Switching from mechanical engineering to another major - computer science, meteorology, or geology

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>I was wondering if maybe someone would be willing to give me some advice, I am a 2nd year mech eng student and I've reached a point where I'm unsure whether or not it's the right choice. I like math and science, even though it's been pretty brutal so far, I still find the material interesting; however, a lot of times in engineering, it feels like you're always trying to do the impossible (at least in school), constantly beating your head against the wall. I'm afraid that the career will be as frustrating as school is, and as a result, I've come up with a couple other related majors that might lead me to some other careers which might not be as stressful (hopefully) as engineering. I'm weighing out a few things, I haven't completely ruled out engineering mainly because I always hear how engineering is a vast career and has fairly low unemployment. I know there are pros and cons to all of them and ultimately I'll have to choose which issues I'd rather put up with, but with research, and a hopefully a little bit of advice, I'll figure out which major I should pick.</p>

<p>The first major I'm thinking about switching to is mathematics/computer science; I've completed most of the mathematics and physics requirements already via the engineering program. From what I've read, this major focuses on a variety of different programming languages in addition to the advanced math knowledge. I completed a visual basic and matlab course, I know that's not much at all in the vast world of computer programming languages, but I enjoyed it. My understanding is that computer science majors usually give way to software and web development careers, but I would like to know how are those jobs actually like, are they very stressful/frustrating? If you enjoy the topics you learn in school, will you like the career as well?</p>

<p>I'm also considering meteorology major, however, I do not know if there are high chances of landing a job as a meteorologist after finishing school. From some I heard that it's a good career with fairly decent employment, while others have said that jobs are hard to come by and are usually in the government sector. I've read that meteorologists commonly work at airport weather stations gathering data via satellite images. Would it be fair to assume that in order to find a job, you would have to be located near a large airport? Or is it more diverse?</p>

<p>Lastly, I read a little bit about geology, and found the topics that deal with geophysics and seismology interesting. However, I don't know quite how diverse the career field is, most articles I read show that geologists primarily find work in the petroleum industry. If that's the case, then it seems to be attached to a particular region, only where major oil/gas companies are located such as Texas. If there's anyone that knows a bit more about the career and would have a little bit of time to share, I would greatly appreciate it. I find the subject matter interesting and something I would enjoy learning, but not very sure what the entire career field entails.</p>

<p>These are the majors that I'm considering so far and if anyone has advice or anecdotal experiences with them, I would like to read about it. I know they all have some pros and cons, some provide better opportunities at employment than others. I would like to know your opinions, which majors fare best in the job market? </p>

<p>I have my degree in meteorology, and there are quite a few jobs other than forecasting that you can get into. I work in the wind industry as a Wind & Site Engineer, basically siting wind turbines based on onsite meteorological data and calculating the mechanical loads imposed by the wind conditions. I work alongside mechanical engineers, and although our degrees differ, both majors require a lot of math and engineering physics (including fluid dynamics), so either degree is applicable for the position. Our job is a crucial one, and our expertise is required throughout every phase of wind plant development (sales through operation and maintenance), and having a strong background in statistics is also very helpful.</p>

<p>In any case, I feel you’ll find similar frustration with any technical degree. I had many “what the he** am I doing?” moments during my undergrad, and it mostly had to do with the math/physics. I can assure you that practical applications in the real world are much more intuitive than the theoretical approaches in school, so don’t be too afraid that you’re not headed in the right direction with regard to your major or potential career opportunities. I’d definitely recommend at least a minor in computer science–having a programming language in your back pocket (especially for making your own analysis tools) is SO valuable in any technical field.</p>

<p>Best of luck, and hang in there! </p>

<p>:D </p>