<p>"If you don't like your [engineering] classes, you will not like being an engineer."</p>
</p>
<p>I saw this in a thread. At first I thought, "This can't be 100% true." And then I thought, "Why not ASK the engineers!?" </p>
<p>What do you guys think. True or false? Do you agree or disagree with this statement?</p>
<p>I’m a bit conflicted with how to answer, since I do generally like my classes. Sure, some of them can be hellish, but in the end, I can see how they are relevant and I’m excited to apply them. That being said, working in industry is a lot different than being a student. However, in order to get into industry, you pretty much MUST have good grades (>3.0), fantastic engineering extracurriculars, or impressive internships and co-ops. </p>
<p>I have co-workers who will reminiscence about their times in certain classes and how much they hated ___ subject… But I’m pretty sure they at least thought it to be interesting. </p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think it’s a matter of liking so and so class, but whether you can find it relevant, fascinating, or necessary. But remember, not everybody is meant to be an engineer, especially if they’re only in it for the money. The world needs teachers, lawyers, programmers, and such too.</p>
<p>In general: True</p>
<p>I think mostly true. You don’t have to love ALL of your engineering classes to like being an engineer. But if you don’t like most of them, then you’ve probably got a problem. </p>
<p>I’ve never heard a fellow engineer say that they didn’t like engineering classes in general. But I’ve definitely heard lots of stories about a particular impossible class or crazy professor, etc.</p>
<p>One of my least favorite classes of all time was (imagine that) Software Engineering. I absolutely hated the class, since its premise was that anyone could be a great (cough) Software Engineer if he/she went thru the motions. </p>
<p>Likewise, I hate calculus with a passion, yet one of the most fun classes I ever took was numerical analysis…</p>
<p>“However, in order to get into industry, you pretty much MUST have good grades (>3.0), fantastic engineering extracurriculars, or impressive internships and co-ops.”</p>
<p>So, engineers that graduate with a GPA < 3.0, which would be the majority of engineers out there never get into the industry? What the hell are you talking about?</p>
<p>As far as the question being asked, you need to have passion for what you are studying. Why? Because that passion is what is going to keep you motivated even in the hardest, most challenging moments. </p>
<p>People are different but for me, I started to notice a positive change in my grades when I became absolutely “obsessed” with the courses- meaning, even if I did not understand something at first, I keep practicing, practicing until I got it.</p>
<p>That alone may take lots of effort sometimes, lots of hours spent at the library but I think most people who do well in Engineering possess this “curiosity” and it usually translates to good grades.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine hating any of my classes or even disliking them- At least for me, it would be hard to keep going or even do well if I am not interested in the subject, as challenging as it may seem at first.</p>
<p>He may be struggling because he might have found that ME is not his passion- If that is the case, he may have to rethink what he is doing.</p>
<p>I would agree that you do not need to like ALL of your engineering classes, but it is extremely unlikely that you will like the profession of engineering if you cannot find specific classes that you enjoy. You may not like the professors, or the exams, or whatever… but you need to like the material. The job is not the class, but it is similar to and based on the class, and it is a stretch to say that you will like the one but not the other.</p>
<p>Now, bear in mind that you can dislike your classes, graduate, and get engineering-related employment that is still lucrative and interesting. Jobs like technical sales, patent law, and program management are not engineering and do not require a love for engineering, they just require that you understand the concepts. So if you don’t like any of your classes, you still have other options.</p>
<p>
Things are rough right now, but this is still not true. At most schools, a 3.0 GPA is right around the 50th percentile, and even in the current economy more than 50% of engineers are finding professional employment. The better jobs want a 3.0+, but there are still companies (especially smaller ones) that will take lower. It is really only at 2.50- that professional employment becomes unlikely.</p>
<p>I think an engineer in general needs to like problem solving. If there are a few specific classes that are difficult and/or uninteresting, that’s ok.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>False (for my son’s sake, I hope so)</p>
<p>My son is currently in a top engineering program and says it is a lot of work. The majority of the engineering students say the same thing. Students outside of engineering at this college say he is crazy for majoring in engineering. The demands are huge and the payoff is not fantastic. </p>
<p>Those who can do well majoring in non-stem majors (>3.5gpa) may not survive engineering. The first two years of engineering is extremely intensive requiring the ability to do well in computer science classes, chemistry, physics, math etc. </p>
<p>My son hardly studies for his non-stem classes and is able to achieve an A. Meanwhile he works very hard just to meet the mean in his stem classes. To put it in perspective he had a 1440 SAT(m+cr). He is a bright young man.</p>
<p>Just to add a side note. I know of a student majoring in engineering and is easily achieving >3.0 but not at a competitive school. He is not as bright as my son. So, I guess it depends on the program.</p>
<p>I hope the professional world does not have a hardcore >3.0gpa required for employment at a good firm. Not all programs are equal.</p>
<p>Top firms/companies in this economy do hold strong to>3.0, gpa one of the very first screening questions for application submission. Program is irrelevant when the gpa question is the only one which is asked in the initial contact.</p>
<p>^Sounds a bit shallow.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ugh…don’t get me started with “academic software engineering”. That is probably the least “bang for your buck” set of courses that universities can sell to students. Selling a “methodology” by charging a course per software engineering phase is so laughable. A semester is 15 weeks. You will not get 15 weeks to conduct “software requirements” or “software testing” at your job on a project.</p>
<p>I always tell students to just take the ONE “intro to software engineering” course and let the employer(s) teach you the rest. Each employer has their own flavor of software engineering anyway.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It is, but life is unfair. The hope I have is that once one gets an engineering job their promotions are based more on merit and contribution than one of “who looks good on paper.” </p>
<p>I know I’m way ahead of the average engineering student, but I often wonder how that will translate on the job outside of academia.</p>
<p>To the OP’s question. I always find myself looking to connect concepts from my classes to everday situations. Example, my daughter was playing with different shaped blocks (some repeated shapes) that come together to form a cube. I told her there were multiple ways to form a cube because it was a linearly dependent system. Likewise, I had to explain to her that it’s not the popsicle making her hand cold, rather it’s her hand that warms up the popsicle. </p>
<p>She’s only 10 months old but she is a very good listener :-P</p>
<p>Sent from my SCH-I535 using CC</p>
<p>All that an average engineering student needs to do is get that first job. For most of the industry, everyone starts at 0-0 (like the playoffs in sports) once your foot is in the door. Of course, there will be a few companies that will attach your academics to your whole career but that will be a very small number anyway.</p>
<p>da6onet , you sound just like my husband. </p>
<p>Did you see the ‘viral’ video where the baby couldn’t fit the block in the shaped opening, and eventually she picked up the box, set the block under it, and put the box back down… a future engineer if I ever knew one.</p>
<p>I would suggest you to identify the reason behind the struggle. Sometimes, it’s not the interest factor but some other things that cause trouble. Say, if he is not liking the prof, or even though he likes engineering, he is not able to focus due to other distractions, or he is involved in so many things that he is not able to give ample time to the studies etc. </p>
<p>If you find something similar to what is stated above… then it could be rectified. but if u find that there is absolutely no interest in engineering, then i would say you could make an attempt to ignite interest and if it does not help, he should change the major!</p>