Difficulty of MSME vs BSME? 12

[varun213]

Hi everybody,

I've been wondering if anybody has any experience on how much tougher a masters in Mechanical engineering would be compared to a bachelors? I will be graduating this semester with a rather low GPA of 2.6/2.7. Due to my initial study habits the first couple years. I improved a lot my last year with an average GPA of about 2.9/3.0. With that being said I want to further my knowledge of Mechanical engineering with a masters but the idea of a challenging thesis and some of the courses especially Radiation(heat transfer) Sounds pretty challenging and not sure if I know what ill be getting myself into is the main worry i have. I've applied to about 20 different jobs in the LA area and have gotten no call back and its only 2 months left till i graduate so I dont know what to do honestly.

My two reasons as to why I want to go to grad school immmediately after graduating this May are
1. I cant find any jobs in the LA area that are mechanical engineering related (dont want to build expertise in an industry that cant help me get into a more desirable industry later for example.)
2. Further my knowledge in the mechanical engineering field to have better opportunities and personal satisfaction of attaining a masters in ME.

One thing i wanted to add is I am 26 now and will be 28/29 when I graduate with my masters if I go that route. I have only a summers worth of internship experience and that is just contract work for civil engineering projects. (may not be relevant) With that being said will having no professional experience but having a masters hinder my chances of getting a job going into my 30s?


Thanks again and I really appreciate any feedback

 

[KENAT]

Many employers will officially equate a masters to 1 year of experience or similar - what individual hiring managers will do is all over the shop.

Some industries/sectors may rate it more highly than others.

I'd go a bit careful on the barely using any of the concepts you use in College, while there is some truth to that there have also been time when I wish I could remember how to do stuff I learned in college as it might come in handy!

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(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[emd138]

I think I was in a similar position to you, and the thing that worked for me was opening up the geographical area that I was willing to live to virtually anywhere in the US. I ended up changing fields and locations many times since then, so I wouldn't say you are stuck in an industry, as long as you like to learn and can think your way through problems. My current company recently transferred me into the chemical industry after 15 years in other areas.

For what it's worth, I agree with the other comments on the masters degree. A masters degree doesn't add anything to what I need in an engineer, so I certainly wouldn't pay more for it, but generally people who have one are looking for more money/benefits from it.

 

[HamburgerHelper]

Varun,

I was sort of in the same boat. During my undergrad, I had bad study habits and kind of burned my self out trying to cram two degrees before switching to electrical engineering. My MS degree, I did much better than during my BS but by then I knew sort of what I wanted to do and didn't have to slog through any courses that I had no interest in. My undergrad ,with the exception of a few classes, felt like I was just taking classes to fit my schedule and meet requirements. Graduate school to me was a hundred times more interesting than my undergrad and I have a hard time giving maximum effort in classes that won't use or have no interest. If you specialize in something that is in demand with your MS, I sort of think all or almost all is forgiven. Just get your foot in the door somewhere and after your first job, no one will even bother asking about your undergrad.

 

[zdas04]

As always when talking about career choices "your mileage may vary". An experienced engineer with an MS is generally perceived as having extra expertise beyond another applicant without one. Not a slam dunk, but a general perception. Drop the word "experienced" and many in industry see the MS as an indicator that the applicant is going to want more money for a job he/she is just as unqualified for as the applicant with a BS, and who has a slightly greater potential to leave about 15 minutes after he/she begins to be productive. Many of us see that potential as an adequate reason to toss a resume with an MS and no relevant experience. Others don't see it that way.

I found grad school to be fascinating, and I really enjoyed the learning. That in and of itself is an adequate reason to spend the time, money, and energy on it. If you think you'll find it to be a tedious chore, then not being able to find a job in LA in the first 3 months of looking is a crappy reason to attend grad school.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[moltenmetal]

Great advice David.

 

[2dye4]

The MSME will open the door to more interesting work if you like the technical aspect. In my view it is worth it
just to have that option. Additionally it will give you the tools to understand the how and why of the way things work a bit better than a bs alone.

 

[wtxhorsman]

Varun,

Don't worry too much about not having a position immediately after graduation. It took me a little over 6 months to find my first position after graduating with a GPA of 2.6 or 2.8; I really can't remember which GPA it was. Don't be afraid to take a part time or full time job with someone who knows you will be moving on to a position that allows you to use your degree. I worked a handful of odd jobs that had nothing to do with engineering and all manual labor under a hot west Texas sun, and my employer knew from day 1 I would be leaving for something else in the near future. When I finally gave up on staying in the areas I really wanted to work in and just started applying for engineering positions of interest everywhere. I found a great company that relocated me on their dime, and built me up as an engineer that fits their needs.