Major problems. I need serious help. Transfer to an Uni with Industrial EGR or No?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I'm an incoming sophomore an Duke University. The university is good and all, social life is awesome, but it never really had what I wanted to do. The other good school I was accepted to did not give me enough financial aid. But, the problem here is, I thought I had been ready as a 12th grader to just go through the school for four years doing an engineering major that I didn't want to. I listed myself as civil engineering, wanting to get my true masters degree in industrial engineering. That's the major I think has been calling me ever since I laid eyes on the description in high school. Then through some pressure from family and websites, I have now decided that a mechanical engineering degree would be better and more general, if I want to get an industrial engineering career after college. </p>

<p>But to be honest, after reading tales and tales of mechanical engineering, I'm not certain if I want to spend the next 3 years struggling for a major, I don't really want. I'm not GOOD in physics, my grade in physics last term is a testament to this. Even though, I tried my best, and worked my hardest. I applied for a tutor, and it still didn't click like I thought it should. And, I would have begun my transfer process freshman year in college, but I was foolishly thinking then that I could last 4 years in this school studying a replacement major and that everything will turn out fine. WELL, I change my mind. I want to do industrial engineering, and I'm willing to leave my friends at Duke to do it. </p>

<p>But, the thing is, I don't know if I should. Maybe I'm overreacting. Is mechanical engineering a good substitute for someone who wants to have a career related to industrial engineering. I like the business/engineering aspect of industrial engineering. And my civil engineering course thought me about design and optimization and I'm certain I like those types of topics more(Industrial EGR), much more that straight hard core physics which I still struggle to comprehend. And, that is truly weird, because I love math, and I understand math easily. </p>

<p>What should I do? Should I transfer to another college so I can obtain an industrial engineering major? Or should I just stick it out in Duke. I need to make my mind up, because this stress is making me full with anxiety when I think about my future. That is why I neglected to think about my options for so long. </p>

<p>Please, whats your advice? I really need some guidance now. And if you do tell me to transfer, can you recommend any good universities that has a legitimate Industrial Engineering program. Honestly, I think all of my struggles with my major comes down to my Mom and her stressing me to do chemical engineering and to forget about Industrial when I was a senior in highschool. Her saying that it isn't a legitmate major, and that I might as well not do engineering if I'm going to do industrial and that other engineering courses cover the same topics as Industrial. And that Industrial EGR graduates make no money compared to others(i didnt care about that), yadda yadda yadda. And I'm not blaming her for my actions, I shouldn't have let anyone deter me from my path, but I was a child then. Not fully mature and not fully ready to take direct responsibility of my future, as I am attempting now. </p>

<p>Also: And for my transcript. I was on the Dean's list fall term, my grade dropped spring term because of physics(but I'm gonna try my hardest once I return to my school to get my physics grade up one because I believe that they didn't calculate it right, and my professor hasn't responded to my emails). And in sophomore year, I will concentrate fully on my courses, and pray that I do well. No more partying unnecessarily.</p>

<p>EDIT: Also, I won't hesitate for a second leaving Duke. I love Duke and all it has to offer. Diversity, athletics, awesome social life, work hard play hard atmosphere, people. But to be honest, I didn't really connect with my friends here. I still sorta miss HS friends, which is stupid. But still, Duke is an awesome school, and I'm glad I chose to come here, even with all this baggage I'm dealing with currently. I don't know if that makes any sense, but yeah.</p>

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<p>What your mom is saying is not true, both mechanical and industrial engineering have good job outlooks. All engineering majors have one of the highest salaries compare to other majors It just depends on the job you get. I know industrial engineering majors who took an extra year to get their masters who make over 100 grand a year. If I were you, I would make sure that I really wanted to do industrial engineering and transfer immediately to a different college that has industrial engineering. Many universities offer the program.</p>

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<p>Okay, thanks for replying. But the thing is idk if it is worth it, because everywhere I’m reading it says that mechanical engineers can do the same job as industrial ones. And in fact, every type of engineer can do the industrial one. Sometimes I read helpful advice in the subject that tells me industrial engineering jobs are on the rise, then other times I see this imaginary engineering joke, and if I leave Duke to go to a lesser university, people might view that as a dumb mistake. But, idk, im not happy.</p>

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<p>I am an industrial engineering major and I think if you can do well at another major and would like it, then you should do that major instead. Most (far more than 50%) of the IE majors I know are just people who dropped out of EECS majors. My sample is skewed, but it does have a very high proportion of people who quit other majors. </p>

<p>That said, I want to address the following:</p>

<p>Typically when someone says “XXX can do YYY too” they are really saying XXX is more technical than YYY. Engineering is more technical than business. Engineering major can do business stuff. There’s a reason business majors exist and get the jobs they do. It would be less of a disaster to employ a MechE to do an IE job than the other way around, but it’s still not optimal. </p>

<p>Industrial Engineering majors at my school make starting salaries on par with MechE majors. Higher than CivE majors, and lower than ChemE and EECS majors.</p>

<p>While you can get a bachelors in MechE and a masters in IE, you will need to take a couple of extra classes to prepare for it. Not a big deal but it’s not as if MechE is equivalent to IE for an IE masters.</p>

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<p>Did you like industrial engineering at your school? What was some of the stuff you did in classes? And are you satisfied? I’m not really concerned with salary. And I know for certain, I don’t want to do a mechanical engineering job when I grow up. I don’t know, it just doesn’t fit with who I am. Also, I feel if I continue with mechanical engineering, I will get low grades as I don’ think I can easily connect wit the topics they have to learn about. And I’m not someone who likes to get low grades, especially if I work my hardest, which I always do. And I know grades in UNI are important.</p>

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<p>I’ve only taken 200-levels IE classes, but I’ve also taken 200-level EECS classes. EECS classes are a lot harder but I learn a lot. In IE classes I didn’t really much, and feel like I’m just wasting my money. Maybe more advanced classes will be better. </p>

<p>I am trying to take harder classes outside my major also (I don’t care too much about my GPA, but different people will have different priorities), so I do actually learn something. Though as far as actual IE classes, it’s mostly just been a waste. </p>

<p>The IE classes I’ve taken thus far are:</p>

<p>“Probability and Statistics for Engineers” Not even a hard statistics class. Just a very basic introductory statistics class. ~40% of the class was just the basic probability stuff you learned in high school algebra. </p>

<p>“Economic Decision Making” The class was entirely stuff I learned in high school algebra.</p>

<p>“Operations Modeling” This class was pretty interesting and the professor was very good, but I think the class was too easy. Given the class was only 2 credits, but it had no depth. </p>

<p>So thus far I’ve been disappointed in the classes.</p>

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<p>Hmm. What university do you go to? Is it because it doesnt have a top industrial engineering program, or does it just reflect how must industrial engineering classes are everywhere. Doesn’t employers/internships look at your grades from college?</p>

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<p>I go to UMich, which is ranked #2 in IE (the dept here is called IOE) by USNews, but the ranking doesn’t include schools which don’t have IE but have operation research majors so it’s not quite right. I think the rankings are more concerned with things other than the structure of 200-level classes. I don’t know how it is elsewhere. </p>

<p>There are two reasons why I’m not really worried about my GPA:</p>

<p>I intend on getting a masters. When I get my masters I’ll be really anal about having a high GPA because that’s the GPA employers will care about. </p>

<p>In the case where my GPA is so low that I can’t get into the masters program here, from what I hear GPA is just a checkbox to employers. I don’t think having a low GPA will be my limiting factor. Even so, I’m told masters programs are very easy to get into because they help provide money to fund PHDs.</p>

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<p>why did you pick industrial engineering, and why are you continuing f you think its easy classes. what year are you?</p>

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<p>My year is a little weird. I have 96 credits and I will probably have about 160-180 (now sure how long I want to stay yet, I’ll have to see what my parents can pay) by the time I graduate. So I guess I’m about 53-60% through undergrad credit wise.</p>

<p>I picked it because I don’t like physics and I am bad at programming and there’s nothing else left without transferring. While I could probably manage a major in something else, I decided it wasn’t a good idea to do something I am bad at. What I major in will ultimately have a very large influence on my career and being bad at what I do would be a bigger deadweight than just picking something easier. Additionally I think classes will get better as I go through the curriculum, and I can take masters level classes as an undergrad if I choose and I’m sure those classes won’t be as easy.</p>

<p>I don’t want to waste my time, so I decided on the compromise of taking classes in other departments in addition to the classes I need for my major. I am hoping that will give me the best of both worlds.</p>