<p>Hi everyone. So this is my first post here, and I was looking for a little guidance. Any help would be greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>I'm a premed student (for now, not sure how interested I am in medicine) who just finished 1st year. I took chem, bio, calc and did pretty well in them. </p>
<p>I never really considered engineering before but I looked at what it's all about and I think I would enjoy it. Since I'm starting late, I already know it's going to put me on a 5-year program instead of the normal 4.</p>
<p>Problem is, I don't know which discipline to pick. I've ruled out BME b/c it just does a half-assed job trying to teach ME, ChE, and EE all in 4 years. As for those 3 just listed, all three have some appeal but I don't know which to pick. </p>
<p>I am very good at chemistry and did very well in HS first semester physics (I think it was all about mechanics and heat and all that ****). I got an A in calculus this year but not without working my ass off for it. </p>
<p>I had trouble trying to understand 2nd semester physics in HS (electricity and magnets) and I've never programmed anything in my life. In spite of this, I feel like learning at least something about electronics would be fun and also practical in everyday life. </p>
<p>I'm looking for the major that would take advantage of my strengths in chemistry but also teach me about electronics. And I don't want to rule out EE just cuz of programming because at my school all the engineering depts require a programming course anyways. </p>
<p>Most engineering programs have recognized the need for an education in basic circuits and programming and usually have a simple “EE for non-EE major” course. Usually these courses will give you enough functional knowledge to set up simple circuits/systems and get your feet wet. Also, nearly all engineering majors have some sort of programming/numerical method class that will expose you to C/C++ and MATLAB. </p>
<p>With that said, it is still hard to get that very general engineering degree that blends ChemE/EE/ME without going to a LAC or being a BME. </p>
<p>I say that since you express interest in Chemistry, go ahead and major in ChemE and then supplement your education with electronic classes that you find interesting.</p>
<p>Isn’t ChemE applications of chemicals though? I’m not interested in learning a pure science anyways. I want to know its applications. </p>
<p>Also, at my school the ME program makes you learn about materials science, mechanics, as well as electronics. It seems pretty diverse to cater to all my interests. What do you guys think? What can MEs go into b/c thats the one that I know the least about?</p>
<p>My daughter is a ChemE major so I only know what she has been told to expect. Hopefully some real engineers will stumble across and help out.</p>
<p>One use is taking what has been developed by the researchers and putting it into a process for production. Taking a formula that made 3 lbs. of product and developing what needs to be done to make 20,000 lbs. Flow rates and that kind of stuff. Her classes are as much, if not more, math and physics. I’ve often wondered if the degree suffers from an identity crisis. It’s definitely seems to me to be the renaissance man of engineering degrees.</p>
<p>ChemE is far far more that just chemicals. You will learn about reactions, process controls, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, material science, thermodynamics and etc.</p>
<p>What kinda person with what kinda skillsets does it take to ENJOY these majors?</p>
<p>I know the least about ME so if someone cud help with that I’d appreciate it. It seems to involve a lot of mechanics (well no ****) but also at my school you take classes involving chemicals (materials processing and the like) as well as electronics (programming, mechtronics, control systems, etc.). So given its diverse nature would it be a good major for someone who doesnt really know what he wants?</p>
<p>And regarding EE, it seems the most intriguing of the three but should I not do it b/c of my nonexistent programming experience? </p>
<p>Don’t worry, you can learn to program, it’s not so bad. The toughest part about EE is the math- definitely make sure you’re really comfortable with math before settling on EE.</p>
<p>Heat transfer: how to heat/cool things
Dynamics: the forces and movement of things
Thermodynamics:
Fluid dynamics:
Material science and processing: what steel is made out of and how to cut it
Machine elements: what gears/springs/bearings do and how to calculate stresses
Thermal Fluids: how to design pump/turbine/pressure systems
Dynamic Systems and Controls: How to design circuits to control your pressure/force systems</p>
<p>I guess the best way to put it, an ME can tell you how every part of a car, from the vulcanization of the tire rubber to the aerodynamics of the hood, work.</p>
<p>is it really a bad idea to major in an engineering discipline and be pre-med? i thought they just use your pre-med courses GPA. i’m looking to go into bme or bioengineering. </p>
<p>Yes, extremely bad idea. Engineering courses on average are curved low and your overall GPA matters. If you want to go to med school but still want a backup just in case you don’t get into med school, do Econ or Business.</p>
<p>Yes, that is a very bad idea. Not to say that it cannot be done, but for med school (and law, or pharm, or dentistry, etc.) your goal is to get as high a GPA as possible. Majoring in engineering would not exactly ease your path to med school, in fact it probably makes it worse.</p>
<p>What it does good for you is that in case you do in fact attain a competitive GPA but do not get accepted to med school is a backup plan. You would be able to find work easily until you decide to apply again or change your goals in life. Hell, you might even find engineering attractive enough that you work in the industry for a few years after you graduate and then decide to go to medical school.</p>
<p>On top of getting a high GPA, med school also wants to see extra curricular activities, i.e. shadowing a doctor, volunteering at a clinic, lab work, etc. With an engineering load you aren’t going to see much time for that use, unless you manage time EXTREMELY well.</p>
<p>If you really want to be a doctor, my advice is to major in something that you know you will succeed in and do well, and take the required courses needed to apply to med school. That might mean that you major in communications, but if your goal is to get to med school, you want your GPA as high as you can get it.</p>
<p>hmm i guess i’ll have to weigh the chances of getting into med school with a major that might not be a fit for me vs. engineering major and attempting to getting into med school. </p>
<p>granted, i wouldn’t be applying to the top med schools (probably Temple, Drexel, Pitt), but they’re still competitive. although, i’m not entirely familiar with med school admissions, i’m sure that a high GPA will not by any means solidify a med school spot. therefore, i don’t think it would be worth it to sacrifice my major for a higher GPA and a most likely med school rejection. i’ll have to think much more about this though.</p>
<p>But on the flipside if you don’t give a **** about your major you won’t do well in it either. </p>
<p>That being said, being engineer/premed will be a pain in the ass. </p>
<p>In my case, I only looked into engineering at the end of my first year before thinking it was interesting. Once I transfer into it I’ll be on a 5 year plan. I don’t have enough credits to be able condense the degree plan into 4 years. But at the same time, I have enough credits to where I can take care of premed and engineering and rarely take more than 12/13 hrs a semester. So I’m in a bit of a unique situation.</p>
<p>Don’t even worry about 4 years or 5 years. That makes no difference 20 years down the road, so don’t let it dwell on you. I would say take 5 years.</p>
<p>College is supposed to be fun. I know that there is a big emphasis on going to a good school, getting super grades, and working at a big name firm/going to professional school, so you have to be able to recognize that these years are supposed to be enjoyable.</p>
<p>The smartest engineers are not the ones with a 3.8, they are the ones that get good grades while keeping a social life. School all day long will drive you nuts before long.</p>
<p>Ya I’m pretty happy about 5 years. Spreading the workload will let me actually absorb the material better. Plus, I’ll still have a lot of room for electives that I can use to take care of premed or do something else. </p>
<p>Now I just need to decide which engineering I like the most. Gonna have to talk to advisors when I go back I guess. </p>
<p>Leaning towards EE right now. It’ll be the hardest but the **** you learn in it is just so cool for me personally.</p>