I’ve been considering going into Chemical Engineering, but I’m honestly not sure if I love Chemistry. This is mainly because in high school I have had the crappiest Chemistry teachers that have made me dislike the subject. I think that I may enjoy it with a better teacher, but I honestly don’t know. So if I were to pursue Chemical Engineering, would I still be dealing with the traditional chemistry that much? If it turns out that I don’t actually like chem even with I good teacher, would I be screwed?
I've heard Chemical Engineers don't use traditional Chemistry as much as I would think, is this true
You still need to like chemistry, but you also need to like physics.
You’ll probably have to take gen chem 1 and 2, organic chem 1 and 2, and maybe physical chem (plus all the associated labs) – so even if you don’t use it much in your eventual job, you have to take at least two entire years of it at a college level.
ChemE is a lot more engineering than it is chemistry, but if you dislike chemistry you might be happier with another major and career. Why are you choosing ChemE over another engineering major?
ChemE is more eng’g, but you’ll still have Gen chem, Ochem, and BioChem.
What is going on? Are you trying to pick a major? If your college won’t mind, maybe take a Gen Chem class at a local CC over the summer and see if a better instructor helps you make up your mind about Chem.
That said, a ChemE degree is far more marketable than a Chem degree.
Are you a junior or senior in HS?
From another thread, it appears that you’re trying to determine which E discipline is right for you.
Tell us more about yourself. Strong in math? Physics? Do you have a creative mind? Problem solving mind? Do you feel “blocked” when you’re faced with a problem and “give up”? Or do you think outside the box for the best solution?
A German friend, who is a chemist, once remarked on the huge pay difference between Germany and the US in her profession. It was so low that she didn’t bother to work when her husband was transferred to Minnesota. It takes the same amount of time for a ChemE degree at nearly double the compensation. A similar course of study is materials science, but that is more research focused.
mom2collegekids, I’m currently a junior, but I’ve already taken physics, chemistry and biology, doing well in all the classes (although I might not love them). I’m very strong in math as well, and am in calculus currently. Out of the sciences I’d say physics came the most naturally to me, but from what I’ve researched, focusing only on physics doesn’t seem to be the most beneficial. Beyond physics I’m not entirely sure what I would like to focus in, I find biology easy but not enjoyable, and you know my situation with chem.
Here is a list of professional engineering associations. You could contact one and ask if there is a way to shadow someone or do an informational interview in order to learn more about the field and what the job actually does.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_engineering_societies
Keep in mind organic chemistry is almost completely different from inorganic. Plenty of people do very well in one and very poorly in the other. Get some exposure to organic before deciding.
My D is finishing her junior year as a Chem E major. So far her experience has been that Chem E
utilizes chemistry and physics (the math is required to understand the math behind the physics and chemistry). She has taken Chem 1 and 2, 2 semesters of organic chemistry and physical chemistry (though that course uses a quantum mechanics textbook). Then there are courses that use both chemistry and physics that explain the reactions that take place at the chemical level such thermodynamics, reactions, fluids, heat and mass transfer and at least one more I’ve forgotten. In her final year she’ll be putting it all together and learn processes.
I’ve read that it was a chemist who developed penicillin, it was a chemical engineer that developed the method to mass produce it. Up until then at best they could produce maybe 30 doses a day in the lab. It was a life saver in WW2.