mechanical engineering

[skylndrftr]

I was never onsidered smart by my pears either but I don't listen to fruit

GPA is very important for the first job but its not everything. I am currently cooping/interning like I said, I got asked a whole bunch of questions about my ASME involvement in the interview for this job but I wouldn't have gotten it without a decent GPA.

Don't take that to mean GPA is everything though. Iwould imagine most people are happier to higher somebody with a 3.0 and experience than a 3.5 study fiend.

Also, I strongly encourage everyone to go out and find either a Coop or an Internship. It takes a lot of that leap out of your first job. The first job is very hard to find if your going in dry. Don't think interns do nothing either, they will almost always let you do whatever you are capable of. Currently people I know are cooping at:

NASA - working on thermal analysis of re-entry vehiclesNorthrup Gummin - Designing and conducting airfoil tests in a wind tunnelGE - working on process controls for fibe optic cable manufaturing

of those, the first two have both been offered full time jobs already. One graduates this coming spring one graduates NEXT spring. A foot in the door is a realy nice thing to have.

[EMK]

I'm a second year ME at NC A&T and I can't believe that I'm just now running into this thread. I realized quite quickly that if you were doing the ME path to get to cars that you were off your mo***f***in noodle. But I found a little comfort in the co-op that I've had. Granted I made it really really close to the automotive field in my first co-op (Cummins Turbo Technologies) I want to say a few things about the ME major first. Yes it is extremely broad and it's beyond explanation hard. Me myself I love the science of it but the math at this level becomes very very disconnected from reality. I agree that once you get past your freshman year you will be thrown more theoretical bull than most can stand but if you survive ( TAKE CO-OPS AND INTERNSHIPS) the reward more than makes up for it. The field is large enough for you to find the job you want to go to. And the money is really being low balled from what I've seen (average grad with BS here sees 55k plus 45k is the lowest I've heard of and 80k was the top) The are right about the GPA thing though nobody really cares about you if you don't have a 3.0 that just seems to be par for the course. I'm all for reality but do everything you can to get it there and keep it there as it's a much more friendly market. Now I will say that this is near impossible if you actually plan to live anywhere but in your books but it really helps.

Now that I'm done saying what everyone else has said I'll get to the point.

I have finaly come to the realization that I thoroughly despise school for all it's theretical non practical bull****. I'm also repulsed by what the automotive job market seems to resemble (that rant about how people don't know what a good design is and how they all end up using old parts and modifying them how the ringleader has a 7th grade science education...... That seems to be hitting the nail in the head) I've seen my light flicker at the end of the tunnel and so I hope to give hope to those who thought there was some purpose in the ME major. Amidst all the negative things that we've said here about engineering it's got a tremendous upside that I think most of the posts has kind skimmed over. An engineering degree is a gateway into so many things career wise.

1st off the designer that we all dreamed to be we can. That's basically what there training you to do you just have to have the creativity and drive to do it for yourself instead of for Nissan

2nd off the PE license is a ticket for you to do your own design and R&D. And people actually pay your for it. Not to mention it raises your pay grade.

3rd This degree is really a on stop shop in college. More people with engineering degrees (Where I'm from) end up working outside their field than in. Most go into levels of upper management of all types of companies. So your job is there you just have to find it.

Realize that if you were thinking about being an ME it does entail a lot of BULL that you don't wanna go through but it may in the end be worth it and of course there's always your cars to keep you sane. I myself need to complete an engine swap before I can sanely deal woth all the S*** school is putting me through for another year. (Goal of 9/2008)

[JimmyMethod]

I'm 4th year ME and GPA doesn't mean a thing to me.Take the LSAT and go PL/IPL. That's what all the cool kids are doing.

[neonbomb]

4th year Manufacturing Engineer (Applied Engineering Science with a minor in Supply Chain Management to be exact)

YOU ARENT AN ENGINEER UNTIL YOU ARE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM lol. Im kidding but just remember engineering has the highest dropout rate of any other major (yes its true)

I was an ME for 2.5 years until i realized the car industry is nothing anymore. And believe me i would know, i go to school at Michigan State, in the heart of the motor city (believe me, im not bragging).

GPA doesnt mean ****. You will succeed in life when you realize this: Its not what you know, its who you know.

[JimmyMethod]

EL isn't really the heart of the Motor City, since it's almost 2 hours outside of it...

[skylndrftr]

its all just generally kinda the ghetto...

I visited Kettering and was just totally creeped out. Not to mention I thought the wheels on the car were gonna fall off from the roads.

[neonbomb]

EL isn't really the heart of the Motor City, since it's almost 2 hours outside of it...

Yes true but coming from out of state, i conclude that michigan is one big manufacturing plant. A manufacturing plant that is in shambles and i must admit, im pissed off i came to school in a state that is in such a financial downfall that I have no desire to live here, and no companies want to be here.

BUT ALAS, i realize now why american cars cant turn. ITS SO DAMN FLAT HERE IS MAKES ME SICK

EDIT:::guy above me, you avatar is great

and i dont mean to hate on michigan because i do love it here, its just facts that its one big pile of shat

[JimmyMethod]

its all just generally kinda the ghetto...

I visited Kettering and was just totally creeped out. Not to mention I thought the wheels on the car were gonna fall off from the roads.

...That's because Kettering is in FLINT...Flint is the worst city. Ever. Downtown D-town doesn't beat Flint...

GM ****ed that place so bad...

[scottotrauma]

I'm in Aerospace Engineering at Auburn, so far so good, polymer and fabric engineering, that sort of thing is one of the more up and coming fields that has a lot of really neat applications, possibly in auto industry. why aerospace you ask? hoping to be a USAF test pilot

[duffman1278]

^^^ WOW!! Gl with aerospace, it has like the highest dropout rate in Cal Poly Pomona for the engineering school. I heard its CRAZY hard.

[Promise Land]

It's been 2.5 years since this conversation stopped. Any updates from anyone that posted previously? I have worked for Nissan for 5 years and automotive suppliers for the 5 years before Nissan.

[elwesso]

I graduate in May with an ME degree... Nissan wouldnt be a bad place to work but they're not too conveniently located for me (TN and MS), and I'm more interested in thermo/fluids/heat transfer sort of stuff... so like gas turbines, power plants, and so on.

[Loki]

Posting in an awesome thread for my own future reference I too am an ME student. Junior next fall at Penn State Main. I'm thinking of staying in school and going for my master's and a bachelor's in some math degree. Need to sit down with an adviser who knows their stuff first. My adviser at my branch campus wasn't much help, especially since his degree was Comp Sci, not even ME.

[Promise Land]

I graduate in May with an ME degree... Nissan wouldnt be a bad place to work but they're not too conveniently located for me (TN and MS), and I'm more interested in thermo/fluids/heat transfer sort of stuff... so like gas turbines, power plants, and so on.

You might be able to do more of that in Farmington Hills, MI (Design center) or AZ (Testing Lab).

[HGOTBOOST]

I currently have electrical engg as major soon to be changed only God know to what.The problem with engg its not the Electrical Circuits n stuff but EFFIN CALCULUS i cant pass that class.I am just really bad @ math.GPA is pretty terrible...................

[duffman1278]

EIT for me in October woot!

In california, average is about 60-70k