<p>Hey guys, i'm an int'l from the Caribbean going to college in the fall. I think i'm pretty smart (I'm 16). I have my heart set on engineering. I love to see how things works and would RELISH the opportunity to build cars and planes and help to advance the area of alternative energy. I'm pretty good in math (about an 8 out of 10), and better in physics than i am in math (about a 9.5 out of 10). So here's my question, What really is Electrical and Mechanical engineering, and based upon that, which if any do you think would suit me best?</p>
<p>Feel free to suggest any other majors also.</p>
<p>Lats thing, what would be a good minor for a Engineering major? (I was thinking sports science-- its not related but i'm drawn to the field)</p>
<p>you havent given us any meaningful information from which we could recommend a field…I guess</p>
<p>if you want to build cars and planes do ME.
If you want to work with energy do EE
if you want to burn energy, go to the gym
if you want to ride planes, go to the airport</p>
<p>@fatpig554 nice response</p>
<p>I’m not sure what else i can tell you tbh. Im pretty good in math but i dont LOVE it-- its alright. Im excellent in physics and LOVE to do that. If it were possible to get a degree that I can work with alternative energies AND build cars/planes that would be awesome.</p>
<p>If there is anything you want me to tell you ill be happy to let you know.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>My son loves physics and he is a mechanical/aerospace major. That said, he has had to take a lot of math classes. Someone correct if I am wrong, but I think that is a given with engineering majors.</p>
<p>I wouldnt mind taking alot of math classes, although i wouldn’t enjoy it, i wouldn’t hate it necessarily. I was thinking of Aerospace as another option. I have never taken chemistry before though, but i’m willing to learn it.</p>
<p>Bump… Guys, i really need your help with an answer</p>
<p>JAB, I’m in a similar position as you. I’m trying to decide between two different engineering majors before I start my freshman year in about three weeks.</p>
<p>I think there’s really know way for you to know which major is better for you. Just go with your gut, and hopefully you end up really enjoying it. If you don’t, then you can always switch after a semester or so. Sure, that may put you behind in the other major, but what’s a couple of courses over the summer to catch up compared to finding the perfect major for you.</p>
<p>Although if you don’t like that idea, I’d recommend heading over to MIT OpenCourseWare (just google it), and looking through courses in EECS versus Mechanical Engineering. Watch some video lectures, read through some class notes. That might give you a better picture of what you like.</p>
<p>Oh an BTW, if you’re looking into alternative energy, I’ve heard Materials Science is a good pick. Just saying!</p>
<p>Give us some grades and test scores</p>
<p>quantize: Thanks, ill do that and look into materials science</p>
<p>Skywalker: 1800 SAT, 3.2 GPA; A student in physics and B student in math</p>
<p>freshman don’t have to declare a major usually, there’s a general engineering class that you probably take which introduces you to all the majors at your school.</p>
<p>PIERRE: i thought as much… thanks man</p>
<p>quantize: man, that seems like an awesome site to learn about engineering. thanks for posting it in the thread!</p>
<p>JAB: okay i am in about the same position as you. i hated math ever since middle school. i just didn’t get it at all. i was like more of a history and english person. but, then i took physics in 11th grade. and my perception of math dramatically changed. my teacher was great at teaching. i learned so much from her that i actually began liking math (plus she was a beautiful and voluptuous woman which enabled her to always get all the students’ attention :D). now, i’d say that i love math, but probably not as much as i love physics, although my interest in both are about the same. now, after i developed my interest in math and physics, i decided that i should pursue a major in engineering. at that point, i was caught between choosing EE and ME. i found ME interesting because it’s known to incorporate a LOT of physics in it. but, i was always better in the electricity and magnetism part of physics than at mechanics. so, i thought maybe i should choose EE. later, though, i realized that ME is not all about mechanics and neither is EE all about electricity and magnetism. EE actually has SO MUCH to do with computer science that you really gotta love it to be able to practice it. at least, that’s the trend that i’ve been seeing in EE recently. EE gets into programming much more deeply than ME. and, programming does not have much to do with physics. also, although it relates to math somewhat, it’s not really that much math. it’s like a different discipline altogether. therefore, i figured that if i majored in EE, i would need to juggle a lot of computer science along with physics. </p>
<p>plus, i was interested in alternative energy and i thought maybe i should look into nuclear (and that was also very interesting to learn at the end of my AP Physics B class so naturally i was gravitated towards it). however, i soon found out that nuclear, or any other alternative energy driven discipline is not offered at the school i wanted to go. but, mechanical engineering is a discipline that is very broad. it covers aviation, it covers space, it covers electricity, it covers alternative energy, and it covers so much more! that’s why, now i’ve chosen to stick with ME. although ME requires me to take some programming classes, i’m alright with it, because it’s not as many programming classes as an EE major would need to take. so, i hope my experiences help you in choosing your major. good luck!</p>
<p>I’m a ME student at Purdue, and I love my major. We have to take a few EE classes (E & M, circuit analysis, etc.) and I really didn’t enjoy them as much as I have my ME courses. This may be a bias towards an ME, but it is a “jack of all trades” engineer. I know ME’s who have co-ops at NASA, John Deere, Gatorade, Biomet, Rolls Royce, etc. So there are many, many different industries you can work in as an ME. BTW I hate programming, but luckily Purdue only requires one programming class. You should look up prospective schools, and check out their plans of studies for ME & EE and see which courses sound more interesting to you.</p>
<p>Some places have engineering physics. It might be more modern-physics than you’re interested in.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you should be ok with mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or aerospace engineering. I would say ME is probably the most general of the majors.</p>
<p>man I can’t believe u called yourself smart. SAT 1800 and 3.2 GPA. That’s hella low. What college are you going to? Anyways, I am a Mechanical Engineering major at Stanford, but I think Electrical engineering has more opportunities in the industry</p>
<p>Note to self: Start thinking less of Stanford.</p>
<p>@ Calcozzo: LOL don’t be a hater. I am just saying the truth. The truth hurts sometimes.</p>
<p>@texan: Thanks man, you just confirmed my speculations, lol your experience is almost identical to mine :P. ME it is. Thanks</p>
<p>@asian75(or w/e didn’t bother reading your username): **** you dude, Im 16, played FOOTBALL BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL on a varsity level. I actually played football and started football in a MENS league. I actually had a social life. Always had a GF, President of science club and in MANY other clubs. When a Doctorate holder in Psychology wants you to go to the US at the age of 11 to a institution for academically advanced kids my urrent age you can post in my thread. Go jack off bcuz u obviously have NO type of valuein your life.</p>
<p>To all of you other guys who had positive and helpful things to say Thanks alot, especially to Texan09… Thanks for your insight</p>