<p>I'm a freshman mechanical engineering student and I just got my laptop. I was wondering if anybody had any advice as to what programs I could download or buy that would help me with my classes. Are there any calculus tutorial type programs that are good? Any engineering software? Any suggestions would help!</p>
<p>I have used excel in multiple classes. Depending on how your classes are run, you might use something like Matlab, Mathematica, or Maple in your math classes. I used Matlab in both of my intro engineering classes. If you have a programming or physics class (depending on how you physics class is run) you look up what language you will use or what the recommend for the class and download a compiler for it. Next semester I will have my first class where they are telling us to use LaTeX, depending on how you math or physics classes are run they might want it (but I doubt it). </p>
<p>Most likely your first year you’re going to need Matlab and a Compiler for whatever programming language you use in your classes, unless you are very advanced or taking honors calc or physics classes. </p>
<p>I doubt you’ll be expected to run anything more specialized than any of those on your laptop. Anything you need for your MechE classes you’ll have on school computers.</p>
<p>As for calculus tutorials programs, do you mean like Khan Academy? If so, well there’s Khan Academy. I don’t know any software which teaches calc but I didn’t know if you meant programs in the software sense.</p>
<p>For the calculus, I would most likely go Khan Academy. You can also search by university and watch their calculus courses free of charge. If you have the money you can also go to The Great Courses and buy one of their lectures on a variety of subjects taught by distinguished professors.</p>
<p>Here’s the link:
[Math</a> Courses](<a href=“The Great Courses”>The Great Courses)</p>