<p>Part way through semester 1: Chem E may be too difficult. Am especially worried about Mass Transfer although it is 2 years away. Any advice? Is that the hardest class? What's tougher?</p>
<p>If I switch, would anyone recommend MechE or EE instead? What's the toughest class in those majors? I noticed all of the above pretty much require Thermodynamics class (except maybe EE).</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>The thermo you take in MechE will be different from the ChemE thermo which is different from the MSE thermo, which is different than Physics thermo, which is different than Chem thermo, etc etc.</p>
<p>Everyone feels the first semester that it's going to be way too tough for them to get by. You probably just need to learn how to actually study for engineering classes and how to get used to the homeworks. I remember my first semester was tough because I had never really had that many math/science classes at once and I would start to get really burnt out on doing all of the problem sets with no fluff classes to let my brain relax.</p>
<p>When I went to school they made us take both ChemE and ChemE Thermo, which was sort of redundant but was nice because it gave a gpa boost. ChemE Thermo seiers through classical chemistry in it, which wasn't really addressed in the ChemE Thermo series.</p>
<p>Mass Transfer wasn't the hardest, IMO, Fluid Dynamics is a pain. I guess it depends on the teacher. Just understand that it is all a simple utility balance to begin with (input=output) and then terms are assumed, change sides, have the details anally extracted until you think you can see the devil in them... not too bad.</p>
<p>First semester shouldn't be too bad; Chem, Physics, Calc, Elective... Part of college's learning curve is the whole adjustment to the new life style. I don't know about your study habits, but in ChemE they will improve no matter who you are. Dedicate time each day to your studies and keep those hours, even if they don't seem relevant or you feel you are done. </p>
<p>Treat school like a job; 8 hours a day, plus whatever else you need to do to get the job done. Some days 8 hours will seem like more than enough. If you are sure you don't need to study current material any longer for that day start working on material balances and boundary layer problems, or read journals. I good text to start with for ChemE related material is "Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes" by Felder and Rousseau, pretty standard starting text. If you understand algebra and have a basic grasp of chemistry I think you'll find it pretty easy to follow and will give you a good idea on what will be required of you. </p>
<p>You'll learn the calculus, chemistry and physics needed, and this can be a struggle mainly because not all of it is applicable. However, with this book you'll at least begin to see how these ideas will actually apply to ChemE. If you find this stuff interesting you will probably find it hard not to study at least 8 hours a day.</p>
<p>Hardest EE/CMPE classes are DSP and Electromagnetics</p>
<p>Thanks very much all for the above.
We're required to take both Thermodynamics as well as "Equilibrium Thermodynamics" for ChemE. There also is a required Intro. to Fluid Mechanics (same thing as fluid dynamics?).
I'll soon have the general Chemistry requirement done, but am very afraid of Organic Chem. (After that there's only 1 class in Physical Chemistry.)
I can get all the Physics done in the coming year and am taking Calc II now so there would only be two more math courses that I would absolutely need to take for ChemE.
Our first intro book is Chemical Process Safety by Crowl. I don't know if we'll be using the Felder and Rousseau book in future classes.</p>
<p>How will I know if ChemE is not for me and if I should switch to EE?</p>
<p>I wouldn't say EE wil be any easier than ChemE. Unless your personal interests actually lie in EE in which case you should be majoring in that anyway.</p>
<p>I can't tell you how to decide to switch, that's something you'll have to decide. However, not many engineers graduate with a good gpa no matter what the degree.</p>
<p>Intro. to Fluids is the same thing.</p>
<p>O. Chem was probably my toughest course. I would get some info on the teachers and try and schedule yourself with the best one. I found that if I took O Chem off track that I actually did better. Also, I don't think that its really a requirement for any of your other classes. I could be wrong.</p>
<p>The General Chem and thermo, Physics (apart from the whole relativity stuff), and math are the most important base skills. I wouldn't worry about Thermo, it's really only one equation (PV=nRT) manipulated in different ways.</p>
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I wouldn't worry about Thermo, it's really only one equation (PV=nRT) manipulated in different ways.
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<p>Your thermo must have been very different from what I did.</p>
<p>For ChemE, O Chem I (+lab) is required, but not O Chem II, so only 1 semester. I could theoretically get it done this school year but it is a junior level course. I don't think it is a requirement for any specific ChemE course, just a general major requirement. My thinking was to take it in the spring so I wouldn't be taking it at the same time as other hard stuff like differential calc. </p>
<p>Thanks for making me feel a little better about Mass Transfer and Thermo.<br>
I am interested in EE, but I liked ChemE better. I'm just worried that it is too hard.</p>
<p>It's all hard, but it's your personal interest that makes it the fun/interesting/exciting kind of hard. :)</p>