<p>I just took my first Mechanics exam and had a lot of trouble with it. I may have possibly failed it and I'm considering dropping the class. It has been difficult for me to get through the class because the professor has a very thick accent and does not really lecture well, so I'm not really learning much.</p>
<p>I'm good at Calc, but find Mechanics difficult. It seems that Mechanics is like a full-time job that I can't devote myself to; does this mean that I can't handle engineering?</p>
<p>I was in the <em>exact</em> same boat as you seven years ago. My intro mechanics prof was terrible and I couldn't understand him when he talked, I couldn't explain the material to myself, and I thought I was bad at engineering and should just quit while my GPA didn't suck. I went to my advisor to switch out of engineering entirely and he convinced me to have another go at it. I'm a graduate structural engineer with one of the top firms in the nation now.</p>
<p>Drop the class. Take it again with a different prof.</p>
<p>I am not so sure if engineering is for you. Mechanics is not THAT hard compared to other physics classes. Sure, professor can play a big role, but I think its not a class where you can solely blame the professor for failing grades. If mechanics is hard, to the point where your about to fail, I would seriously reconsider engineering.</p>
<p>Sang, I think that's a little drastic.</p>
<p>Just because someone fails their first real engineering exam doesn't mean they should abandon their career path. Mechanics, if taught correctly, can completely change the way you look at engineered systems... It's not really something you can teach yourself, and if your prof sucks, you might not fail, but you're going to have a rough time of things. It's not time to seriously reconsider anything yet. </p>
<p>(C'mon, I'm speaking from experience, here!! =P)</p>
<p>Mechanics? Are we talking dynamics? Or more like strength of materials?</p>
<p>Dynamics was easily the hardest class I had at school. Has one of the highest fail rates at my school.</p>
<p>I think he's talking about intro to engineering mechanics... It's an intro to statics/dynamics sort of course. It's where they introduce moments and trusses and couples and stuff like that. Conceptually, it's fairly different from most of the stuff that's done in physics 101.</p>
<p>At my school (quarter system) Statics and Dynamics are broken into two different classes. So would this just be a Statics?</p>
<p>Yea, what do I know :( I am only a junior in college, who am I to give advice anyways? Follow what aibarr said, what she said is probably correct.</p>
<p>I thought the OP meant mechanics the physics course (as opposed to E&M).</p>
<p>I see. Maybe you should study harder.</p>
<p>Don't give up! Don't rely on the professor
Self teach yourself the material!</p>
<p>I'm talking about the first Physics course.</p>
<p>Do more practice problems and make sure you know the concepts really well. I am in Physics w/ Calc 1 now and that seems to work. I've heard that one shouldn't be disillusioned with engineering after doing poorly in an introductory physics course. Personally I have little to no interest in the material and it is extremely dry. I am focused on getting a B or better and looking forward to specialized classes.</p>
<p>Ok, so I just got my test back and got a 47, which is equivalent to about a 70 according to the curve, and the homework and labs should help me out also. So I'm fine for the time being; I earned the score without studying too much. I have been in a slump for the last week and was too lazy to do anything.</p>
<p>Based on this situation, I believe that I could do better if I apply myself and do extra practice problems. I'm also going to attend a different lecture; I've been going the other professor's lecture and he is a much better lecturer; his slight accent is easy to understand and I can follow what he says since his lectures are very clear. Now, I actually feel like I can review the notes after and understand them, whereas before, it just got confusing to go over them before. I can actually learn something.</p>
<p>Physics was easy in high school, and I see that college physics is very different from high school physics.</p>
<p>Good to hear. =) Yup, college is harder than high school!</p>