Engineer Looking for some Advice

[StraightShooter]

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So I am in the process of revamping my schedule for spring quarter since I have found out I have many conflicts. I take ochem at a university, but I take all my other classes at a c.c..

So I am not 100% sure on medicine, don't get me wrong, I like the material, I've done shadowing and loved the experiences. But at the same time, I am still not 100% sold on the profession. Using that, I figured engineering would be the route for my undergrad since I am interested in building things, learning how things work, etc. But now I'm facing some scheduling conflicts...

I've taken the past two organic chemistry courses(without labs) these last two quarters. Now for my third I have these options for course load in order to transfer into my engineering program(current C.C. student). I am just worried about taking the organic chemistry labs and last class so long after taking the other two, I will most likely forget a lot of stuff I learned by then.

Note: Physics class is VERY time consuming, some people take it with 1 other class and still struggle with the amount of work. Organic chemistry I would have to study my ass off for the Final Exam, ACS.


Option 1: Option 2:
-Physics III -Physics III
-Fluid Dynamics -Fluid Dynamics
-Mechanics of Materials -Mechanics of Materials
-Mirco Economics -Organic Chemistry III


Last quarter I took, physics II, organic II, calculus 4, and linear algebra.(I was basically dead everyday though). I pulled out really good grades(4.0), but I didn't have a life, nor was I in heavy ECs.

Anyway, I would do option 1, but I am just worried about a) taking the last organic class at a different school(they might cover stuff differently) b) taking the last organic class about 2 quarters after the last two, would forget stuff.

For reference, I have a weekly shadowing gig, starting to workout 3x a week, volunteer gig 2x/month, and have a gig that takes up 6 hours every Friday.




Long post.....

 

[Captain Sisko]

Now for my third I have these options for course load in order to transfer into my engineering program(current C.C. student). I am just worried about taking the organic chemistry labs and last class so long after taking the other two, I will most likely forget a lot of stuff I learned by then.

Note: Physics class is VERY time consuming, some people take it with 1 other class and still struggle with the amount of work. Organic chemistry I would have to study my ass off for the Final Exam, ACS.


Option 1: Option 2:
-Physics III -Physics III
-Fluid Dynamics -Fluid Dynamics
-Mechanics of Materials -Mechanics of Materials
-Mirco Economics -Organic Chemistry III


Last quarter I took, physics II, organic II, calculus 4, and linear algebra.(I was basically dead everyday though). I pulled out really good grades(4.0), but I didn't have a life, nor was I in heavy ECs.

Anyway, I would do option 1, but I am just worried about a) taking the last organic class at a different school(they might cover stuff differently) b) taking the last organic class about 2 quarters after the last two, would forget stuff.

So your question is pretty much whether or not you should take orgo 3 or micro. I think that if you're a CC student now, and you're thinking about doing an engineering program, you'd be best served to take your two engineering courses (Mechanics of Materials, Fluids) at the university when you get there. I'll say that you probably should've taken the organic sequence at the university too, but if you're a 4.0 student it probably doesn't make a world of difference. Finish the sequences for both orgo and physics where you are now and take the rest at your 4 year when you get there.

For now, make sure you get your EC's and try and knock out some gen eds so you don't need to waste expensive credit hours at the uni.

Oh. And the ACS organic exam is a joke. Don't sweat it.

 

[jr93]

I'm a Mech. Engr that is entering med school this fall and I'd say that if you like helping people, engineering is not the field for you. You're basically a project manager in constant chaos that only helps upper management look better. You get no satisfaction from actually changing lives for the most part. It's not that engineering work isn't important but it isn't what most think and the stereotypical personality of an engineer is far different from someone that likes to serve the public. Many engineers change careers in the first 15 years because they either a) realize finance is easier and can make more money and they're already good at math or b) realize the field doesn't fit the personality (like me) and change to a service field. As a side note, if university physics class is taking a lot of time, drop engineering now...the classes get much harder than that. Keep your GPA up.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

+1 👍 on previous responses.

 

[jr93]

I also forgot to add that if you think pre-meds are an arrogant bunch, wait till you work with engineers and sit in meetings with industrial field executives way less intelligent than you. At least in the medical field, a large percentage of people are smart and some are arrogant pricks. In engineering, C's get degrees and a huge percentage of engineers think they're cooler than they are. And like I said, you'll be answering to plenty of people who make terrible decisions and are not nearly as smart as you are in many cases.

 

[Captain Sisko]

I also forgot to add that if you think pre-meds are an arrogant bunch, wait till you work with engineers and sit in meetings with industrial field executives way less intelligent than you. At least in the medical field, a large percentage of people are smart and some are arrogant pricks. In engineering, C's get degrees and a huge percentage of engineers think they're cooler than they are. And like I said, you'll be answering to plenty of people who make terrible decisions and are not nearly as smart as you are in many cases.

i agree with this guy's previous post but this is a little over the top, not representative of everywhere. maybe it was the case where he worked, but it's different at mine. here as the aeronautical engineer people are mystified and awed By Aerodynamics. as such I'm respected for what i know and people seldom try and baselessly torpedo what I'm doing. it's about company culture I'd say, so if you do go and work as an engineer keep that in mind.

 

[jr93]

i agree with this guy's previous post but this is a little over the top, not representative of everywhere. maybe it was the case where he worked, but it's different at mine. here as the aeronautical engineer people are mystified and awed By Aerodynamics. as such I'm respected for what i know and people seldom try and baselessly torpedo what I'm doing. it's about company culture I'd say, so if you do go and work as an engineer keep that in mind.

I've worked in multiple states in numerous industries. Take it for what it's worth I guess. Aeronautics is a pretty specific field. Do you work for the gov't or a gov't supplier or a heavily gov't regulated industry? Those are much different than most profit-centric cutthroat fields that most engineers work in. I'm sure Computer Engr's and Physicists would disagree with me also but I'm talking about the engineers that most think about (ME, CE, EE, ChemE). I've known hundreds, possibly thousands over my time in industry and would find few that disagree with me and most will push their kids away from engineering.

 

[Captain Sisko]

I've worked in multiple states in numerous industries. Take it for what it's worth I guess. Aeronautics is a pretty specific field. Do you work for the gov't or a gov't supplier or a heavily gov't regulated industry? Those are much different than most profit-centric cutthroat fields that most engineers work in. I'm sure Comuter Engr's and Physicists would disagree with me also but I'm talking about the engineers that most think about (ME, CE, EE, ChemE). I've known hundreds, possibly thousands over my time in industry and would find few that disagree with me and most will push their kids away from engineering.

I've worked in ny, tx and ohio since graduating with two degrees in Aero and mechanical in 2004, in large defense contractors. some of what i do is about as highly regulated as you can get, so perhaps you have a point there. to the op, it's what you make of it. I'm leaving because like jr here I've decided that my personality doesn't mesh with engineering and i need that humanistic side, but need to stay rooted in science.

 

[jr93]

I've worked in ny, tx and ohio since graduating with two degrees in Aero and mechanical in 2004, in large defense contractors. some of what i do is about as highly regulated as you can get, so perhaps you have a point there. to the op, it's what you make of it. I'm leaving because like jr here I've decided that my personality doesn't mesh with engineering and i need that humanistic side, but need to stay rooted in science.

I think we're on the same page. Aero is definately probably cooler than straight ME. I kind of liked gas dynamics as a senior elective. I love science like you and gadgets and everything else as well. Sadly, engineering has sapped all my desire to work on cars, do house/garage projects, and all the other things I used to love. I'm hoping that as I move into medicine, some of those loves will come back when I don't design stuff and fix industrial problems as a job.

 

[StraightShooter]

I'm a Mech. Engr that is entering med school this fall and I'd say that if you like helping people, engineering is not the field for you. You're basically a project manager in constant chaos that only helps upper management look better. You get no satisfaction from actually changing lives for the most part. It's not that engineering work isn't important but it isn't what most think and the stereotypical personality of an engineer is far different from someone that likes to serve the public. Many engineers change careers in the first 15 years because they either a) realize finance is easier and can make more money and they're already good at math or b) realize the field doesn't fit the personality (like me) and change to a service field. As a side note, if university physics class is taking a lot of time, drop engineering now...the classes get much harder than that. Keep your GPA up.

What if I end up finding out I really don't like medicine? Since I am interested in a lot of the topics covered in engineering I figured it was the route to keep myself interested and provided a solid back-up plan. But hey, you graduated with your degree in engineering if you don't mind me asking, how much hell did you go through? Did you have to take summer classes to meet your graduation deadline? Do you honestly feel if you graduated with a different degree you would've been able to keep a higher GPA?

Read your other posts as well, is it really that bad in industry? My professor that taught statics said that he felt he enjoyed industry for a few years and then went teaching b/c he didn't really like the work that companies had him doing. I honestly am just a student, so I wouldn't have any real first hand experience on that matter.

 

[jr93]

Engineering is a good career if you think you'll like it but the fact is that engineering GPA's are lower than average even though the students are smarter than average. It's your call. But if medicine is more likely, you'll want a high GPA so you have to weigh that. I'm 30 and graduated with a 3.22 GPA. I didn't try very hard back then and science comes easy to me so I thought school was fairly easy. I didn't anticipate applying to med school back then so a 3.22 is fine for getting jobs. I really don't even think any of my jobs are hard, it's just not my thing. Many professors went B.S./PhD/Professor so I wouldn't put much into what they say about industry. Try to get out and get an internship with a company to see if you like it. Some co-ops even pay pretty well while in school. You probably won't see all the fires that constantly get put out but you could get an idea. And yes, I could've had a 4.0 if I wanted it. Most engineers just don't care so you pick your fights. This is just my opinion so hopefully I don't offend anyone (I'm sure I will) but the effort to get a 4.0 in a bio major would probably get you around a 2.8 in ME, EE, ChemE. I worked 50 hrs/week as an engineer while driving many miles to take OChem and Bio and pulled A's easily. Many pre-meds think OChem is the hardest thing ever. It wouldn't be in the top 6 or 8 probably for a difficult engineering curriculum. I think more engineers would be happier though if the field was appreciated in the USA like it is in Japan, S. Korea, etc... A lot of engineers just think they get screwed

 

[StraightShooter]

Engineering is a good career if you think you'll like it but the fact is that engineering GPA's are lower than average even though the students are smarter than average. It's your call. But if medicine is more likely, you'll want a high GPA so you have to weigh that. I'm 30 and graduated with a 3.22 GPA. I didn't try very hard back then and science comes easy to me so I thought school was fairly easy. I didn't anticipate applying to med school back then so a 3.22 is fine for getting jobs. I really don't even think any of my jobs are hard, it's just not my thing. Many professors went B.S./PhD/Professor so I wouldn't put much into what they say about industry. Try to get out and get an internship with a company to see if you like it. Some co-ops even pay pretty well while in school. You probably won't see all the fires that constantly get put out but you could get an idea. And yes, I could've had a 4.0 if I wanted it. Most engineers just don't care so you pick your fights. This is just my opinion so hopefully I don't offend anyone (I'm sure I will) but the effort to get a 4.0 in a bio major would probably get you around a 2.8 in ME, EE, ChemE. I worked 50 hrs/week as an engineer while driving many miles to take OChem and Bio and pulled A's easily. Many pre-meds think OChem is the hardest thing ever. It wouldn't be in the top 6 or 8 probably for a difficult engineering curriculum. I think more engineers would be happier though if the field was appreciated in the USA like it is in Japan, S. Korea, etc... A lot of engineers just think they get screwed

Yeah I have interviews lined up for an internship to see if I like the industry settings and I want to gauge that experience on what next.
Thanks for the advice. Although I am in community college, I registered at a local state University as a non official student and took two ochem classes and I felt it didn't live up to the hype. But I still worry taking the last course with a heavy course load. Haha.

Did you ever work in the oil industry? I from what I hear its cyclical and people there really don't like their jobs.(from the ones I've talked to)

 

[jr93]

Yeah I have interviews lined up for an internship to see if I like the industry settings and I want to gauge that experience on what next.
Thanks for the advice. Although I am in community college, I registered at a local state University as a non official student and took two ochem classes and I felt it didn't live up to the hype. But I still worry taking the last course with a heavy course load. Haha.

Did you ever work in the oil industry? I from what I hear its cyclical and people there really don't like their jobs.(from the ones I've talked to)

I avoided the oil industry at all costs but I do have some friends in Houston working for NOV and BP. The one at NOV likes it. BP, not so much. I married right out of college and my wife went to grad school so oil rigs and heavy travel weren't for me. The money is pretty good in the oil industry I guess but I was happy with a somewhat low salary near my wife's school. I've never cared about the money, I'm always going to save and invest no matter what our family income is. I guess the possible good thing about working on rigs is that some people do some crazy schedules that allow lots of "off" time. Like 3 weeks on, 2 weeks off or something but I hear it's crazy when you're "on". Another thing I avoided was the automotive industry. I love cars but that's a rough industry. Regulations, layers of parent and daughter companies, daughters competing against daughters, companies dependent on variables driven by competitor companies, due dates changing outside of your companies control, the list goes on and on...That stuff isn't fun for me and I even lived in Indiana for a short time. But yea, give it a shot and see what you think. You probably won't find many summer jobs that pay as well as a lot of engineering co-ops so it's a plus even if you don't like it. I don't like engineering but I'd take it over crappy summer jobs any day. Either way, keep your GPA up. My GPA almost hurt my chances at medicine I think. I'm sure it hurt me at some schools anyway but oh well, I got in.