Exactly what the title says. I’m going to be a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering this fall, but I don’t know whether I want to continue or switch majors. Physics has never been a subject I particularly liked or been really interested in (can’t stand those free-body diagrams). Although I managed an A- in my Physics I class last semester, I’m getting a D in my engineering Statics class right now, and it’s absolutely frustrating. I’m not a straight A student by any means, but this is the first time I’ve been on the low end of the spectrum. There is practically no curve – the mean is literally 75% and I’m at 61%. I know I could get a better grade if I studied harder, but I’m just not interested in the class.
Everyone says that the introductory engineering courses are meant to weed people out, and I was determined to not be one of them, but now I’m not so sure whether engineering is something I want to be doing for the rest of my life. And if I am really hopeless in engineering, I hope to switch majors before I get in too deep.
In all honesty, the only reason why I chose ME as a major was because the job prospects seemed good with decent pay (especially where I live). I do find the work engineers do as interesting, particularly the part where they actually get to design and create their projects, but I don’t enjoy the physics aspect of it. It’s not that I can’t do the math – the math is actually the easiest part for me – but actually applying it is difficult and that’s where I’m struggling.
My main question is – can someone who hates or finds physics boring really become an engineer?
Mechanical engineering uses the principles of physics (mainly mechanics and/or thermodynamics) to solve design problems. It may not be your subject if you dislike these physics topics. If there are other aspects of physics that you like, then an engineering major that focuses on those types of physics (e.g. electrical engineering focuses on electricity and magnetism) may be a better choice.
Industrial engineering is more math and statistics based, as it is for solving problems in process, logistics, optimization, and the like. Computer science and engineering is much more math based than physics based.
I’m not sure if there’s anything about physics I really like. My school doesn’t offer industrial engineering, but I was looking at Computer Science as an alternative. Slightly worried about job prospects though because I would probably have to move out of state for a job, and that’s not exactly something I want. I’m guessing that ME is just a lot of applied physics, then?
As for me saying that physics is boring, maybe boring isn’t the right word because it would imply that I actually understand physics (ha!). I’m just not that interested in the subject and it’s not something I understand well either. Thank you to the both of you for your help though.
I’m a MechE. I’ll admit that I didn’t like Physics 2 (Electricity&Magnetism). I took it and Physics 1 (Mechanics - liked it!) as AP class in hs. I also liked Statics, but it was a struggle until I started doing the 3D math the right way.
If you do want to continue through with MechE, I would strongly encourage you took me your pitfalls in physics because it’s knly going to get worse seeing as you’ve had trouble with Statics. From what you’ve posted, I would suggest you find another major if you don’t like free-body diagrams (there’s a whole lot more coming!) and the application of physics.
Physics is much more than mechanics… Nevertheless, if you don’t like the mechanics part of physics (which is not the most exciting part as far as I am concerned) you really should not be in Mechanical Engineering. Computer Science or Applied Mathematics might be more to your liking.
Nettik, after Freshman year I was in a very similar position to you. I got A’s in my physics classes (even though I didn’t particularly enjoy them) and I got a D in my first Statics class. I had no previous experience with physics or statics concepts (I didn’t even know what free body diagrams were entering college). I retook the statics class fall semester of sophomore year and everything just clicked and I finished with a 98% in the class with no curve.
I don’t think you have to have a passion for engineering to be successful in it as long as you are motivated to study and work hard. I am not a top of the class student, but I’m fine with a 3.3GPA going into senior year and most of the difficult classes out of the way.
My kids’ Mechanical Engineering department has its students take Engineering Mechanics instead of University Physics I and take University Physics II in fifth year.
I am not looking forward to Physics II either. Free body diagrams are the worst for me, but circuits come a close second. I’m really not a physics person, but thank you to @hardhome, your story really gives me hope! I’ll see how I feel after I finish my Statics class this summer since I’m already halfway through the course. If I don’t pass but still want to soldier through with ME, I’ll retake the class during the semester. My motivation is severely lacking though - if I’m not interested in the class at all, it only comes through when midterms/finals are in a week and I need to bring up my grade.
I am still debating to change majors though. I realize now that I’ve been confusing Computer Science with Computer Engineering - the amount of credits I have that won’t count at all if I switch majors is amazing… My school also doesn’t offer Applied Mathematics (had no clue that was a major until now), but I have been looking at majors that deal more with math than physics. I don’t want a pure math major, so I’ve been looking at Accounting/Economics as an alternative. I actually took a microeconomics class during my first semester in college; it was interesting enough that I was seriously contemplating a minor/double major in it. I guess that shows where my interests really lie.
Some schools just have a “math” major, but the math department offers various “applied” type of courses (e.g. operations research, cryptography, computational complexity, etc.) as well as “pure” type courses. At schools without a separate statistics department, statistics courses may be offered in the math department.
Economics majors intending to go on to PhD study should choose the most math-heavy economics courses and advanced math and statistics courses in areas like real analysis, proof-based linear algebra, and calculus-based probability theory.
If you don’t like Physics and don’t like Statics, you probably should explore other majors while you have time to change. After Statics comes Dynamics so it is unlikely will like that either.