<p>Hi, I'm a rising male senior who is planning on applying to UC Berkeley for engineering. Berkeley does not really allow students to apply undeclared and it is virtually impossible to switch out of the engineering college. So if I get in and attend, I will have to study engineering. I'm not really sure if I want to be an engineer, so could any engineers tell me how they knew they wanted to be engineers or tell me what kind of person it takes to be an engineer?</p>
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<p>Math was my favorite subject and it was exciting to find out that engineers designed all of the products that I used, and that math was the key. I was also a guitar player and those effects boxes were really interesting. I wanted to learn how to make them. It was REALLY exciting to find out that I could make a good living as an engineer. I was poor and it was awful. </p>
<p>I think a curious and creative person who likes puzzles, who likes understanding how things work, who likes the idea of design (rather than discover) and who likes math would make a good engineer. </p>
<p>Is Berkeley the only school you’re looking at? </p>
<p>If you are serious about becoming an engineer, you should be comfortable with the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Math and Science. You don’t have to be a genius, but you should not be intimidated by these two subjects. It would also be in your favor to have a solid math/science background (>= B’s in all of your classes). And if you’re personally interested in the subjects, even better.</li>
<li>Working under pressure. This is a big one… not only with regards to schoolwork, but more importantly in your career. Engineers are expected to perform and know their stuff. You have to be comfortable with being put on the spot to figure out challenging problems, field questions, and speak up if something isn’t right. One of the great things about being an engineer is the freedom to speak your mind and solve problems, but along with that freedom comes responsibility as you are often expected to know the answers.</li>
<li>Engineer culture. Engineers are a quirky bunch, but we’re also very hands-off, independent people. You do your thing, I’ll do mine. You should be comfortable working in groups, but also comfortable working independently.</li>
<li>Occasionally (and often unexpectedly) putting in lots of hours. </li>
<li>Presenting. This is something a lot of people don’t think of when they think of engineering, but at some point in your career you will be expected to present your work. Sometimes this is in front of a large group of people, but more often its small and informal. Either way, you should be comfortable speaking.</li>
</ul>
<p>Feel free to add to this list!</p>
<p>Being able to visualize thing spatially is important. I am not good at it, and it is a definite handicap. It takes me longer to do things than it should.</p>
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<p>How I choose to be an engineer? I checked out salary statistics. Not a great story but it’s true. </p>
<ol>
<li>You should like at least one of math and science. You don’t need to like both (I have no interest in science at all myself) but if you don’t like either it’ll be hard to find a major you’ll be interested in, as everything will require at least one or the other pretty extensively. </li>
<li>Flexible. Sometimes you gotta put extra hours in. This is true of anything that pays well though. I can see it’s definitely harder if you have kids, hold off until your career is well established. </li>
</ol>
<p>Beyond that there may be some things that apply to some engineering majors but not either. You probably don’t need the spatial abilities if you’re a CS major. You probably don’t need the logic abilities if you’re a ME major (I’m guessing). </p>
<p>My reasons were simple. I liked math/science. Also, my dad and many of his friends were engineers - they suggested I try it. This was back in 1980, so I didn’t have the wealth of internet information now available for deeper research of careers. </p>
<p>I think that Engineering works best for students that like relentless problem solving. In college it almost always involves intense math and many hours of hard work per homework set (which you get in every class). In the real world, t jobs will vary. But they all require you to get through the rigorous Engineering academics.</p>
<p>I suggest this thread to answer basic questions you may have</p>
<p><a href=“READ BEFORE POSTING! The (Engineering + FAQ) = Thread - Engineering Majors - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/964837-read-before-posting-the-engineering-faq-thread-p1.html</a></p>
<p>IIRC, Berkeley does have undeclared engineering but it’s much harder to be accepted with undeclared major than any other engineering major, even EECS.</p>
<p>Thank you all! This is extremely helpful to me! To answer @fractalmstr 's question, Berkeley is not the only school that I’m looking at, but it is one of the only ones that “requires” a major to be declared when applying. I’ve heard that engineering can lead to many careers, for example my dad was an engineer but now he’s a business executive, is this still true today?</p>
<p>Yes, engineering is great back ground to have, much harder to get a good GPA but you can become a lawyer, doctor, or business. I believe 30+% of CEOs have engineering background </p>
<p><a href=“Surprising Facts About CEOs”>http://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-majored-in-engineering-2011-3?op=1</a></p>
<p>Well, I can tell you why I went into EE, and why after 7 years I’m looking for something else.</p>
<p>I entered the major because although I thought I’d be better suited to take a business major, I wanted the challenge and pride that an engineering student often gets. I also really love math, and like electronics like stereos. I did really well at MSOE, and graduated with a 3.5.</p>
<p>Fast forward 7 years and I have been working in an unfulfilling role in automation technology. I primarily copy machines together from PLC software my company has standardized, and adjust where necessary. I’ve stayed with it this long because the first 5 years I got to travel which was cool.</p>
<p>As it turns out though, I don’t have much of an affinity for programming, as it is not emotional for me. Considering nearly every EE and SE needs to program, this is bad for me. I also have difficulties visualizing things spatially, like a previous poster mentioned. This is a humongous handicap when programming mechanical things that move in sequences.</p>
<p>Now I’m considering a career orientation change, but don’t know yet what to do. I’m collecting information, and hoping to gain insight on these forums.</p>
<p>I have always loved math, science, puzzles, and other problem solving exercises so when I discovered the field of engineering as a middle schooler, from then on I knew I wanted to be an engineer. My discovery of optical engineering came later in high school and from then on I knew I wanted to become an optical engineer.</p>
<p>As far as the type of person you need to be in order to pursue engineering, I would say: 1) You don’t need to be naturally good at Math and Science, but you need to like it and be willing to work hard to succeed in those subjects. Otherwise you will be eternally miserable as an engineering student. 2) You need to be a hard worker. Meaning you should attend each class, be an active note taker in those classes, tackle homework early enough to get help if you need it, actively study for tests and quizzes, etc. Engineering is hard, harder than most other majors. You won’t have a chance of succeeding if you don’t put in the work. 3) Be a critical thinker and problem solver. Engineering uses science to solve problems, so it helps if you are the type of person who is curious about how the world works and what can be done to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.</p>
<p>I hope this helps a little. Good luck in whatever you decide!</p>
<p>We just visited Berkeley and during orientation they told us that it is practically impossible to change major to engineering but it is very simple to change out of engineering.</p>
<p>^Sakky, a well known poster graduated from UCB wrote many times at UCB forum that his roommate had 1.99 GPA in engineering at Berkeley and was not able to change out of engineering. You need to keep at least 2.00 GPA. His roommate eventually was disqualified and last I read he was working at FedEx.</p>
<p>Depends on what type of Engineer you want to be? If your thinking Mechanical, this is the short list:</p>
<p>Did you ever take stuff apart to see how it works and put it back together again? </p>
<p>Are you mechanically inclined? </p>
<p>Are you good at problem solving? </p>
<p>@ssoulin I’m really not sure what type of engineering, but I’m leaning towards mechanical if I have to decide. It seems like the most general engineering major. My worry is that engineering is a ton of work and its not something I’m entirely sure I want to do. I am good at problem solving, but I don’t really take stuff apart to see how it works. </p>
<p>You need not be a tinkerer or even all that mechanically inclined to be a mechanical engineer. Probably the most complicated thing I ever disassembled as a child was a mechanical pencil, and I turned out just fine as a mechanical/aerospace engineer.</p>
<p>Problem solving is essential to engineering but for the most part you can learn that as part of your education. Probably at least 25% of learning engineering is learning the proper method for solving a problem. For some people it may be a larger percentage. So having problem solving skills going in helps but is certainly not essential if you are a decent learner.</p>
<p>I think much more important is just being curious. You don’t have to be mechanically inclined but you do have to have a desire to know how things work or why thins happen and a desire to apply that.</p>
<p>@runner12345678</p>
<p>I’m a Mechanical Engineer, I currently work in Aerospace but worked in several sectors again huge field you can end up working for a lot of companies in tons of sectors. Getting the degree is the hardest part, the work after falls into place with time You will learn on the job, the degree gives you the foundation but in reality you walk into a company with no experience and have to learn the system and how to work well with others, that is ones not as educated as you or those who are, gain knowledge from seniors and apply it. </p>
<p>Not a general requirement, taking stuff apart to see how it works, just something most Engineer’s seem to admit doing including myself, from a young age when things could be taken apart without being trashed. Today a lot of things are not made to be fixed, but thrown away to save cost of manufacturing. If your stuck in a desk job doing hand calculations, then being mechanically inclined or being able to take stuff apart would not a benefit. Engineering is so big, that there are those who just crunch numbers all day. Designing something and making sure your 3D data fits together or doesn’t fail when prototypes or production starts is a requirement of most Mechanical Engineers in a lot of sectors. Book smarts only get you so far or should say apply to only work being done, much of my job requires a healthy balance of everything, but I know plenty of people who just do CAE analysis and are experts at FEA. Choose your poison and what you enjoy doing, the field let’s you decide.</p>
<p>I think it’s a good field, compensation could be better compared to some other fields, the job is rewarding if you find your niche and the future will be golden as long as the flood gates for H1Bs is not opened too wide, that is China and India has way more Graduates in Engineering, which would create too much competition. You would be amazed at all the people from India and China who contact me on LinkedIn for work, job leads or how they can get into my company. </p>
Engineering is almost the default career if you’re somewhat quantitative and you want to get a job. Engineers from UCB have amazing job opportunities.
For me, it was circumstances. I was good @ physics, and needed to make a living, and wanted to do something practical. I ended up in Electrical, and it’s working fine so far. Also one thing to note is that you need to enjoy the practical: don’t confuse engineering with science.