Experience that made me want to become an engineer?

College Essays
1

Here’s a scholarship essay question I’m having trouble on:
Choose an experience from your own life and explain how this experience influenced your decision to pursue engineering as a profession. Include comments on contributions you, as an engineer, will make to society

I already wrote an essay, but I’ve skirted past the “Choose an experience” part. I kinda explained that I choose engineering because it matches my interests, but I really need an experience. What would you suggest I do? Can you think of any minor experiences that many people have had than I may be able to turn into a reason I became an engineer? Right now all I’ve got is liking math, science, and design… nothing specific.
Thanks, sorry for such a general question.

2

Did you have a class or EC project that sparked your interest? Have you met and talked to an engineer?

3

OP, are you thinking of “borrowing” an idea? That wouldn’t be cool.

4

I think OP is looking for an angle that might work with his actual experience. Did you perhaps read a book that sparked an interest?

5

Thanks guys, those are good ideas, but none really applied to me so I ended up going with kind of a mix of a lot of things, like how I used to like building houses and furniture for my stuffed animals and how I’ve always been interested in math and science. I know it’s not a solid “experience” but I’ve been thinking about it for weeks and honestly, there’s not one experience that made me think “Wow, I want to be an engineer”. I started looking at engineering about it a year and a half ago when I was looking up job options and I did some more research and it just seemed to fit all my interests and skills. One thing more recently that I did mention in the essay was that my neighbor told me about someone she knows who’s an engineer project manager who makes a lot of money and loves her job and all that, that kind of solidified the whole idea of engineering for me, but “my neighbor told me about someone she knows” isn’t exactly an experience.
Yeah, oops, I guess I worded my original post weird. I meant “minor experiences that many people have had INCLUDING ME that I could turn into a reason”, like general things, not that I was gonna steal someone else’s experience haha

6

I hope you know something about engineering besides potential salary. Sounds like you never experienced it. Please have back up ideas.

7

I realize that I haven’t experienced it. That was the whole point of this thread. Just because I haven’t experienced it doesn’t mean I can’t be good at it. Did you even read my post? I’m interested in math and science and I’m creative. All career surveys I’ve taken have pointed me towards engineering. In my essay I explained all of that. You’re not being helpful, you’re just being plain rude.

8

I deal with kids who want engineering. Most tell that they like math and science. And many say they want to help the world- or even save it. It’s good to have an understanding of what engineering really is about.

Many engineers on CC will reassure that, at many U’s, one can start engineering studies with little experience and proceed. Obviously, we hope this works for you.

But it surprised me that you couldn’t find an experience that influenced your decision, some project or challenge. I realize you amended the question. And that you came up with an answer. Best wishes.