<p>I understand why you’re stressed, but relax. Engineering is a notoriously hard major, and many people graduate from an engineering program with a sub 3.0 GPA. Does this mean that you won’t be able to work at the absolute best engineering firms in America? Probably. Does this mean you won’t be able to get into an absolutely top postgraduate program? Very likely. Does it matter? Only if you care about those things. I’m not telling you how to live your life, but you really shouldn’t. You can still get a great job in engineering with a low GPA. Engineering firms expect that, so many great firms will hire you. Now, I grant you that in this economic climate it’s probably going to be harder than usual to get a job at a good engineering firm. That said, I think you’ll make out just fine.If you really want to maximize your chances, consider working abroad. Many countries, like those in the Arab Gulf, have a dearth of engineers and are in need of qualified engineers. </p>
<p>Beyond this, I don’t think going back to Northeastern will do much for you. Michigan is so much more respected than Northeastern that it really doesn’t matter if you get a higher GPA at Northeastern. It won’t necessarily get you any better opportunities than you’d get at Michigan with a low GPA. Moreover, you said that you were happy at Michigan. If you go back to Northeastern, you’ll probably feel for the rest of your life like you weren’t able to rise up and face your fears. I guarantee you that it’s very easy to fall into depression if you start thinking that way. If you stay at Michigan, you’ll still be part of an enjoyable social milieu, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you faced your fears. </p>
<p>If you’re really worried, talk to career services or try to find alumni who had difficulty in the engineering program. See what kinds of opportunities you can get with a low GPA, and what you can do to try and beef up your resume in other areas. Good internships and one or two strong recommendations from an employer or professor can really help make up for a weak GPA. As I said engineering is very difficult, so you should expect to do a lot of studying during late nights and weekends if you want to get a decent GPA. If you’re not willing to do that, then the truth is that you probably shouldn’t be an engineering major. Should that be the case, consider switching majors. Again, I’m not telling you how to live your life, but I think it would be a tremendous mistake to pass up the opportunity to study at Michigan that I’m sure you worked very hard for.</p>
<p>There are two exceptions to this, but even then only if you’re dead set on pursuing an engineering major. If you think that you’ll do so badly that you’ll fail out of Michigan, than what I said is irrelevant. At the end of the day getting a degree is the most important thing. If that’s the case, then yes, transferring to Northeastern or somewhere else less demanding would be better. Similarly, if you think your GPA will be below 2.5 by the time you graduate, then it would make sense to leave. It is very hard, even in engineering, to get a job with a GPA lower than that. Really though, if it seems that either of these things would happen, then you probably aren’t cut out for engineering. If that’s the case, you’d be better off switching majors rather than leaving Michigan altogether. You should therefore only leave if the above are true, and you’re set on getting an engineering major at any cost. Of course, if neither of these scenarios is true and you like engineering, than my previous advice still applies, and you should try sticking it out at Michigan’s engineering program. I Hope this helps you.</p>
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