What was your experience like, studying mechanical engineering in college? 3

[tejas47]

I’m considering mechanical engineering, and I want to know what it would be like to major in it. What was your experience like? Did you have fun studying it? Was it overly difficult? Do you regret anything about it?

I would also gladly take any of your tips, pointers and advice!!

 

[rb1957]

seems more like a "mech eng" or "how to improve myself" forums.

I enjoyed my undergrad. It was a lot of work, it wasn't "overly difficult" to me but I'm not sure how many of my fellow students would say the same.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[btrueblood]

I did Aero/Astro Engineering, basically fancier mech E. Lots of work, but found it fun. Glad I stayed to get a MS, I like doing R+D.

 

[SWComposites]

It was a LOT of work. Some fun. Be sure your math skills are very good. Same for your study skills.

 

[cohoman]

I entered engineering college back in 1981, and I wasn't even sure what an engineer did (I just took the advice of my high school counselor). I chose aerospace engineering which was a new option from the mechanical engineering department. Aeros took the same classes as the mechanicals, but we had aerodynamics while the mechs took heat transfer. A lot of your first few years of college is calculus and physics (lots of physics). So, I would say that an aero/mechanical engineer is a person that likes to solve problems. If you don't like math or science you probably won't like engineering college. The best piece of advice I can give you is to find an engineering intern job to work over the summer or one semester in school. It's a great way to see what an engineer really does, and is also a nice thing to put on your resume. Good luck!

 

[QAJA1717]

All of the above. Fun, challenging, lots of work, but incredibly rewarding. The rewards are contingent to what you consider enjoyable, of course. Not to mention plenty of job opportunities after graduation.
Advice:
1. Definitely try to find an internship in a related field so you get a feel of the day-to-day. Engineering can be lot more than just solving problems, certainly a lot more than what's thought in school.
2. Do a lot of hands on work! Get in the machine shop, join clubs/organizations that build and compete.

 

[itsmoked]

You should probably research a little into automation engineering since there is going to be a huge sucking sound there in the immediate future. It's also likely a LOT more fun than straight mech engineering.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[CWB1]

I went back to school at 24 after six years in the military, so your mileage may vary, but starting out was tough for me. My peers were mostly fresh from HS and the prerequisite coursework was fairly fresh in their minds, but not in mine. For example in HS I had taken up thru Calc II yet going back I struggled to recall the finer details of algebra, and my alma mater didn't offer anything below Calc I. That forced me to get really serious about studying, pull some long hours in the library and with tutors, and ignore my social life long enough to play catch-up. I did it tho, and by the end of the first semester school seemed easy enough that I asked my advisor for an exception to policy to take extra classes. My first semester was the only one with 18 credits, somewhere about semester 3-4 I discovered that we could test-out of easier gen-ed classes early, and one semester technically took 30-odd credits. I graduated in three years fairly easily, 28 credits beyond the requirement due to poor scheduling of the final required class.

My best advice - Focus on getting assignments done as soon as they are assigned. I vividly remember that the odd bits of work/studying which I put off until the last minute always seemed infinitely more difficult than the stuff I did right away. Secondly, use the school's tutors and teacher's office hours to ask questions and solicit feedback, even if its simple things like asking, "Is this good enough or can I do it neater/better/more thoroughly?" Third, find a brief distraction that you enjoy to break up studying which won't develop into hours of waste. For me, whenever I started to struggle and needed a break I either went for a run or hit the gym. 30-60 mins later and my body wouldn't let me keep going, I had to go back to studying. Had I broken up studying with TV or gaming then I'd lose hours screwing off like some classmates who struggled.

Good luck.

 

[JacobTheEngineer]

I got a degree in aerospace engineering long ago. It wasn't easy, but my dream is what kept me moving. Mechanical engineering can't be easy, and I hope you understand it. Find something that motivates you, and you'll overcome this challenge easily. You'll certainly find several good college friends that'll always support you. College life is not only about learning things; it's about having a good time with friends. Be ready to do a lot of work, but apply to the college if you know why you're doing it. Now I'm working in a small space agency, and there has been no day to regret my decision.

 

[GregLocock]

Engineering had the reputation of being the fourth hardest in terms of the hours of work needed, and was also high on the intellectual difficulty side of things (unlike med and vet sci).

But yes, I enjoyed it. Make sure you get internships.



Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[EdStainless]

I was at school back in the dark ages, but a few things stick in my mind.
I studied Materials Engineering, but took a lot of ME classes in place of the required versions that were weak. This has helped me a lot over the years since I work with so many ME's at customers.
We figured 2-3 hours of study for each class hour, and that includes labs.
The lab for Systems and Measuration isn't called S&M for no reason.
Work on getting an internship, all real exposure is good.
Join a technical society where they build and test real equipment. Practical experience helps.
Think of a specialty that you are interested in. It can be divided many ways such as R&D, design, or production. Or heat transfer, dynamics, or controls. Or by industry of interest, vehicles, appliances, hand tools, and so on.
Don't ignore some of the smaller engineering disciplines, they can be very interesting and the experience is more personal, even at a big school.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed