<p>I don't even know what I'm asking... But I'm more likely going to end up majoring in mechanical engineering, HOWEVER, I feel a little nervous because I know it's a male populated major. Plus, people have told me so many times that engineering is a hard major to get into (at least the schools I want to go to), and not only that, but most engineering majors seem to not have a life? </p>
<p>If you're majoring in engineering, how are your classes? I'm nervous that I'll be the only girl, and I know I shouldn't think that way but it's true. </p>
<p>And also, is it true that girls who are majoring in engineer have a slightly better chance at getting accepted to colleges because they're girls and they want a mixed variety if gender?</p>
<p>Can you also explain more in detail what engineers do because I'm also not 100% knowledgable on that. </p>
<ol>
<li>Mechanical engineering is good field to go into</li>
<li>It is hard to get into because it is one of the more difficult majors and schools don’t want huge drop out rates</li>
<li>Engineers live lives just like everybody else just with better vacations</li>
<li>If you’re majoring in engineering then you will take multiple technical courses each semester which will be more time-consuming than other possible schedules for other majors</li>
<li>You shouldn’t be worried about the male to female ratio but you should realize 60% of the guys will probably hit on you constantly.</li>
<li>Girls have an advantage in every program basically. In today’s liberal progressive society you can’t have enough women and minorities in affluent and prestigious positions. Women will have an advantage in every desirable field for the near future.</li>
<li>Basically engineers design technology. the specific field of engineering determines what you will be designing.</li>
</ol>
<p>in general the male/female ratio in engineering is about 70/30 except for Biomedical Engineering where there is a higher fraction of women. You won’t be alone.</p>
<p>You will get accepted if you meet the entrance requirements, more or less. Yes there is an incentive to admit more women but the academic qualifications are of primary importance.</p>
<p>I have been teaching at Illinois Institute of Technology for over 30 years and I have seen plenty of well-adjusted engineering students and many who are exceptional both in and outside the classroom.</p>
<p>Engineers hold many different positions in industry, all the way to top management. They are university professors and professional researchers. If I were to write a description of what a Mechanical Engineer does, it would be limited and incomplete. You need to do a bit of research on your own and maybe contact an engineer who works in your community to find out what he/she does. once you are in college, you will learn quickly what kinds of careers are open to a just graduated engineer and if it is not interesting you, still be able to change majors and not lose any time to graduation.</p>
<p>Just something my teachers have mentioned about their past roommates/friends, and also my uncle told me that he didn’t really have a social life either when he was majoring in industrial engineering back when he was in college. He just warned me on that. </p>
<p>My dd majored in electrical engineering and graduated in 2013. It was tough but she and a few of her female peers were asked to participate in recruitment of female engineers so she had peers to commiserate with.<br>
She was hired to do software engineering because her degree included software engineering, but they like her EE background, so they get two for the price of one.<br>
She designs and tests components but that’s all I can say or know. Many engineers work for companies that have military contracts, so they hire people who can get security clearances.
It will be hard, but more and more females are studying engineering, so you won’t feel out of place.</p>
<p>I’ll say my usual line about social life here:</p>
<p>During my 4 years earning my BS in mechanical engineering, I missed a grand total of 2 home football games and 2 home basketball games the entire time. I stayed up to date on the latest movie releases, went out between 1 and 4 times per week depending on the exam schedule, and met and successfully dated my future wife.</p>
<p>Being a girl engineer is awesome I’m a parent of college kids now, but when I was in college I studied computer science which was at the time about 30% women. Like you, I was afraid of being the only girl in my classes. I wasn’t. I made several good female friends from my classes. I also made several good male friends – there were some great guys in my classes who didn’t just want to hit on the girls. (That said, after being a nerd with no male attention in HS, I didn’t mind being hit on a bit ) I think you’ll find plenty of great people in your classes (plus plenty of friends from your dorm or clubs who are not necessarily engineers.)</p>
<p>Mechanical engineers design things that are meant to move. There will be emphasis of understanding the physics of the system and making sure that what you build will be strong enough to withstand the stresses that will be put on it. Do you enjoy playing with building toys of various types? That seems to be typical of many people for whom engineering is a good fit. </p>
<p>Engineering students have a heavy workload, but most find plenty of time for recreation as well. You might like shadowing a female engineering student for a day at a school of interest to you, to get an idea of what the day-to-day life of an engineering student is like. </p>
<p>Women with the guts to study engineering make excellent engineers. Engineering is actually a very creative field, and it is a “helping” field (allowing you to use your skills to make the world better by solving problems people have). Women engineers also tend to be better communicators than male engineers, which can be a definite help when looking for jobs.</p>
<p>Good luck figuring out what you’d enjoy doing!</p>
<p>I enjoyed engineering college 30 years ago. Yea, it was mostly guys. But in my freshman year I lived on a dorm hall with 70 girls and made a lot of friends of both genders that year. It was hard work, but we were all working hard so ti was part of the culture. </p>
<p>Also, we need women who can appreciate nerdy pickup lines.</p>
<p>“Girl you’re the forcing function to my undamped harmonic motion. Let’s go back to my place, try some different initial conditions, and integrate.”</p>
I’m a parent of college kids now, but when I was in college I studied computer science which was at the time about 30% women. Like you, I was afraid of being the only girl in my classes. I wasn’t. I made several good female friends from my classes. I also made several good male friends – there were some great guys in my classes who didn’t just want to hit on the girls. (That said, after being a nerd with no male attention in HS, I didn’t mind being hit on a bit 
) I think you’ll find plenty of great people in your classes (plus plenty of friends from your dorm or clubs who are not necessarily engineers.)</p>