<p>What makes these two majors particularly hard?</p>
<p>Different people find different things difficult. My undergrad major was ChemE, and we had tons of math, something like 4 semesters of differential equations. Some people found the math easier, but stuff like Orgo hard. Others didn't seem to find anything very difficult.</p>
<p>Roger_Dooley, can you recommend any college books related to ChemE major? I have a lot of time to hit the bokks and I am pretty fixed on pursuing this major.. Thanks..</p>
<p>um...how did you take 4 semesters of ODE's??? rather...why?</p>
<p>the current requirement is 1 semester for ABET (comes after 1 year of differential and integral calc then some multivariable/vector calc for a semester them ODE's)</p>
<p>EE is hard because of some of the more intense conceptual ideas. Understanding curcuitry is a tricky thing and that is why computer geniuses are so well respected. It is difficult to understand things which control a thing as "unpredictable" as energy. This abstractness I think is what makes it hard and also the logic and thinking required is a huge amount for EE (problem solving is essential here). Not an EE but that is my take on it.</p>
<p>ChemE is a very different type of hard. It starts with the difficulty of taking physics, math, chemistry and chemistry labs (accelerated chemistry at that) all at the same time. Then comes the difficulty of mastering various subjects. It seems fine with the math and science until organic chemistry. This is the roadblock for most chemEs who are mostly what I like to call "equational thinkers." Equational thinkers can look at an equation and know what to do with it and how to use it and if this variable is increased than this goes to infinity. Stuff like that. That can of concrete but also abstract learning mystifies most so much that they are the weed-outs. This is how most engineers think and this is good because for math and physics and general chem, most of the learning is of this type.</p>
<p>Organic chem is completely different. We had less equations than I can count on one hand. It is taught visually and many find it to be completely ridiculous. This isn't expected by most engineers who had been perfectly fine up until this point.</p>
<p>The actual engineering courses are also no walk in the park. ChemE courses combine a trifecta of tedium, hard-work, and intense problem solving. I've yet to think of anything to come close to an engineering class in high school. The basic concepts are deceptionally simple (out = in) but add interation, complicated graphs, overwhelming data tables, large integrations, dozens of variables, abstract concepts (fugacity), insanely huge cycles, many assumptions for different situations and it becomes mind-numbing.</p>
<p>ChemE is difficult because it blends the difficulty of 3 of the most difficult subjects (physics, chemistry, and enigneering) and uses a 4th subject (mathematics) off of which to base their myriad ideas. And the subjects require a surprising amount of bounce off of each other than I would have predicted. Remember Calc because you'll use it all in differential equations (I know that we have used ideas from all 3 calcs in one class period several times and are expected to know them with little to no review) and remember differentials because you'll need them in p-chem and almost all upper level chemE courses. Physics is relied upon in upper level math as a basis for problem solving in real-world applications. E&M is used for much of the analysis and a proper understanding is necessary to understand the process of obtaining the data from an NMR or UV-Vis. Chem is useful in Quantum and Quantum is useful again for physical chemistry. A 2nd level physical chemistry course and thermodynamics for chemE are very similar.</p>
<p>This never-ending interelation is what makes chemE more than any other major very facinating and also very difficult for me and many others. The competition is also a hard thing to adapt to. I know plenty who seemed smart enough to get a degree but didn't want to compete. It's tough but I think it's worth it. Also why chemE is considered so hard.</p>
<p>how is life after a BS in chemE? do u need to go on to grad school or can u work right out of school and if so how is the job market for chemE undergrads</p>
<p>Well it's pretty good. They have the highest avg starting salary for a bachelor's (~$55,000). They are needed everywhere there is a process from food to computers to oil (big! for chemEs). My TA's boyfriend is working for Mobil $90,000 right out of college. But I'm not a grad. These are just the facts. Chances are you'll find an area to interest you because there is so many different areas to work in.</p>
<p>ChemE major here.Taking orgo next semester(sophomore year) and hoping it's not as tough as people usually say it is. I'm handling gen chem 2, calc 2 and physics really well.Calc 2 is a joke. We are currently doing polar coordinates.Chem is just reading and understanding the material and physics is time consuming but yet FUN.I never feel as though my brain is about to pop out of my skull when im trying to solve assigned problems in any of these subjects. </p>
<p>I almost want to study orgo over the summer before i take the course next semester because of how everyone bit ches about it.</p>
<p>And how was differential equations and physics(electricity and magneticism) going?</p>
<p>Which engineering courses are you currently taking and how are you doing in them?</p>
<p>I love diff eq much better than any calculus. bleh. it took me a while to catch up in math. I never liked it much in high school, most likely because I never understood it. If you think this year is easy, sophomore year is the great evening out period. Everybody left is about on the same level and some people that were really smart in gen chem don't get orgo at all and others that didn't get gen chem really pop into existence with orgo. Then with mass balances, orgo lab, E&M (I should have done better, but it was the hardest physics for me) and math it's a ton of work. I am a very different kind of engineer. I don't think like most engineers and things that come easy for me usually are hard to many others and vice-versa. I had a lot of catching up to do once I got to college though. My school was bad in math and science and I spent the first year of college working my ass off to catch up. I'm almost even with em now.</p>
<p>It's just that the difficulty level really ratchets up with sophomore year. I think it's because none of these classes were ever taken in high school so for most kids the entire first year was a really difficult review (much harder for me) but sophomore year is when you start having to work and it surprises a lot of the kids who were really smart the first 1 or 2 semesters.</p>
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how is life after a BS in chemE? do u need to go on to grad school or can u work right out of school and if so how is the job market for chemE undergrads
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<p>Most will work right after graduation. ChemE delivers the 2nd highest starting salary of any bachelor's degree, after petroleum engineering.</p>
<p>Right now, the job market for ChemE's is very good. ChemE employment has largely tracked the price of oil, as the oil industry has historically been one of the most important employers of ChemE's. The higher the price of oil, the more hiring that oil companies will do. However, in the last generation, many ChemE's have gone into the semiconductor industry, pharmaceuticals, biotech, and general industrial and consumer goods. The legendary former CEO of Intel, Andy Grove (and Time Magazine Man of the Year), is a chemical engineer.</p>
<p>So how often and how long would you say you studied for orgo exams?And was the final exam cumulative?That would REALLY blow if it was....</p>
<p>sorry, but what is orgo, i am going into ChemE in UCSB</p>
<p>lol...organic chemistry.</p>
<p>is that hard? i heard one of my friend said physical chemistry is even harder</p>
<p>i'm taking orgo next semster so i'm not sure how hard it is.But yeah, i've also heard people bitc hing about physical chemistry....</p>
<p>caa5042 my orgo tests are hard. I study for hours and yes they are cumulative for the final exams. Not just for my semester but also for last semester. We have to remember 2 semesters worth of material. AHHH! I seriously am so scared of that final. And thermo too. I hate finals.</p>