<p>Assuming that a person is hardworking, enjoys and is good at math and sciences, what are some reasons he/she may not like engineering?</p>
<p>I'm asking this question because i'm often told that "being just good and interested in the math and sciences is not good enough in engineering; you have to have good insight." </p>
<p>Assuming that a person is very good at and enjoys math and sciences, why would he/she choose sciences over engineering, which has better job prospects and uses math and sciences daily?</p>
<p>Well, in many cases people think that they are hardworking until they find out how hard other people work. College often involves reassessing your position and interests.</p>
<p>Another issue is the difference between what you think engineering is and what engineering really is like, both academically and professionally. I always knew I wanted to be an engineer, but I really had no idea what I was getting into, and am not surprised that many found it unpalatable.</p>
<p>As to hard sciences vs engineering, I think the biggest difference is in what interests you - how the universe IS or what you can DO with that knowledge? The first points to the sciences, the second to engineering. And the money and prospects are still pretty good in the sciences.</p>
<p>Engineering generally has better job prospects than the hard sciences do. Engineering is aimed at solving real world problems, and good engineers need to like problem solving. </p>
<p>Some people don’t like the social aspects of engineering jobs, as it is relatively unsocial compared to some other types of jobs, and/or don’t like or fit in with their engineering peers.</p>
<p>I know a few people who started out in engineering that found their passion in math/physics/chemistry through the lower division courses required of the engineering program before they ever saw a real engineering course. I thought it was ironic.</p>
<p>I have lived with a mechanical engineer for the last 20 some years and both of my teenagers enjoy math and science. One ia currently studying engineering…one (junior in HS) is constantly being encouraged to but feels it is not for her. We discuss your question at our house often…engineers use their math and science skills in a more hands on problem-solving way. They use science to design machines or vehicles rather than learn more about science as a subject. One question to ask yourself is if you like to know how things work? Although I suppose my thoughts probably are more relavant to mechanical engineers.</p>
<p>But are both scientists and engineers curious about how things work? I would even argue that the scientist is even more driven to find out how things work than the engineer because the scientist WANTS to know how to world works, whereas the engineer just wants to learn enough to allow him to finish the project at the current moment. Of course, he would learn more in the future, but these are the incentives of both for why they want to learn about how things work. Do you agree?</p>
<p>As an engineer, I might spend two hours per week tweaking designs, mostly the same type of stuff I have done for years. Then I need to spend two weeks assembling the build instructions and the paperwork necessary to qualify the design for airplanes. It can be mind-numbingly repetitive.</p>
<p>People are impressed with some of my projects - satellites, military and civilian airplanes, space suits, electric drag-racing motorcycles - but the truth is that my designs are a small part of the greater whole and most of my job consists of filling file cabinets with paperwork.</p>
Not everyone cares about practical application of science.</p>
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Eh, even undergrad business (made, not sure about now?) makes reasonably more money than engineering with respect to companies that are in the same tier for the major (e.g Goldman Sachs versus Google).</p>
<p>Annoyingirl- I suppose you are correct. I feel scientists want to unserstand more about science itself, however. It is a very subjective question. Around us there is a program called Engineering Explorers that allowed my DS to hang out with engineers once per month for a year. She knew very quickly that engineering was not something she was interested in.</p>
<p>Asking why someone might not like engineering is sort of like asking why someone might not like Europe? One could list many possible reasons, but most wouldn’t apply to your situation. Engineering is a wide field with countless different types of occupations that involve work on countless different types of tasks.</p>
<p>For example, some don’t like spending all day set at a desk, programming on a computer. However, many jobs within engineering involve little programming. Some engineering jobs are not primarily desk jobs and involve spending a good amount of time outdoors. Some don’t like the individual nature, often working alone. However, many engineering involve a large portion of time spent working in groups. Some might not like working with math, but many engineering jobs involve little math. Some don’t like working long hours, but many engineering positions permit regular hours and support spending a large portion of time goofing off. To give a more specific answer, it helps to know more about what types of engineering work you are considering.</p>
<p>For me personally, it took a good amount of time to find what position in my company was the best fit. For example, I disliked lab verification because because much of the work was monotonous testing with little creativity. I also sometimes found it awkward to spend the day away from my office (breaks, food/drink, office is more of a quiet + isolated environment, …). However, I loved theory/design/systems type work, as it involved more creativity, with more complex thought, leading to a greater level of understanding of the how the tech works and big picture, and a generally more rewarding experience. I had similar results with work at the Internet company I started. I enjoyed doing groundbreaking analyses, creating new & useful tools for others to use, and participating in discussions on my forum. While I have always disliked general site updates that involved monotonous work, with little thought or creativity. Compared to the Internet work, I grew to dislike the day job schedule. The day job had flexible hours that permitted things like arriving at 10, taking a long lunch, leaving early for appointments, etc. But it felt restricting compared to Internet work, which permitted working any hours I chose on a particular day, working any number of hours I chose per week, and living/traveling anywhere with an Internet connection.</p>
Oh that seems like a cool program. Ironic since its intent was probably to pull more people into engineering, tho. What specifically did your daughter not like about engineers/engineering?</p>
<p>Oh here’s a good one. You spend the best years of your life with your face in a book. But in the long run it will pay off and you will be better off financially than those who spent their 20’s just partying.</p>
<p>Ever read the BOOK, “Bridge Over the River Kwai”. The book (and not really brought out in the movie) had a character who was a bridge engineer. He was part of the team sent in to blow up the bridge over the River Kwai. He had as much passion to blow up that bridge as the leader of the prisoners had to save it. Why? Because he had designed the same darn bridge over and over again that he detested bridges.</p>
<p>I read the book in high school and I started to question if I really wanted to be an engineer. I decided that I didn’t want to be that kind of engineer. One who did the same job over and over again. To me, it meant that I should keep myself current as a practicing engineer and always strive to do new things. </p>
<p>So, I guess if you don’t want to make learning a lifelong ambition, then engineering can become quite boring as you will be stuck doing the same thing over and over again (if you are still employed). You won’t like engineering at that point.</p>
<p>There is lots of employment in engineering. People acquire skills that will allow them into many fields once they become engineers. </p>
<p>I have a masters in engineering. I have been in IT for the past 20 years. My wife has a masters in engineering but has been into programming ever since graduation.</p>
<p>I don’t think there are many people who don’t like engineering itself. Most people choose not to major in an engineering discipline because they don’t want to take the years of math, physics, and chemistry/biology that’s required as a pre-requisite. In general, they don’t want to make the sacrifices/effort it takes to major in engineering.</p>