Should I study engineering?

Parents Forum
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<p>Hey all - yeah, this isn't quite the right forum, but I wanted a more varied response than I'd get from the engineering forum, and so I thought I'd toss this in here.</p>

<p>I'm attending the Ohio State University next year, starting as an Exploration major - basically means I'm undecided. For a lot of people, "undecided" means "I know I want a certain field, just not which major", but for me, undecided means I have absolutely no idea.</p>

<p>The farthest I've narrowed it down is that I want to study music. I plan on either minoring in music or, if possible, completing a double major with Music Ed. I say double major because as much as I love music, and as much as I'd love to teach it, I'm not comfortable enough in my ability to make a living and pay off college debts with a pure music degree. Thus, the idea of double majoring and leaving the door open to become a music teacher if I so desire.</p>

<p>That brings us to the other half of the "double". For a long time, I've just kind of given a generic "engineering" response. I'm a weird mix of good at science/math and awful - it depends a lot on outside circumstances. I loved pre-calculus with an awesome teacher, I hated calculus and dropped after 1 semester when I had a teacher I didn't get along with. I disliked chemistry (with a pretty bad teacher), but I loved physics. I love the calculation (hey, math!) parts of physics, but I can't stand labs.</p>

<p>All this leads me to the conclusion that hey, maybe engineering isn't for me. I couldn't stand spending my life doing labs and research, but I'm drawn to the creative part of engineering. But if engineering isn't the right path to take, then what is?</p>

<p>TLDR: I'm uncertain if studying engineering is the right idea for me. Math and science are very hit-and-miss, with some subjects coming easily and quickly, others I struggle endlessly to understand. I want a subject that may be less math and science intensive, but still incorporates the career prospects and the creative side of engineering.</p>

<p>Anyone care to toss out comments? Answers, questions? For the record, these are the classes I'm taking next year:</p>

<p>Chinese 1101
Japanese 1101
Math 1151 (calculus)
Athletic Band
University Survey</p>

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<p>Engineering involves solving design problems using math and science. If you do not like solving design problems, or do not like or are not good at math and science, you are unlikely to find engineering to be a good fit for you.</p>

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<p>Try architecture.</p>

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See [home</a> | Department of Design](<a href=“http://design.osu.edu/]home”>http://design.osu.edu/)</p>

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<p>In many ways it is better to start as Engineering when your are a maybe. Those classes usually transfer as electives elsewhere, but not visa versa. The catch is that some universities require a minimum gpa to transfer schools, and even hardy engineering freshman often have low gpa. </p>

<p>But why Chinese and Japanese? That is neither engineering more music.</p>

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<p>I had a bit of a warning bell when you said you dropped Calculus for any reason. An engineering major likely will have to take Calculus I, II & III and will have MANY professors who he/she may not particularly like. Just a fair warning. Mechanical engineers typically only have to take one Chemistry, but lots of Physics. But there are going to be LOTS of labs. Not just Physics labs, but also engineering labs. If you don’t like experimentation and typical lab work, you probably won’t enjoy an engineering degree much.</p>

<p>Also, a double major in engineering and music at some schools would KILL most people. The coursework and hours involved in an engineering major are VERY challenging, and the number of hours involved in a music education degree are more than any other major on campus at some schools.</p>

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<p>It looks like Ohio State has an Industrial Design major that might be a good fit.</p>

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<p>This is where I’m in a bit of dilemma. My skills at math and science truly vary from area to area. Some skill sets I find easy, some I find extremely challenging. Algebra and Pre-Calculus were both classes I enjoyed, but Geometry and Calculus (coincidentally the same teacher) I struggled with. I loved the circuits unit of Physics this year, but light waves confuse me even now.</p>

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<p>I had Japanese on my schedule because I knew I wanted to study it as my foreign language requirement, and I missed taking it this year year. I added Chinese because I needed another class to fill credit hours, and while nothing truly appealed to me in the course catalog, Chinese immediately jumped out as a class I wanted to take.</p>

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<p>I did too, which is why I asked this! We’ll see how calculus goes in the fall - that’ll be a lot of the deciding factor. Labs… labs are not my thing. Also why I’m asking this question. I feel like there are too many parts of engineering that really don’t fit me at all - heavy lab based classes and complex math - that I really wouldn’t do well in a major.</p>

<p>This is also what I’m worried about. And more reasons not to follow an engineering path (surprise!). I know I’d like to study music in college in some shape or form, so perhaps Music Ed isn’t the best form to do that in.</p>

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<p>And a good program at that. My lead ID is an OSU grad and it is an awesome school. University of Cincinnati, also has an awesome++ ID program.</p>

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<p>Math and music abilities do go together. Most entering college freshmen will be undecided or change majors. You may need x courses in ONE foreign language for graduation- you are probably best off starting with one of them and use your available time/credits for meeting another breadth requirement. Engineering and labs are both hands on. Your math/physics preferences with a dislike for labs may be pointing you more towards an abstract science/music.</p>

<p>Hopefully you can discuss potential courses with an advisor this summer. You likely can take some career tests from a student services center while in your first two years of college to help you. </p>

<p>Short answer- NO. Pick your major based on likes, not just jobs. Once you are in college you will discover so much more about yourself and future possibilities you don’t yet know exist. Perhaps linguistics?</p>

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<p>Honestly, the grind of engineering takes place in the later classes. If you don’t even like calculus inherently, that is a really bad sign. If in addition you don’t like labs, experimentation, or building things, that is another bad sign. Basically, it sounds like you don’t like the theory or the hands-on part of it, but only like the idea of engineering.</p>

<p>You have to like the process itself.</p>

<p>I’m not sure what major I would advise. Since you like calculation, maybe you might like accounting as a practical second major? See whether you like it. Maybe applied math might be worth a try, but again its a bad sign if you didn’t like calculus. Did you not like it because it was too simplistic? Non-honors calculus can be all formulas and no understanding. If this was the reason, it is more likely that applied math is possible. If you didn’t like it because the teacher wasn’t entertaining or something, then that is kind of a bad sign for a future math major.</p>

<p>You don’t necessarily have to have a second major that directly leads to a job. Most good jobs just require a good GPA in some liberal arts. It may help to do some kind of internship at a business during the summers, though. This seems how many people arrange to have good jobs waiting for them after graduation. Of course, if you want to be serious about music during college and pursue those opportunities, then this may not work.</p>

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<p>Acoustical engineers can work in the area of music AND engineering. </p>

<p>Taking Japanese and Chinese at the same time won’t be a good idea AT ALL. Pick one or the other. Trust me.</p>

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<p>Your concerns about making a living and paying off college debt from a “pure music degree” are valid. I had the same concerns as an undergrad. I ended up with a double degree (BA/BS) in music and accounting. </p>

<p>I am very analytical, but not so good at the higher level math (topped out at pre-calc). Took a bit longer (4.5 years for me plus one summer, so basically five years) and required very creative class scheduling (because both programs at my school required you to take courses in a set progression, so missing one class derailed progress quite a bit) but the accounting degree was a good foundation for a productive career. I am still fairly active in music as an amateur. </p>

<p>Architecture is also something to explore (for the more creative aspects). Ohio State’s Knowlton School of Architecture has a good reputation (as does the accounting program in Fisher College of Business). I second the thoughts above on the industrial design program at OSU (hard to get into, though). You’re in a good place to make a double program of study work. Definitely pursue a minor in music if the logistics don’t work out for a double major/degree.</p>

<p>You mentioned athletic band. You’re not confusing this with marching band, are you? It will be almost impossible to manage a double program given the massive time commitment required for marching band.</p>

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<p>My issue with calculus was definitely the understanding. My teacher would toss ideas at us left and right, with no concept of why these actually worked. My precalc teacher took the time to explain why we did something.</p>

<p>This is why I’m kind of waiting until after this semester to pass judgement on calculus. Who knows - it may be easier when we actually go into the ideas, not just numbers. </p>

<p>Yes, I’m taking athletic band, not marching band. </p>

<p>This is possibly why physics made more sense than chemistry. Physics was math, but it was math applied in a way that I could actually see how it worked. Chemistry was just abstract numbers. </p>

<p>Conclusions from here: I like understanding and clear solutions, not “it just works” and abstract problems.</p>

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You will have teachers you don’t get along with, regardless of your major. If your reaction is deterministic - my performance in this course will “depend a lot on outside circumstances” - engineering will not be a good fit. Taking responsibility for your own educational success or failure is going to be necessary when you hit harder courses, even if you have a ‘bad’ teacher.

Did you read the proofs in your textbook and then ask specific questions if you were unsure how a step worked?</p>

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<p>Agree taking Japanese and Chinese together is a bad idea, focus on Japanese.
If you dropped high school Calculus then you better prepare yourself for the speed and amount of info in each Calc class covered in college.
Sign up for a student calc tutor at the Student Center, reasonable rates for one on one help.
Then you go to the TA and prof for further help.
Calc is a weeder course-you will be in classes with premeds so there will be no curve.
How about taking another ge course in case you have to drop a class like Calc?
A business class, humanities class? A conditioning class? Music theory?
Watch your drop dates and know if you get below 12 credit hours you lose full time status.
You cannot stay in dorms as a part time student.
Sorry to say but your schedule looks like a waste of a semester.
You need to put much more thought in crafting your schedule so you move towards a degree.
Talk to a friend/relative who is in college to explain things to you.</p>

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<p>Somebody mentioned Industrial Engineering. This may actually be a really good fit for you. Look into it. It’s about problem solving. Not just with materials/mechanics, but people and systems. Kind of cool.</p>

<p>Still REALLY heavy in math though.</p>

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<p>What other courses would I take? There were no music classes open, as during the audition period I wasn’t sure I wanted to study music. I wasn’t failing calculus (ended the semester with an A-), I dropped it because I knew I would take it in college regardless and I was tired of not understanding what was going on. </p>

<p>Take some social sciences class? Perhaps that would’ve been the better option, but I chose to take a class I knew interested me while I still could, before I am locked in to taking classes for a certain major.</p>

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<p>You’ve already said you don’t know what to major in. Try something different for your open class. Maybe it will put you on to something new.</p>

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<p>A computer science class. Just a hunch.</p>