Hello all. I wanted to ask this on behalf of my friend, who doesn’t really visit websites like CC, unfortunately.
My friend, whom I’ve known since elementary school, wants to do Aerospace engineering. Currently, he’s going to a CC (really changing his life around) as a physics major. He’s run into a sort of dilemma, and I want to gather as many people to help me help him out with some friendly advice.
Here’s the low down: he is currently a physics major, but decided that he wants to pursue aerospace engineering. Now, his primary school doesn’t offer that major, for either undergrad or grad school. My initial piece was that maybe he should reconsider a school closer to home that does offer it.
He then asked me if it was a good idea to do his undergrad in physics or even engineering physics, and then move on to aerospace engineering for grad school. I’ve heard of people doing that, but I’m not sure if that’s the right fit for him.
What do y’all think? Should he switch his choice school to one that offers aerospace engineering for undergrads and then continue on to grad school? Or would it be alright for him to continue his undergrad in physics/engineering physics, and then move back to aerospace engineering for grad school? Thoughts?
P.S. I’ve seen some threads arguing that physics B.S. builds the fundamentals knowledge that can help later, but then one has a chance to miss out of the practical knowledge that one could learn going through the engineering major. Really would appreciate some input from you wise folks 
What is his financial situation? How much difference in price is the school with AeroE or the one without? Also, what state is he in?
If he takes the Calculus sequence, the first two Physics classes, the first and possibly second Chemistry classes (depending on the school), and some general eds (english, history, etc.), he should be okay with going into aerospace.
I am a high school senior going into AeroE and I decided to stick with what I really want for undergrad, and that is AeroE.
Your friend would need to check with schools he’s considering. I don’t believe most will let you start grad school until you have a BS in the field. There are just too many design classes you need before you can advance.
@albert69
We’re low income, pretty much the guaranteed 0 EFC range, in California. Because of this, he’s considering a UC, but I’ve suggested Cal Poly SLO or Pomona as a possible alternative.
@MaineLonghorn
Really? I’ve told him to check with his advisor and email a few schools, but I’m just helping him out meanwhile.
Some engineering colleges (like the UC’s) have five year combined BS/MS programs, where you complete both degrees with one additional year of study. However, both degree’s have to be in the same field (like, say Mechanical Engineering).
You can complete your BS in Physics or engineering physics/applied Physics, and then apply to grad school and complete your MS in Aerospace. The downside to this is the extra time (2 years) and cost. But it’s very doable.
Another option is to complete a mechanical engineering degree. Aerospace companies hire many mechanical engineers. It also gives him the option of working after he completes his BS, or go to grad school for his MS in Aerospace (or ME, etc).
Good Luck!
There are many roads to working in the Aerospace field. That is what I suspect that your friend really wants, not necessarily an Aerospace Engineering degree. The suggestions above are all fine but to get into the industry, it is not necessary to have a degree in Aerospace Engineering. in fact it might be somewhat limiting.
It all depends on the friend’s finances. if there is no option but the school where he/she currently is planning to attend, then Engineering Physics with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering or alternatively a Mechanical Engineering degree could be very good preparation for a career or graduate school in Aerospace Engineering.
Just a short note, Engineering Physics is not the same as a Physics degree. There is a requirement for about 48 credits our of a total of 128 or so to be engineering and this means that a student with this degree has a significant amount of engineering background since only a fraction of physics courses can be counted for this purpose. In addition, ABET has a requirement of at least two design courses and one being a capstone course. Engineering Physics, if ABET accredited has to do the same.
@Gator88NE
Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, costs are a big problem for him so I don’t think it is best for him to stay longer and rack up debt.
Really? So he can do undergrad in mechanical engineering and then onto aerospace engineering for grad school? Will there be any particular disadvantage to foregoing aerospace for mechanical in his undergrad year? Or is the difference minimal to employers?
@xraymancs
You’re right, I think his end goal is a job in the aerospace industry/field, so I assume aerospace engineering isn’t totally necessary.
Finances will probably be a big problem for him later on, so I have suggested he try looking for cheaper schools in CA (our state). If you happen to know of any, I would appreciate the info.
He was considering engineering physics, but to be honest, we didn’t really know anything about the major until after first semester of HS, so we were a bit uninformed.
From what I can gather, it might be most helpful for him to pursue mechanical engineering as undergrad, and try to continue onto aerospace for grad school, with a fallback to the industry if he is unable to.
Mechanical engineering as an undergraduate to aerospace engineering graduate school is incredibly common, and does not put the student in much of a disadvantage at all. It’s all based on mechanics, after all.
But the actual point of that post is that graduate school isn’t even required. Many mechanical engineers work in the aerospace industry. In fact, there are more mechanical engineers in aerospace companies than there are aerospace engineers. In other words, your friend could just get a mechanical engineering degree and then go work in aerospace.
@boneh3ad
I didn’t know that. Where do the rest of the aerospace engineers work at, then? Does that mean that pursuing aerospace engineering can limit his post undergrad options?
He’s considering grad school because he thinks the “cool aerospace” jobs require an M.S. in aerospace engineering, but I’m not entirely sure. Would you happen to know if that’s the case?
As far as job recruiting goes, he can look at the job sections of aerospace companies to see what kinds of engineers they recruit. Note that some mechanical engineering departments have significant aerospace electives, even if they do not have an aerospace engineering major (check course catalogs).
As an EFC = $0 student in California, his net price after financial aid will likely be around $5,000 for a commuter CSU, $8,500 to $10,000 for a UC, and $11,000 to $13,000 for a CSU that he has to live at, based on their net price calculators. He should use them himself to get his own estimates.
Since he is at a community college already, he can use http://www.assist.org to see which courses he needs to take at the community college to cover the prerequisites for aerospace or mechanical engineering at the various UCs and CSUs.
@ucbalumnus
Is that net price for the UC assuming he lives there? It seems that, in this case, UC’s are cheaper than a live-at CSU?
I’ve already informed him of assist.org, he’s just trying to get his purpose sorted out so he can plan accordingly, with some help from me.
A bit off topic, but would you happen to know of any scholarships for transfer students?
UCs (unlike CSUs) do seem to adjust financial aid based on commuter versus resident (sometimes also base on on-campus versus off-campus housing), resulting in similar net prices for each situation (of course, actual choices and costs in housing and food may differ from the assumed amounts for any of these situations). He should try the net price calculators at the UCs and CSUs to check for himself.
UCs do offer Regents’ scholarships to transfer students. However, UCs and CSUs do not generally offer that much in the way of scholarships in general. Scholarships for transfer students are generally less common than for frosh.
@ucbalumnus
Thank you, I will make sure to go over the net price calculators with him.
Are there any scholarships (outside, not from the school) that targets transfer students you can share? I will, of course, search some up myself, but I might as well ask anyhow.