So, I am international student who is studying mechanical engineering in the second year and I will be junior next semester. Now, I really feel dumped because my grades are low. Most likely I will got Cs in my classes although I have a GPA 3.03. Also, I hate the classes because most of the professors I have do not do real complicated examples. Also, I got Bs in calculus courses and A in ODE but when it comes to the engineering classes, I find the courses harder than math courses. I really enjoined the math courses and some of the engineering courses such as ( matlab and solidworks) but not all of them because I thought that engineering majors are for designing which I never saw a problem in designing so far. I really like creating things. So, should I change my major? If not, what should I do?
Your GPA isn’t as horrible as you think it is. You shouldn’t measure a mechE GPA against a “fluff major” GPA, or against inflated high school GPAs.
FYI
http://blog.prepscholar.com/average-college-gpa-by-major
You are a sophomore now and all of your classes are general requirements mostly and weed-out classes. However, you can only get 3.03 (or 3.0 average) so far and for junior and senior, the classes are not getting easier for engineering. Especially, the core classes, they are hard and become harder for you because you are lacking the foundation. What happens if you are not able to get high marks for those junior and senior classes then your GPA will go down. Will you be able to handle the psychological impacts with your GPA taking a down turn while you are trying so hard in studying, learning the concepts, etc? Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to scare you to pursue high education. I am just presenting the facts here. You the one that need to evaluate the situation.
If you like Math and have been able to get good grade at Matlab then perhaps you can start thinking about Computer Science instead of Engineering.
Anyhow, if you can not have and maintain at least 3.2 GPA in college, you will not be able to obtain any internships, research, REUs, etc. I believe that is the threshold requirement for getting any of those. well, finding any of those is like competition since those things are not many while the kids that want them are a lot. It is like supply and demand where the supply is limited and the demand is high, so the people that will get any of those is the once who will have the means to do so.
Therefore, your lacking in GPA will not be able to help your future and career that is you will graduate in Mechanical Engineering and your resume will only say your degree and 3.0 GPA nothing else. No internship, REUs, research, etc.
With this GPA 3.0 upon graduation, you have to work really hard (twice as hard) to find entry level employment aka lots of networking thru your peers and friends, parents, family members, applying to lots and lots of entry level jobs just to get some interviews. And sometimes, you will have to wait for 3 or 4 months after graduation just to get one or two interviews. Unless, perhaps you are well connected and know the hiring manager then you can get an entry level position.
Once again, don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to put you down or worse to scare you. Perhaps, after reading this post, your antenna will perk up and will enlighten you to change your study habit and tweak it so it will improve your GPA in engineering and therefore will improve your chances in getting a good entry level job? May the Force be with you. Good luck with your future and endeavors.
Put the numbers aside for a second and make an honest assessment of why you’re struggling. Are you going to all of your classes, utilizing your professors’ office hours, and studying efficiently? My guess is no to at least some of those. There are remedies for those shortcomings.
As for your GPA, I agree with @MaelstromMonkey, it’s not a disaster. There are a few posters who, based on their own personal example, or the example of their kid, will talk doom and gloom about GPAs below a certain level. It’s a very narrow and incorrect view. Certainly, higher is better. It will open more doors. Once you get past that step though, it’s all about you. There are simply too many jobs that need to be filled for all of them to be that selective. You might get ruled out for SpaceX or Boeing or a handful of other hot companies, but there are lots of positions out there.
OP: let me enlighten you some more a little bit. After college, your ultimate goal is what? going to grad school or looking for employment. If you will go to find any jobs within your field then start browsing now/today those jobs and see their GPA requirements. Do you think that you will be able to get one of those?
Don’t get me wrong there are lots of jobs that the employers do not care of your GPA (3.0 and below is ok). Those employers are just labor intensified in nature that is they just fill it up and go. If you get one of those, please do not complain about the pay rate.
More importantly, have you taken any personal inventory and ask why you can not understand the concepts of your courses so that you can get good grades?
Do you think since you are foreign student, you quite do not understand or do not get your instructor/professor explanations? your professor(s) is also from foreign country? I know lots of foreign people teach STEM and engineering. Perhaps you need to change your study habit and tweak it so it will improve your GPA in engineering or maybe you have to form and join study group with your classmates?
On the other hand, if you think that you want to go Grad School after undergrad then you probably will not be able to go to name-brand schools with your ordinary GPA. However, I am sure also there are other schools will take you in but you have to search it thoroughly.
Then again not to worry as everyone has their own worries. But, if you are mentally tough and focus then you will be able to move the mountains (your problems the GPA, etc).