<p>Hey my name is CJ and I am a student in an FAA airframe and powerplant course to get my licences as well as an associates in applied science at GTCC in NC. I just finished airframe yesterday and will finish up powerplant and the associates in july and hopefully have both tests finished by august of next year and acquire my license. </p>
<p>I will have 2 years experience working heavy checks on transport aircraft when I finish and 5+ years experience when I finish engineering school. I have decided though that standing on concrete floors for 8+ hours a day isnt for me. I would like to stay in aviation due to the fact that it still thrills me to see 200,000 lb machines fly. </p>
<p>So my question is should I go to (if I am accepted) UNC charlotte and get a degree in mechanical engineering as well as physics (since they offer a double major with only a couple extra physics classes) or NC state which offers aerospace engineering?</p>
<p>Oh and I am on the deans list but have a bad track record at another school due to not being able to afford it and therefore losing my drive to complete my last semester there.</p>
<p>Is there a particular area of aerospace engineering you are interested in? For instance, are you interested in the aeronautical side of things (i.e. designing commercial planes, helicopters, etc.), or are you interested in the space side of things (i.e. satellites, spacecraft, rockets/propulsion, rovers/autonomous vehicles, etc.)?</p>
<p>What type of work environment would you like to be in? (i.e. sitting in an office most of the day, outside or up in the air testing planes, or teaching in an academic environment)</p>
<p>As for the double major option you mentioned, it is generally ill-advised to complete two bachelor’s degrees, unless you have a means of comfortably affording all of it. In other words, it’s generally not worth the extra time and money unless you are able to obtain a double major relatively easily and at low cost to you. Out of the two schools you mentioned (NC State and UNC), both are relatively similar in terms of engineering reputation. A mechanical engineering degree may give you slightly more options outside of the aerospace industry if you are unsure about sticking with aerospace for the long-run, however it will put you at a disadvantage should you decide to go in to an aero-specific specialty area like aerodynamics, stability and control, or aero structures. The physics major is not really necessary, unless you plan on going to grad school later on to continue a path in physics.</p>
<p>All of those topics sound interesting and I would be happy with any of them except for helicopters. I have always found space and all forms of spacecraft interesting but If I were to stay in transport I would want to into design or structural stress engineering. I would like an office job but also get to be physically involved with the aircraft as well since I will be a certified mechanic as well.</p>
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Either would be fine - ME is more broadly employable but Aero would help a little more at actually securing aviation jobs. I agree with fractalmstr that the double-major is not inherently of much use, but if you can do it without either increasing your stay or overworking and lowering your grades (two VERY common results) then go ahead - just don’t expect anything other than personal satisfaction out of it.</p>
<p>I would also note that working in aerospace these days increasingly requires a graduate degree, either while working or before. Regardless of what your BS says, your MS can say something different.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind acquiring a ms if I needed to. I forgot I will also be working full time while in school since I have a family to support. I am in class 30 hours a week and work fulltime now so it shouldn’t too much of a problem as I am highly driven and social life I secondary and not important. I am willing to anything to make myself marketable and the way I see it, more education is never out of the question. </p>
<p>Back to my original point, should I do mechanical or aeroapace? I don’t have to double major and if it will not help then I can rule that out. Will aerospace help significantly or just if I want to specialize in a particular area?</p>
<p>AeroE will help you to get into aviation a little bit better than ME. If your sole concern is getting into aviation, then pick Aero… just be aware that it will be a little harder to get jobs OUTSIDE of aviation.</p>