<p>I'm a mechE major at Cornell, hoping to transfer to Stanford junior year (CU just isn't the place for me), and I'm wondering whether engineering classes get easier or harder as I go deeper in. I also plan to fulfill premed reqs and maybe go to med school. My first semester here at Cornell I have a 4.0, taking calc III, intro physics, english, intro eng etc. Next semester with diffi Q's and e/m I don't expect much of a change.</p>
<p>Now, sophomore year and onward there is a profound change. Rather than general math/physics there are now specifics like statics, dynamics, thermo, systems, mechatronics. My major question is whether these courses, which supposedly APPLY the math/physics I learn in freshman year, are considered more or less difficult than the theoretical math/physics "weeder" courses I am taking, since they technically are devoid of the "weeded" (to which I attribute my 4.0). Should I expect a GPA drop over the next few years, a steady GPA, or the opposite? I hope orgo combined with these courses isn't too much.</p>
<p>Another totally unrelated thing I would like to bring up - upperclassmen tell me they don't really use much of the math or theoretical stuff I'm learning. Also, my dad, who works as a (technical, not managerial) Electrical Engineer making 130k doesn't know a thing of calculus/physics. This leads me to think that most of what engineers learn is not really used in their jobs...it is just practice for them in becoming excellent problem solvers - this is what really matters, not factual knowledge. Maybe engineers do not need to have the actual knowledge as a prerequisite for what they do, but the problem solving experience derived from that knowledge to do what they do.</p>
<p>*This leads me to think that most of what engineers learn is not really used in their jobs...it is just practice for them in becoming excellent problem solvers - this is what really matters, not factual knowledge. *</p>
<p>This is exactly what the VP at the company I'm interning at told me. We only use 5% of what we learn in school in our everyday work, though this may be different in other fields (this is a transportation engineering firm). I wouldn't think it's too different though, but I have heard about structural engineering firms giving technical interviews about upper level coursework. </p>
<p>Right now I'm preparing for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam which is the first step in the engineer licesnsing process. It's testng me on a variety of subjects from the very first class I took to the ones I'm taking now, and I've found myself struggling to remember everything in the math section. I've taken 6 math courses and the only things I really remember using in the upper level civil engineering courses is integration, solving matrices, and an easy differential equation. Those things took maybe a total of a few weeks to learn... so yea, I would agree that I haven't used math that much. Physics has been a little more important, but only the mechanics course, and not E/M or modern physics. </p>
<p>For me personally, my grades improved drastically once I got into the discipline-specific courses. I don't know if it was easier, but I was definitely more interested and probably tried harder as a result.</p>
<pre><code> I think the hardest year in engineering is the freshman year. It's not that the classes get easier (generally they do get harder) but once you get through the first year you will likely be a lot more prepared in terms of your study and preparation habits. And the classes get a lot more interesting.
</code></pre>
<p>From my experience, classes become more specialized and they do get harder as you go along. I agree with dr_reynolds, you first year will prepare you in terms of your study and preperation habits. I think what you need in the engineering industry depends on what you're doing. I currently work in missile defense and I use more than 50% of what I learned in school. If you go into management, like a route towards the VP position, management skills are more critical than the technical skills, so I'm not surprised that a VP said that he didn't apply much technical coursework.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Now, sophomore year and onward there is a profound change. Rather than general math/physics there are now specifics like statics, dynamics, thermo, systems, mechatronics. My major question is whether these courses, which supposedly APPLY the math/physics I learn in freshman year, are considered more or less difficult than the theoretical math/physics "weeder" courses I am taking, since they technically are devoid of the "weeded" (to which I attribute my 4.0). Should I expect a GPA drop over the next few years, a steady GPA, or the opposite? I hope orgo combined with these courses isn't too much.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I think you just alluded to what is happening. The * material * of the classes get harder as you move up. But what gets easier is the * grading *. Once you get to year 3 and beyond, you generally no longer have to be worried about flunking out, which you do have to worry about in your first 2 years. It's still difficult to get A's, but you don't have the constant threat of getting tagged with a D or an F. </p>
<p>Hence, I would say that, overall, the courses actually become easier, because you no longer have to obsess about understanding every single little minute detail for fear that you will flunk out.</p>
<p>For me (I'm a junior) every semester has been about the same. The first year was tough just getting used to college, but after theat the classes got harder and more specialized, but I knew how to handle the workload and my GPA has been pretty consistent. Most everyone that leaves here leaves after or during Freshman year. Once you make it a couple years in, it's odd to hear about someone dropping out or flunking a class. A lot of people flunk out of physics and calc just because they don't work hard enough, didn't have any background from high school, etc.</p>
<p>I'd be surprised if you can keep a 4.0 throughout college, but then again I wouldn't expect it to drop drastically either. The more interesting classes are in upper levels, and when someone is interested in a class they work harder.</p>
<p>If you go into management, like a route towards the VP position, management skills are more critical than the technical skills, so I'm not surprised that a VP said that he didn't apply much technical coursework.</p>
<p>The VP was talking about the industry in general (I believe he worked up the ladder from an internship), but it's also true for management positions in all fields.</p>
<p>
[quote]
From my experience, classes become more specialized and they do get harder as you go along. I agree with dr_reynolds, you first year will prepare you in terms of your study and preperation habits. I think what you need in the engineering industry depends on what you're doing. I currently work in missile defense and I use more than 50% of what I learned in school. If you go into management, like a route towards the VP position, management skills are more critical than the technical skills, so I'm not surprised that a VP said that he didn't apply much technical coursework.
[/quote]
I agree, high end Aerospace most certainly uses a lot of school knowledge, as do other highly technical fields. It depends on the field.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if it gets exactly easier as you progress but instead you are accustomed to the amount of work and professors no longer feel the need to actually "weed" you out.</p>