<p>Well this website seemed interesting so maybe there will be some helpful people here. I'm having a hard time right now deciding what my major should be. At first I entered CC like a blind person, just taking generic classes not knowing what the hell I was doing. </p>
<p>My first thoughts were Business, I lived in a couple of countries in europe including germany so i figured hey I can do something international business I speak more than 1 language ,whatever. But then again, my older brother has friends with business degrees who find themselves without a job. Not only that, I just wouldn't enjoy trying to sell stuff to people, it's just not me. The next big thing that kind of grabbed my attention is engineering. Not only because it gave me 5 engineering categories as the top ten in my career test, but because I think i would enjoy it. </p>
<p>The only problem is that i'm kind of hesitating as to wether im cut out for it. I'm not asking whether engineering is hard or not,(i know it will be), it's just that there is a difference between hard and impossible. In high school, My best grades were always in math even when I didn't really apply myself at all. Right now, I'm doing good in calculus but I do have to apply myself and give it my best. I always enjoyed figuring stuff out, how stuff works, etc. But as I said earlier i'm not a genius. And sometimes when you see all the technology and futuristic machines you're like wow, how the hell would someone make this? Makes you think that you're not cut out for this field. </p>
<p>After figuring that out, I wonder if I should go for mechanical or electrical engineering. I loved figuring out how engines work since my first car, but then again electrical equipment interests me too. PLEASE HELP!
Although I KIND OF believe that is a field I should pursue, regardless whether it's hard.</p>
<p>Most of the freshman engineering classes will be the same for all disciplines. During the first year, you may attend some seminars on different disciplines and meet older students in various areas. Then you will choose an area in which to specialize. Furthermore, engineering students change majors within engineering too. Maybe a civE changes to mechE, or whatever. Don't worry about deciding specifics now.</p>
<p>It is far easier to go into engineering and switch out of it if you change your mind than to start out in a liberal arts major and transfer into engineering. If you think you are interested, apply to engineering first.</p>
<p>My advice is, you wont know until you take it. Yes engineering might be hard but you might feel that it is very interesting and would put alot of time and effort into it which might help you get through the four or five years. Personally i think it is hard. I am a sophmore right now that failed a class already since my first semester but i didnt give up and retook the course and gotten an A-. It hurts my gpa but it is something i like and i will not give up on it so easily.</p>
<p>If you like it, then don't worry about how hard it is. Things get really really hard when you start thinking of alternatives. But if you're gung-ho about engineering then you won't experience that. </p>
<p>That said, engineering is hard but not impossible. If you keep in mind that you may no longer be able to "get" everything and "ace" every exam (even though you studied hours and hours for it) then you will do okay. What works for me is doing my personal best.</p>
<p>The other thing is that once you start taking courses in engineering you might realize that its not what it seemed. Many people confuse technicians and mechanics with engineers. The difference is that we get exposed to a lot more theory. So, practically, we've all figured out many problems of technical nature (breaking things apart and putting them back together and what not), and although thats a good quality for an engineer, you also have to want to really learn and understand the math, and the physics. You will only find out whether you like doing that or not, once you start taking some classes. </p>
<p>Also, how well you do in your math class isn't necessarily a good indication of whether you'll be a good engineer. I did really well at math (as far as grades go) in HS, but in reality I really suck at it... but I do fine in physics and engineering in general. Your problem-solving and synthesization skills are more important than being able to solve math problems, which also require problem-solving but of a much different nature.</p>