Doubts on Chemical Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I just finished 3 quarters at UC Irvine as a Chemical Engineer major. In 2010, I chose UCI over UCSB for Chemical Engineering and I regret the day I ever made that decision. I didn’t know it then, but SB’s ChemE program is top 20 in the nation. I’m not trying to talk UCI down, but the ChemE department is junk. I’ve visited the Engineering career fairs here and the only employer interested in ChemE is a vitamin company. This school does not get recruited by any real companies. </p>

<p>When I was applying for college, I really wanted to do ChemE and I really wanted to work in industry. I still do. But I realize that a ChemE degree from this school will probably only lead me away from my dream. </p>

<p>Now, I’m debating on what to do. I’m considering transferring, but the transfer rate within UC is extremely low. I know I can always just stick it out and get into a better Graduate school. But I have doubts on that actually working out in the end. I mean, what if I don’t get into anything? What can I possibly do with a BS from this school? Where can I work when nobody seems interested? I’m a part of the AICHE club here, and the graduates I know are unemployed and had a hard time finding an internship during their study here. </p>

<p>I’m also seriously considering switching majors. I love chemistry and math. I can major in Chemistry, but that puts to waste the extra math courses I took. Or I can go into another engineering discipline, but that wastes all the chemistry I took. Either way, it seems that switching out of ChemE is the best solution for me. Although I know I won’t like any other major more than Chemical Engineering, a job is better than no job, right? I know that I should study what I enjoy, but honestly, I’d like to enjoy a future. </p>

<p>I’d appreciate any input on this. Can anyone help me? What should I do? </p>

<p>Also, if there are any UCI ChemE graduates out there, please post a reply. Tell me how you're doing out there with that degree from this school.</p>

2

<p>Your math will not be wasted if you’re interested in anything related to physical chemistry. Physical chemists use linear algebra and differential equations (ordinary and partial) ALL the time. Don’t rule out pure chemistry just because you like math. At Berkeley, chemists and chemical engineers take exactly the same math classes.</p>

<p>Although I’m not sure how good chemistry would be for your job prospects, haha.</p>

3

<p>Chemistry major job and career prospects are not that good.</p>

<p>If you switch major, math > chemistry in terms of job and career prospects.</p>

4

<p>bump… does anyone have any more advice? this is really haunting me</p>

5

<p>Either try to transfer to another school or switch to computer science, EECS, or minor in accounting. </p>

<p>You can always study something else, find a job and then decide to go for Chem E grad school in the future.</p>

<p>Honestly I wouldn’t care about the “wasted” courses. It has been only 3 quarters, at least you are not a junior/senior yet, where the possibility to even change majors is impossible.</p>

6

<p>are you SURE that your UCI degree is unemployable?</p>

<p>I studied environmental engineering at a mid-level school and I was VERY worried about my job propects. Just like you, my school was not visited by many companies interested in engineering students. There were maybe 2 companies recruiting environmental students but they would just tell us to apply online. To make a long story short, the career fairs at my school was VERY weak and i don’t know a single person who got a job this way. </p>

<p>However, I graduated last year and managed a few job offers and pretty much my entire class is employed. Just because the recruitment is weak doesn’t mean you won’t get a job.</p>