s not necessary. Now if you don’t even like designing things more abstractly, then there could be a potential loss of interest - you will probably find out from internships (although you should be wary of judging too much from one bad experience). That doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the coursework, and you can easily transition into other fields with an engineering degree - caveating that some of the more lucrative ones do expect either very strong software skills or a good GPA.