Do I seem like I'd ENJOY chemical engineering?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Recently I've been thinking a lot about my future. I've decided that I want to thoroughly enjoy what I do as a profession and make enough money to live a comfortable life and support my family/ hobbies.</p>

<p>I've been accepted to NC State for Chemical Engineering. I've heard great things about the program, and I've heard that it's the hardest major. I think I'm up for that.</p>

<p>About me:
I love chemistry. I love physics, even though I've never been able to take a class (small high school...) I really like astronomy too. I understand the calculus (ap calc ab) I've been taught so far and am interested in applying it to everyday life.</p>

<p>Now, my chemistry teacher's brother is a chemE...all he works with is one pretty simple equation, trying to maximize yield and profits. I don't want to do that. I'm not sure where I want to go with chemE, but there are many job opportunities out there. Possibly I could do something with alternative fuel, but who know.</p>

<p>Right now I don't really have any preconceptions of what a chemical engineer is. I've been told by several people, including my ap chemistry teacher, that it's a good profession for me. It seems like the courses are to my liking (a mix of chem, calc, and physics). So far I've never really had to study for anything, but I know that'll have to change. Is it suicide to go into engineering with never having studied before? Lots of people I've talked to in engineering (not chemical) say they study A LOT more than even chemistry majors (which has most of the same 1st year classes, so I could switch if needed).</p>

<p>Sorry for the jumbling of thoughts... I guess I'm just nervous about starting a track that seems so rigorous when I'm not 100% sure it's what I want. Please try to convince me that chemE is fun!</p>

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<p>I can’t really say much about ChemE, since I don’t really know much about the major. However, I’m in ECE/CS and I don’t think you really have to worry about not having studied before. I never really studied for classes in high school, and I still don’t really “study” much. I learn most of the material by doing the problem sets, so I don’t really study more than a few hours before each midterm.</p>

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<p>Beta_Fist, I’m in the same boat as you. I am going into ChemE next year without knowing that well what it entails. I also love Chemistry, but I am not the biggest fan of Physics (except when we did Thermo). Calculus is a breeze though. My advice, just go for it and switch out if you decide you don’t like it. I plan to go into an environmental sect of ChemE in grad school (much like you). You don’t have to end up in the petroleum industry or some big chemical manufacturer. Most engineering degrees are pretty versatile by what I have gathered. Good luck! I know someone who from my school going to NC State.</p>

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<p>There are always stories of people unsatisfied with their jobs. On this one website, I read a blog and comments on an article about how no one should be an aerospace engineer because it’s all boring and you don’t make any money, dumb things like that. Just like I also hear about nightmarish GaTech stories about how kids study 40 hours a week and get C’s… I think these things are exaggerated to a ridiculous amount. College is hard, engineering is hard, life is hard. If you’re willing to work, I think it turns out to be okay. That’s the way it’s been for me so far, it’s especially noticeable if you’ve abruptly had to change to habits only to see that people work hard for a good reason… it works!</p>

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<p>Chem e is more math intensive with some applied physics and chemistry than anything else. If you like calculus (a lot) and excel at it, then you should be ok. Every advisor I spoke to mentioned that your math grades are the biggest indicators of whether or not u will survive in chem e. My first thermodynamics class started off with multivariable calc derivations right from the get go. I had no idea really what chem engineering entailed when I first started but now I like it a lot. You will have a lot of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics classes then you will get into reactor design and whatnot. IMO it is very hard to know what you are getting into right out of HS because engineering classes are nothing like anything you do be4 college. Don’t worry, I never studied much in HS either but just know that you will have to step it up once you start chem e classes. I spend an avg of at least 12 hrs on hw a week (im not even in the adv classes yet). The best part about engineering is problem solving, its less studying theory and more of knowing how to apply theory to solve problems with non-standard conditions…basically if you are driven and are willing to work very hard you will find chem e is one of the most rewarding majors out there.</p>

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<p>cheme is 50% math, 50% physics, and 50% chemistry.</p>

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<p>150%? how is that possible???</p>

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<p>^It’s a joke. A math joke.</p>

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<p>I am a junior level ChemE. I am about to vent right now and clear up some misconceptions as well as inject some cynicism.</p>

<p>First of all, cheme is actually process engineering. Process engineer is the job title. The “chemical” part is deceiving. Look up on careerbuilder.com or similar sites “process engineer” job offers to get an example of the job description. If you don’t want to be a process engineer (or similar career, like safety, quality engineer), you’ll have to go to grad school. People often say that ChemE’s can go into biomedical engineering, pharmaceuticals, alternative fuels, and the like. The only way you would be able to ensure you got into a specific field like this would be if you got a PhD on the subject, which takes 5-6 years in grad school.</p>

<p>Secondly, have you considered other careers? I latched my mind on ChemE my senior year in high school and didn’t question it, for some strange reason. I didn’t consider other majors until my second year in college. You need to examine other majors, even ones that you think you are uninterested in. Force yourself to go down the list of majors and imagine yourself in that career.</p>

<p>For this reason, I would take general classes your first year.</p>

<p>Money is not the reason to go into ChemE. You won’t make THAT much more money than other careers. You make more or less the same as other engineers.</p>

<p>I have heard it is the hardest major. That is a meaningless statement. Depending on the courses and electives taken, any other degree could be harder.</p>

<p>The job market for chemical engineers is less broad than other degrees in my opinion. As far as I can tell, there are significantly fewer jobs for ChemE’s than for EE, ME.
Couple this with the fact that there are as many cheme majors as EE majors at my university. Just because there are lots of chemical and manufacturing plants in existence does not mean that they need chemes. Industrial engineers and ME’s often fill this role. In fact, one small power plant I visited was run by a single electrical engineer.</p>

<p>You asked if cheme is “fun”. I am sure that it is a fulfilling and challenging career.</p>

<p>Here is my main point: do what you are interested in, not what is the highest paying. The statistics that people use are somewhat meaningless and subject to change.</p>

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<p>this is true</p>

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<p>I’ve had lots of titles, but never process engineer. However, I do fill the process engineer role a lot.</p>

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<p>This isn’t true. I started out in pharmaceuticals and worked in the field for 10 years. I am no applying my liquid processing and fermentation knowledge to the alternative energy field doing development work. And, I only have a BS (and an MBA, which I just got).</p>

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<p>That’s good advice.</p>

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<p>You shouldn’t go into any job for money, especially engineering. If you do, then you will surely be disappointed.</p>

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<p>excellent advice</p>

<p>ChemEs primary job is to solve problems. Those problems will most likely be tied to improving yield and profitability, as well as ensuring process safety. If that doesn’t sound interesting then you might want to look elsewhere. Or, get the ChemE degree knowing you will go into something else, like MIT grads seem to do.</p>

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<p>You can also try looking at Materials Science & Engineering if you really like the science of chemistry and physics but would prefer an applied degree. Hunt down some threads on the forums here since I know I’ve posted a number of times about my experiences in my undergrad program (and what it consists of).</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the replies! The college I’m going to doesn’t have us matriculate until soph. year, I’ll have some time to see really what type of engineering I enjoy. I really like solving problems (I’m one of those weirdos…) so I’m excited for what is in my future. And I’m definitely not in it for the money…if I were I’d do dentistry or something else (like my parents want me to do). I just can’t see myself enjoying that though, even if there are fewer hours and more dollars.</p>

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<p>What kind of non-engineering job can you get as an engineering graduate from schools other than “elite schools” like MIT?</p>

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<p>this is not an unreasonable amount of time for studying in certain majors at certain schools. I spent 30-50 hours per week on average during Junior year as a ChE.</p>

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<p>Am I right to say that the curriculum varies in difficulty between HYPSM and say… top 200 university (assuming it is ABET accredited) for the very same major of ChemE?</p>

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<p>Since you can’t even major in ChemE at Harvard I imagine there would be a considerable difference between going there and another top 200 university.</p>

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<p>^zing! you got me! How about MIT versus generic uni, ABET accredited?</p>

<p>Also, am I gonna have to wear a hot and stuffy HAZMAT (or similar) suit when working with my Chem E degree, say, in a chemical plant?</p>

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<p>I believe what is meant is that, given the required coursework, one major can be said to be harder than another. Obviously you can always supplement even the most creampuff major with the most difficult courses at the school. But you don’t have to do so. </p>

<p>Chemical engineers are required to take a bevy of difficult coursework whether they like it or not (or else leave the major). Only a handful of other majors can say the same.</p>

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<p>mamaroneck, I think at most “top” engineering schools you’ll get a pretty similar education. I know my coursework at Carnegie Mellon was pretty similar to what I saw on the MIT OpenCourseWare website, and I imagine it’s similar at most other high ranking schools. I will say that my work here at Caltech has been a bit different, but they seem to have a rather unique perspective on how education should work versus other schools I’ve seen.</p>

<p>As for the hazmat suit or not, it’s heavily dependent upon where you work. If you’re a chemical engineer working for Godiva or Ben & Jerry’s I wouldn’t worry too much about it. ;)</p>

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Hello, I’m not even sure you are still on this website but here is my shot in the dark. This post is 5 years old, which means you either are or arnt a Chem E. I’m transferring from a community college into San Jose state university CA In fall 2016 for ChemE. I would like to know, how did the past years play out ? Did you become a ChemE? Was it worth it to you ? was it what you hoped to be? Andy advice for someone goong to take upper division head on ? Anything helps . thanks - Joseph G.