"Imaginary" Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>OK, so I need some help picking an engineering major. I am going to Northwestern University next year. </p>

<p>I chose engineering because it allows you do get pretty much any job you want because employers know you are smart. My biggest strength is math, although I am a very well-rounded student and am good at most things. However, I am not the typical engineer - I don't like to build things or find out how things work. My main goal from a college education is a high salary, especially since my family and I have to pay over 200k for college when I could have gone to good engineering schools like U of MN for a quarter the price. I think I will probably use my engineering degree to move into management eventually. I have heard that engineers start out with a high salary, but then can't raise it as much if they don't go into business/management. But I am a little shy so I might now be that effective in business.</p>

<p>I applied to the Biomedical engineering program. I like biology and math, so I thought I could combine them. NU's program is ranked pretty high also. Lately, I've doubted this choice. Again, I'm not the typical engineer and based on my childhood, I don't expect myself to enjoy lab work, research, etc. Maybe I will, but I don't know now. Also, BME is pretty specialized. If I want to go into business, will I still be able to? I have also considered patent law but I have no idea what it really is - salary, stress level, graduate school, etc. If you know about this, please share. It also gives me the option of med school, but i have know idea if I want to do that or not, especially with all the debt.</p>

<p>I recently discovered that I can double major in Industrial engineering and econ at NU. To me this seems like it might solve my problem. Both programs are top 10 at NU. I liked and performed well in my IB econ class in high school. IE might fit me better because I am not a typical engineer. It is also a good path to business and finance which I am interested in. But I have also heard that IE is really easy and that only the "dumb" engineers who aren't smart enough for the other degrees do "imaginary" engineering. Also, just because I am shy, does that mean that I shouldn't do management? What do employers think of IE? Am I better off even going into business with a BME degree? </p>

<p>I also should mention that their are Kellog business certificates that I could do with either major. </p>

<p>Any advice would be great. Mostly I just want to know which one employers would prefer and which has greater salary potential. Also, If anyone has links to websites that will help me determine if the content in one of the majors is really interesting to me, that would be great. I know I can always decide after freshman year, but I really want to decide this summer so I can start out right away and get the most value out of my expensive education.</p>

2

<p>Well, there are quite a few issues in what you have written:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Possible mistake #1 - You chose Northwestern over University of Minnesota because of prestige and now you really need to have a major that will generate high income quickly because you need to justify the 4x higher cost of attending Northwestern. This leads to mistake #2.</p></li>
<li><p>Mistake #2: You recognize that you do not have an engineering mindset and really do not wish to become one. But, you are going to study engineering simply because employers will realize that you are smart and engineering should result in a high initial salary. Note: not all engineers are smart.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>While Northwestern is a good university it’s forcing you to make decisions that will affect your happiness for the rest of your life. If you don’t like engineering, or any subject for that matter, it’s very difficult to become successful in that field.</p>

<p>You could just major in business and finance at Northwestern and skip the entire engineering route. Why bother if you have never had any demonstrated interest in the subject? If you are smart and study hard you should do well in business/finance and can then be financially successful.</p>

<p>IMO - you could be equally successful if you attend U of MN and completely avoid the stress of the higher cost.</p>

3

<p>Do some research in both. See what appeals to you more. (i know this is harder then it sounds)</p>

<p>I take it that your committed to Northwestern? If so try to keep your options open first year and take general engineering courses. Someone on here could probably list some, im not from US. </p>

<p>You really need to change your mindset about choosing which one you want. You take for granted that you will have to study your major for at least four years and pass it with a decent GPA. At least make it something you enjoy. </p>

<p>Its ok if your not sure after first year, who is? But you really need to start hitting up google and find out the type of work each profession dictates. Since you state that you want to go into business imo IE sounds more suited to you. </p>

<p>Also keep in mind what the above poster stated you really should have the mindset to do engineering. Solving problems logically should be something you enjoy doing.</p>

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<p>As a quick note, yes, Industrial Engineering is a little short on respect from other engineering fields. The perception is that it is (on average) both easier and less useful than most other fields, perhaps reflected in the fact that IE usally has the highest average GPA in engineering combined with one of the lowest starting salaries.</p>

<p>At the same time, please note a few important things:</p>

<p>1) The people dissing IE generally haven’t ever done it.</p>

<p>2) IE has some very smart people and some very difficult specialties, and those who make fun of IE are often setting themselves up for future embarassment.</p>

<p>3) IE’s are still engineers, still our brothers and sisters, and even at their lowest are still superior to all non-engineers.</p>

<p>So don’t worry about the status of IE, especially when (as in your case) working in the field would be at most a brief stage. I agree that you should seek a career elsewhere, but if you DO go IE you will be fine… if you pass.</p>

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<p>Econ and IE is an outstanding double major. There is huge, and very underrated, demand for industrial engineers. IE’s make a very good salary starting out and have loads of future potential for good positions. Many of them become consultants. If you like math and excel at math and econ then there is a very good chance that you’ll be a good fit for IE.</p>

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<p>If what you want is salary, do not go to biomedical. Most positions there are for masters and phD. Did you consider petroleum engineer? Seems like you can earn a lot from that specialty.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the help. BME and IE/Econ are really the only two majors that I have interest in and neither sticks out more to me so I am deciding more based on career opportunities. I keep reading about consultants, but I don’t really understand what this job is. What does a consultant do? Can I still be effective in management if I am not as outgoing as most business people?</p>

8

<p>IE / Economics is more generally applicable to “business”, including such things as quantitative finance; BME would only be applicable in specific types of companies.</p>

<p>Since your strong subject is math, you may want to consider including advanced math and statistics courses along with math-heavy economics, finance, and/or IE courses, to keep the door open to the more quantitative areas of “business”.</p>

9

<p>

… have you guys ever noticed that it’s hard to tell what it sarcasm/humor and what isn’t? My soul is hoping this if the former.</p>

10

<p>a consultant helps other companies more efficiently run their business. they pick out problems and pitch their solutions to the problem. you HAVE to be a people-person to perform well as a consultant as 50% of your job is to convince others that your ideas are golden. this means lots of public speaking, interviews, and schmoozing.</p>

<p>for you to get into management, you first have to know what kind of management (what company, industry, etc). do research on that. and more than likely, to be a manager in most corporations, you had to have worked as the engineers you would be managing first. this is different in financial firms, since of course there are no engineers. </p>

<p>to be a manager, you need to be a very efficient communicator and highly competent more than simply “outgoing”. while in the business world, those that are outgoing and like to hit up corporate parties and retreats will do well, being a good manager does not entail those necessities. </p>

<p>you still have a lot of research to do and experiences to experience (for the lack of a better term) before you’ll know exactly which direction you want to go. my advice would be to RELAX!!! you will learn a lot in your freshman year of college. you will be exposed to a lot and will know yourself and the world around you better. i would advise you to stick with a general engineering course selection your freshman year and figure out what you like and don’t like (BME and IE are completely different things). and trust me, you will!! remember, its easier to switch out of engineering than switch into it. you will accrue lots of skills from your frosh year engr classes that will go a long ways for you regardless of the field you pick.</p>

<p>in conclusion, don’t put any pressure on yourself to pick a direction yet. Take the necessary frosh engr requirements and do well in them. you will naturally figure out the direction you want to head. Good luck!</p>

11

<p>

About half and half, actually.</p>

12

<p>Based on what I’ve read in your post, I would not recommend that you go into engineering. Although engineers do have one of the higher employment rates coming out of college, it is no guarantee to a life of wealth.</p>

<p>Engineers have a high wash out rate - many who want to be engineers change majors. If you don’t want to become an engineer, you will have an even greater rate of failing. And if you do survive, you’ll be miserable while learning engineering.</p>

<p>You should study what you want to study - find something that interests you. Northwestern graduates can earn a solid living, regardless of their major.</p>

<p>I just had my 30th reunion from college, and was looking back at my college yearbook. I saw this comment: “Problems freshman year. Engineering and Pre-Med? Who was I kidding?” He graduated with a degree in economics and makes over a million a year on Wall Street.</p>

<p>Here’s a look at my six college roommates, plus a few teammates.</p>

<p>Major: History. Occupation: Medical Devices Sales, Marketing and Operations Management.</p>

<p>Major: Chemical Engineering. Occupation: Partner, Wall Street Firm (retired at age 39).</p>

<p>Major: Psychology. Occupation: Senior banking position in a narrow market niche. (Did earn an MBA after college at … Northwestern).</p>

<p>Major: Religion. Occupation: Orthopedic Surgeon.</p>

<p>Major: History. Occupation: Cardiothoracic (open heart) Surgeon</p>

<p>Major: Geology. Occupation: Project Manager, Major Waste Treatment/Waste Recovery Company.</p>

<p>Major: Politics. Occupation: Senior Position, Major Wall Street Firm.</p>

<p>Major: Antropology. Occupation: Runs a small non-profit, rebuilding the slums of a tough city.</p>

<p>Major: Politics. Occupation: former Congressman/Governor. Also has a law degree.</p>

<p>Major: Economics. Occupation: President of NFL team. Also has a law degree.</p>

<p>Major: Psychology. Occupation: Retained Executive Search Consultant (this is me).</p>

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<p>This is not atypical. I could go on and on citing examples like this. People can be successful with any major (especially with the Northwestern cache), and rarely seem to wind up in a career that is related to their major.</p>

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<p>Don’t chase wealth for wealth’s sake - you’ll only make yourself miserable.</p>

13

<p>Boondocks, one of the most useful posts I have ever seen on this site. Thanks.</p>