<p>She's applying to engineering schools largely because it's easy to transfer out of engineering if she doesn't like it/do well, but hard to transfer in if she wishes she had gone that way. Also, she has the notion that female engineering students are not terribly common and therefore, perhaps, more desirable at the more competitive schools.</p>
<p>She did well in HS physics and AP physics but bombed the AP test (2). She says she just plain doesn't "get it". She did well in AP calculus and got a 4 on the AP test, she really enjoys calc, and is currently dual enrolled in calculus 2 at a large university and is doing well. Is engineering nuts for her? (Dad's a PhD engineer running a large tech organization and thinks she'll do "fine".) What else is a likely major? She's also strong in English and currently acing (100% avg.!) and enjoying college Sociology. Thoughts???</p>
<p>Physical engineering: chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering</p>
<p>If she's in mathematical engineering, she'll do fine without knowing an awful lot of physics. If she's in physical engineering, she may have a harder time than some others.</p>
<p>Other likely majors include math, economics, psychology, statistics, etc. Statistics might be particularly nice for her if she's an ace at math and likes sociology. If the school doesn't have statistics, a math major can take mostly statistics electives.</p>
<p>Well, like you said, it's really easy (and common) to transfer out of engineering, and usually hard to transfer in (depending on school.) A lot of people who start off as engineers go into business, but if you decide after one year you should still be able to get into just about anything, since the prereqs are about the same. If she likes engineering I'd tell her to forget about the AP test and give it a shot.</p>
<p>Well, it really depends on what kind of physics she doesn't get. My friends in civil are doing stuff in statics and equilibrium forces and stuff, and that confuses me (even when I was doing that in first year physics). Now that I'm doing thermodynamics, I actually "get it". I'm in chemical engineering by the way.</p>
<p>steevee's right. If she's decent at mechanics, thermodynamics, or electromagnetics, she can pick the corresponding major and do fine. But if she hates, say, EE, she shouldn't be an elec. engineer.</p>
<p>"Well, it really depends on what kind of physics she doesn't get."</p>
<p>Stevee, that's a good point. She took AB physics and it wasn't calculus-intensive, which she probably would have understood better.</p>
<p>Quicksilver, she had been thinking about industrial at one point. Right now she's actually thinking biomedical because she may ultimately decide to go to medical school. She is interested particularly in the circulatory system, so...what...fluid dynamics...? Sheesh, how's a (barely) 17-year-old supposed to know?</p>
<p>Just to let you know, biomedical engineering is one of the most difficult and most demanding engineering fields to obtain a degree in. With the limited info I know about your daughter in mind, I would advise against such a major for premed.</p>
<p>Biomedical engineering will include a LOT of physics, which includes but is not limited to thermodynamics, fluids, mechanics, and signaling as they relate to biomed.</p>
<p>Here is an example of a biomedical engineering course schedule:</p>
<p>Check out some of the other course schedules for different engineering fields on the left hand side of the page. For instance, a chemical engineering major will include a smaller variety of physics topics, but will be very rigorous in one particular aspect of physics: thermodynamics.</p>
<p>NOTE: The scheduling outline presented in the link above will be largely representative of engineering at other schools because engineering programs are accredited by the same institution: ABET.</p>
<p>I honestly wouldn't worry about 1 Physics test/class. She should take freshman physics for engineers in college and work hard and see how she does. If she doesn't do well or doesn't enjoy it then I would stay away from engineering (except maybe CS) -- BME involves a lot of physics and of the nastiest kind too.</p>
<p>I hated Physics in high school, and struggled through my three college physics courses. I'm majoring in Aerospace Eng, and now that I'm a senior I realize that you don't have to understand everything about a class...a lot of engineering is applying the physics, so you'll get second chances and more to understand things, and the problems make more sense when put into engineering language (not physics language).</p>
<p>Physics 1 at universities is often a weed-out class, so have her beware.</p>
<p>It's surprising that she "stinks" at physics, but "rocks" in calculus given that most of classical physics (Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism, fluid mechanics, etc.) is basically applied calculus.</p>
<p>probably a lack of focus stemming from a lack of interest, not so much a lack of skill</p>
<p>If she's good at math and likes sociology and english, but dislikes physics she might not like other hard sciences. Due to this she might not be a good match for engineering. Expressing an interest in circulatory system is fine and dandy, but she'll have to like of Anatomy and Physiology to do something in the medical realm. Does she like biology? Fluid dynamics probably is needed if she likes biology. I took a year of fluid dynamics and it's probably to intesive for someone not designing fluidized bed reactors.</p>
<p>Med school doesn't really consider undergrad too much. I have known both english majors and chemistry majors go on to med school. With that said, I would suggest she does what she likes but maintains a solid gpa, in order to give her more opportunities. Liking math, sociology, and english I would look more towards the school of arts and letters that have math niches or, if she wants to stick out a couple of semesters of physics I would look at Biosystems Engineering.</p>
<p>Yes, Bruno, I guess calculus was actually developed around physics so it is surprising. She says the AP Physics she took was not math-intensive (AB, I think?) and wishes she had taken BC (or is it C? Anyway, the one that uses more math). <strong><em>shrugs</em></strong></p>
<p>b physics isnt as calculus intensive. c however, goes into integral and derivatives within the first month and a half. i'm in it right now, and trust me its hard learning integrals on fly.</p>
<p>You are saying she stinks at Physics because of one AP test. From what I've seen many HS Physic's teachers are not very good at teaching Physics. Have her look at the programs at the schools she is interested in. Some introduce the students to engineering earlier than others.</p>
<p>
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It's surprising that she "stinks" at physics, but "rocks" in calculus given that most of classical physics (Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism, fluid mechanics, etc.) is basically applied calculus.
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</p>
<p>Exactly.</p>
<p>If as you say you're really good at math, either you weren't giving 110% or you just had a bad day when you were taking the AP. There's nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>If you want to be an engineer and you have some talent, nobody will stop you from becoming one.</p>
<p>(And, yes, I realize I was addressing you. I don't believe a parent would make such a thread and write in that kind of style/tone, lol).</p>
<p>"Stevee, that's a good point. She took AB physics and it wasn't calculus-intensive, which she probably would have understood better."</p>
<p>...If she doesn't understand the basic, underlying concepts of physics without calculus...having calculus on hand isn't going to help anything. </p>
<p>Beginning Physics classes at her university aren't going to be math intensive (calculus). The are going to be conceptually based. They will show some of the math needed to derive equations, but it is not important until later on. The majority of classical phsyics can be explained using basic logic and algebra. </p>
<p>Soooo, if she doesn't "get it", I doubt knowing calculus is going to help anything. </p>
<p>That said, go to college, take her classes, and more than likely she will do fine because classical mechanics and E&M really aren't that difficult. All it requires is discipline and a strong work ethic.</p>
<p>While taking mechanics and E&M they seemed hard. As soon the quarter ended I realized it was much easier than I thought. Good teachers can make a huge difference.
If you are good at math there is no reason you can not do good in physics. It is just a matter of being willing to spend the time. Well, I got to go study for a thermodynamics exam tomorrow!!!</p>