<p>Can you major in Mechanical Engineering if you know absolutely NOTHING about engineering going into the program?</p>
<p>Most engineering majors know nothing about engineering from a formal standpoint when they first enter the program. That’s the point of having required “intro to engineering” type classes. As long as you have a reasonable basic knowledge of math and physics, you’ll be well prepared.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply, comfortablycurt. Does anyone else have any answers?</p>
<p>Do you think that you would like solving design problems using principles from math and science (mainly physics)?</p>
<p>Yes, most students entering engineering programs are in the same situation as you.</p>
<p>ucbalumnus, I think solving design problems using math would be fine. It’s just that I was homeschooled, so I haven’t really participated in any design challenges or stuff like that before.</p>
<p>Neither have the majority of incoming engineering students. The most important thing at this point is to focus on gaining a solid grasp on the prerequisite math and physics.</p>
<p>having “reasonable basic knowledge of math and science” is an understatement.</p>
<p>If you didnt breeze through math and science in HS? Dont get your hopes up.</p>
<p>Engineering undergrad is the most difficult majors at any school. It is also very competitive and the best math n science students usually major in engineering.</p>
<p>So be prepared to eat, sleep and live Math and Science.</p>
<p>If this is YOU? then by all means go for it. It is every rewarding.</p>
<p>A reasonable basic knowledge of math would be a standard advanced high school curriculum. You don’t need to be a genius to excel in engineering. It certainly helps, of course. I don’t know if I’d say engineering is the absolute hardest major at any school. It’s definitely challenging, but so are many other majors. Physics isn’t exactly easy, neither is chemistry or pure math.</p>
<p>Of course you can, as long as you’re willing to work for it. There’s nothing particularly special or magical about engineering vs. any other degree. It just depends on what your strengths are. Colleges do offer engineering courses (including calculus, physics, and other courses that are often required as pre-reqs) at an introductory level. Many courses designed for freshmen assume little to no prior knowledge or experience.</p>
<p>Agree that being very good at math and physics is helpful. Our S knew very little about engineering when he started EE, took the curriculum and intro to EE course and got his EE degree. He’s always loved and done well in math, physics and CS, so engineering seemed natural to him. So far it has been a good fit.</p>
<p>Exactly. Engineering is not some impossibly complicated major that only the absolute most elite students can excel in. It’s definitely one of the more challenging majors…but saying it’s “the most” challenging is false.</p>
<p>You do not need to “breeze through” math and science in HS. There are plenty of students that never even took calculus in HS that have done very well in engineering. That’s why colleges offer introductory level calculus courses. </p>
<p>The best math and science students usually major in engineering? Where are you getting that statistic from? Many of them certainly do, but many of them also major in math, physics, chemistry, biology etc.</p>