Any engineers here? engineer majors?

[camaroitalia]

I have my first day of college on Tuesday majoring in business. For my first semester just taking gen. eds and business 101 to see how I like it. But this Friday my dad has it set up to where I can go into his work and shadow an electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineer for the day and watch/talk to them while they are working on projects. I have always been interested in design but the main thing I am worried about in getting an engineering degree will be the levels of math I will have to take. I have always done good in school and worked my ass off but math has always taking me a longer time to grasp, but I still maintained good grades. The company told my father if I were to get my degree I could walk in there with a job. The engineers there are making a great starting salary. I am at a community college now for two years and can easily transfer to a university to get my four year degree... that is my story as of now, but any engineers on here that can give me some words of advice. Has it paid off? Do you enjoy your work? How were the classes you had to take? How difficult were the levels of math? Just any advice, need people who will give me an honest answer on this.

[IROCanSS]

I am a Civil Engineer. If you arent a math person, stay away. I had to take up to Calculus 4 and Differential Equations 2...

These are some basic DIFF problems:

http://www.math.neu.edu/~bridger/U343/Practice.pdf

Yes, I used to be able to do them... could I still... probably but it would take some refreshing the brain.

Thats upper level math stuff.

I like my job, its easy (for me) and the pay is enough to keep the toybox full. My wife is an engineer too so that helps. Us geeks stick together.

[Hamilton2400]

Im a M.I.T. major (manufacturing and industrial technologies) Its an awesome major and doesnt require a lot of math. Only goes through calc 1.

[Transfusion]

Our office has some electrical engineers and when they all get together
in the same room, it's like your hair stands up from the static electricity.
they are young and younger and very weird to work around, probably cause
I'm so damn old.

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by Transfusion

Our office has some electrical engineers and when they all get together
in the same room, it's like your hair stands up from the static electricity.
they are young and younger and very weird to work around, probably cause
I'm so damn old.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

I am a Civil Engineer. If you arent a math person, stay away. I had to take up to Calculus 4 and Differential Equations 2...

These are some basic DIFF problems:

http://www.math.neu.edu/~bridger/U343/Practice.pdf

Suddenly I'm glad I never took the plunge into ME.

[KnightRiderSS]

My dad is a ME and so is my best friend...my friend had to move very far away to find a job and my dad is currently looking to find a job that pays well...go masters if u go that route

[camaroitalia]

the more I think about it, I am thinking my heart is into opening my own business... but my parents are pushing me into the engineering and I do not want to dissapoint them.
Ugh

[2ndgenz28]

I know a mechanical engineer who was top of his class.

He makes more money doing roofing.

[villanova09]

I'm a mechanical engineer, 2 years out of college and like what I do. I work for a company that does design work for new and existing nuclear plants. Like said above, if you are worried about the math I suggest a different route. Some of the math in college was just ridiculous, I went to Villanova tho, so other schools might not be quite as bad. I was always good at it and at times I had problems. But if you think you can do it give it a shot man. There are more jobs out there now than 2 years ago, and in the next 3-4 years there will be even more. Starting salaries are pretty good, I make about 10-15k more than my friends that were business majors.

[Ladybugsmom]

Originally Posted by camaroitalia

the more I think about it, I am thinking my heart is into opening my own business... but my parents are pushing me into the engineering and I do not want to dissapoint them.
Ugh

Follow your heart, not your parents'. If you do what they want, and don't like it, you'll have wasted time and money, and will resent them for it.
Continue taking your general requirements, find what you like, and if you change your major, then that's OK - a lot of people change their major halfway through....

[justa25thTA]

Every engineer gets a minor in math, you had better have a pretty firm grasp on it.

I'm an Electrical Engineer, and even took and additional math class as an elective.

[Dreamer2430]

I'm a chemical engineer. Yes, it is a lot of math, but honestly it depends on the industry that you decide to go into after college. I'm in the mining industry. I can't remember the last time I uesd calculus of any kind. If you're looking into design work then you'll be using a lot more math than most. The salary and bonuses are very good. Best of luck with your studies.

[ibmrs]

Computer Engineering here, guess that make me a double geek.
My advice, take some classes and see what YOU like, you are in Jr college so there will be mostly general classes anyway, you have some time to decide. You have to do what you want, part of this time in college is to grow and realize that you are your own person. What your parents want, or how good the money is out of college isn't going to make you happy doing this 10 yrs from now, believe me that comes quick.
If you have reservations about the math, you should look into Engineering Calculus 1 if your college offers it. If you can make it through that ok, you will know you can probably do the rest if need be.
You will still have to do Chemistry1&2,Physics1&2,Thermodynamics,Materials,S ystems Dynamics,Differential Equations. Then your engineering discipline courses for Civil,Mechanical, etc.
Not to scare you at all, but you do have to want to do that degree, and it will take a little more work than most other degrees.