<p>Hey guys. I'd like to major in Mech. E. in college, and I was thinking about taking some college courses from FIU during high school. I'm going to be a senior next year, and I was thinking of taking Statics in the fall and Dynamics in the spring. I've already done linear algebra and multivariable calculus. What other courses would you say are important to engineering that I could take? Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Physics
Chemistry
Differential Equations
Thermodynamics
Fluid Mechanics
I’d check on whether or not the courses will transfer to your college of choice before taking any.</p>
<p>I think Fluid Dynamics comes after Vector Calculus, and it would probably be wise to not take thermo until you have some college level chem under your belt. </p>
<p>So I’d go with physics or Diff Eq.</p>
<p>I would suggest not going too overboard on some of the more in depth subjects like Thermo or Fluids. Most ME programs will not let those transfer most likely anyway, as they are core courses, and will want to teach them their own way. Plus, it would be beneficial to get the easier core courses out of the way within that program so that when you get to the harder ones, you are already accustomed to the system.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would make sure to hit Chemistry and try to test out of the chem requirements for your eventual college. I would do the same with English, because no one wants to take English again unless they are an English major.</p>
<p>+1 on English! I placed out of most of my required English courses. It was great! Helped me graduate in 4 years, unlike most of my friends.</p>
<p>Well I’m taking AP Chemistry next year, and I’m taking AP Eng. Lit next year and I took AP Eng. Lang this year [expecting a 5], so I’m already covered for those courses. I took AP Physics B this year and I’m taking both AP Physics C’s next year, so physics is covered as well. </p>
<p>Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics are out of the question because I need credit for Chemistry for that, which I’m taking in school so I won’t know the material. I’m self-teaching myself DE’s right now and I’ll definitely look into ODE and PDE’s in the fall. Thanks for your help guys.</p>
<p>While the AP Physics class is a GREAT idea, the test is useless more or less. Most colleges will not allow you to test out of physics if you are an engineer, and if they do, you have to have a 5 on the exam. Even then, it probably would be a good idea to take physics at the college since they most likely teach it better than your high school, unless you go to like Stuyvesant or something.</p>
<p>Testing out of classes is great, but you also have to remember that your high school might not do as good of a job with teaching some of the more advanced stuff as your college will, so testing out of some of those COULD put you behind the curve if you jump too far ahead. In addition, it removes classes that you have already had that could be used to pad your GPA, so just be careful. I always recommend that testing out of some of the early maths, english, and chems are a great idea, but going too much further as an engineer starts to get risky.</p>
<p>I want to go to MIT, so I’m pretty sure the only way I’ll get credit for anything is either through AP or an advanced standing exam. I’d rather get the background right now instead of just skipping everything, so I can only skip the unnecessary requirements and focus on subjects that I really like when I get there. I completely understand your point about not learning enough in depth [especially for ap’s lol, what a joke], so hopefully I’ll only use those credits on intro classes and learn the real stuff in depth.</p>
<p>Colleges look for well rounded and interesting students (very much including MIT). Are you allowing enough time to learn about the world, develop social skills, and exercise passions?</p>
<p>How about rebuilding a car, being on a robotics team, spending the summer as a plumber or electrician’s assistant. Colleges are looking for these skills as well - not just book learn’in.</p>
<p>seems like you have most of the important pre-req. covered…someone mentioned that taking statics/dynamics will most likely not transfer…this maybe be true, be careful.</p>
<p>but it really depends on the college, if its considered upper division course then it more than likely will not transfer.</p>
<p>for example some colleges consider linear algebra to be upper division course, and some do not.
I took linear algebra @ FIU where it is lower division course (3xxx), now at UF it is upper division (4xxx) and if i want credit i must retake…BUT if i did it backwards it would be okay. (taking at L.A. @ UF and then trying to get credit at FIU, it would have worked just because of circumstance)</p>
<p>I think differential Eq. will transfer to all colleges though, as for partial DE i doubt it will apply towards anything but elective credit…for core credit you would retake it @ your institution.</p>
<p>But at the end of the day…taking these classes and doing well does show something to your prospective college.</p>
<p>Good luck with the MIT stuff. Hopefully you have something outstanding to put on your application, because perfect test scores and grades alone will not get you in, that is for sure.</p>
<p>Either way, regardless of what school you are going to, you need to think before you test out of everything you can. This is ESPECIALLY true at MIT, where (I suspect) if you start out behind, it is a lot harder to catch up. If you try to get too much credit before you actually enroll, you risk jumping ahead too far and being ill prepared for wherever you start. I cannot stress this enough. Take it from someone who lived through it.</p>
<p>I guess the bright side is that they don’t allow you to test out of most things, so doing these courses now will only help me learn them better when I do take them in college. Like I mentioned, I only want to “test out” of the intro level courses which are standard everywhere. I’m pretty sure a course like Real Analysis at MIT is taught very differently than from that at a CC, so I definitely don’t want to miss out on learning at their level.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help guys. I do know grades aren’t everything. I have a 4.0 and I’m expecting solid SAT’s since I score near 2400 on practice ones, but I also play two varsity sports, tutor, 300+ volunteer hours, started MAO at school, introduced AMC exams and such to my school, and I’m the SGA VP. I’m really involved in school and in the community, and I definitely want to show my dedication through my essays and such.</p>
<p>Again, thank you for all your advice. I don’t even care too much about the credit; I just want to learn high level subjects at a college level instead of the watered down stuff they teach you in APs or bad high school’s like mine.</p>
<p>what high school? ;]
curious since FIU is in your area as well</p>