Agree with what @intparent has said. Basic circuits, playing with Arduino, Rasberry PI, networking, robotics, working with 120v electricity, is not electrical engineering. They boys might be a little ahead in the beginning, but hard work and perseverance will win out in the end.
What I will say is engineering is one those interesting fields that allows you to do or not do many things. Do you want to actually “engineer things”? Most 80%> of the engineers I know don’t make, tweak, design, or engineer anything they all work in management. The degree just shows they have a brain, so the EE’s may be over Automation/Controls, SCADA or Power Systems, but most of that work is still contracted out to a specialist in that field who actually does the work.
There is an established women in STEM/Engineering organization: the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Many colleges have a student chapter. They usually offer lots of networking opportunities to interact with other students like you and with female engineering professionals. If your school does not have a chapter, perhaps you can start one!
Go go go OP! I’m a woman in tech myself, and I work in video games. And I’m black. So yeah, I’ve got a lot of experience with being the only one, or one of just a few.
It’s normal to feel a little intimidated, especially when you are the only one and especially at first. And it is hard being the only one or one of just a few. But you have to keep pushing. The best thing you can do honestly is Fake It Till You Make It. Even if you feel like you are shaking like a leaf in your boots, act like you’re the queen of the world and you’ve got this on lock. Surprisingly enough, the acting confident usually seeps into how you actually feel and makes you feel stronger (and there’s scientific evidence of that). So stay strong and hold your head up high.
I will say that the ones who do make it furthest in the job market are the ones who are not afraid to experiment with things and try things out. But just because you didn’t start in HS doesn’t mean you can’t start now. If you see groups of guys tinkering with stuff or talking about how they’re going to work together to try something out…get in on that. (Just ask…that’s where the bravado comes in.) Or start a group yourself. Experiential learning is some of the best kind of learning.
But the best thing you can probably do is find - or start - a group for women in science and/or engineering. I’m a member of a few women/blacks in games/tech organizations and I went to an HBCU for undergrad. Having the experience of knowing lots of other minorities in my field and seeing them succeed is incredibly uplifting and motivating.
See if your university has chapters of things like Society of Women Engineers, or Association of Women in Science, etc. If not, consider starting one of your own. And if you are in a city of any size, see if there are professional organizations for women in the local area that you can join (something like Lesbians Who Tech), so you can spend some time with women who are more advanced in their career than you. Having good role models is a key!
Have you ever met a teenage boy? They do this all the time.
@CalDud, it is pretty hard when there is a lot of chest thumping bragging going on like you get from some boys in tech classes. A LOT of women drop out of STEM due to this behavior – of course the OP can hold her own academically, but it can be hard to have the confidence to do that when you are the only woman in the class. This isn’t just about academics, it is about aggressive posturing.
I was you 30 years ago! If you like math and science then EE won’t be that difficult for you. The people saying that are the ones that aren’t engineers.
Guys are intimidated by and unpleasant to women who invade their academic place. The best response in my experience is cleaning their academics clocks. Have done this twice. First, I was told that women were unreliable as graduate students because they marry and had children and then I was called little Mary Jane in a class in clinical assessment. Responded by earning very good grades and developing fine clinical skills. It was also fun to watch flames in my advisor’s trash can from his pipe smoking while pontificated at me.
A friend and I enrolled in the Universities most advanced statistics class, after we had taken a test to measure our statistical competency. We majored in clinical programs while the snooty lads were getting doctorates in math and sciences. They even challenged our right to be in this seminar on the first day of class. The faculty said we stayed because we had earned the right to participate. Hah, we understood and mastered the content of the class, asked good questions and contributed to discussions, and earned the highest grades in the class. We were always cordial and helpful to our male colleagues who learned that we deserved respect and were friendly and helpful. The change in attitude was a life lesson as we learned to contribute to the discussion without demeaning ourselves and the guys learned not to mess with smart girls who add to the conversation.
I think there is a professional organization for women engineers that you need to locate and join. In my professional past I had a friend who was faculty in engineering.
@eeandlawgal I always thought that being a girl in engineering was an advantage. To this day, former professors will remember me and have no idea who my husband is. They say they only remember the girls. And I remember taking an upper level math class and after a big exam was passed back to us, the guy next to me said, “Wow, you got a better grade than me.” (I was a feminine blonde) And I just looked at him and said, “Yeah that’s because I’m smarter than you.”
And I wouldn’t worry about what is the hardest, though I would have guessed CE. Different people have different aptitudes. My H had a hard time in ME but aced EE.
You could join SWE if you feel like being around more girls. I was in a low key sorority which was fun also.
Just chiming in to say that, having taught engineering, and as the parent of a daughter just starting a MatSciEng PhD, one of the things that we watched for with the with first years is not letting those who arrive with a lot of background intimidate those who arrive with none (and there are always some of each). If your course is constructed well you should be just fine academically.
Also, I second the vote for joining the local SWE or similar organization- and especially going to their conferences. These women will be your peers for your whole career- and networking really makes a difference!
And @eeandlawgal, there are peers that are worth admiring but the ones that hack, blow things up or almost electrocute themselves aren’t the ones. The few smart ones with egos in check who help others and are generous with giving credit, are the ones worth your respect.