School is killing me

[rousie13]

Is it me or do your classes(hw, tests, lectures, etc) make you feel really dumb a lot of the times? I took a Strength of Materials today(which I totally f-ed up I think) and I just felt like an idiot afterwards. Do professors enjoy making their students feel like this?? I'm seriously doubting my ambition to become an engineer now....hopefully my co-op will make me see that my job after school will be kinda fun compared to the wonderful world of school. I'm just feeling really stupid and a little upset with the whole world of engineering right now.

I love when professors give u problems on tests that are nothing at all like you've done on your homework.....it's freakin wonderful.

[[Zero-S]]

Welcome to college!

Thankfully my professors don't pull sh1t like that.

edit: But I do understand where you're coming from. Reading the book, doing the labs, and homework are supposed to prepare you for the test. Most of the time, the professor is like...what? Stuff that we've gone over? HA. Heres something to keep them entertained.

[rousie13]

I'm in my 3rd year, but it's getting worse and worse. I guess they say your 3rd year is the worst and so far it's so true. I'm probably going to pull out like a 2.5 or some shiat this semester.

[vicki]

I love my classes because my profs value my opinion, particularly in my latin american politics class.

But yeah this semester is freaking killing me. Along with 15 hours of work a week, 8 hours of practice, and riding, I don't have much time for anything else. Tournaments, horseshows, and football games take up my weekends.

Can't complain though. Life is good.

[gabossie]

I hate when prof's do that, and it happens most in math and structures classes. Structurs was the WORST for that. Hold out though. I made it through my third year of architecture, and that's by FAR the worst year. It'll be worth it when you finish, as long as you enjoy what you're doing that is.

[rousie13]

I just talked to some of the other guys in the class with the test today, and they all said it was a major biatch. We all do very very well(perfects on most) of the homeworks. I love tests that are absolutely nothings like the homework.

[HongKongChick]

yea sometimes u think that professors are using other professors' exams instead of writing exams themselves!

but then, there are always some students in the class that think they know everything and talk a whole lot in class to kiss the professor's ***, but in return, the professor just totally dismissed thier opinions coz they were dumb! WHAHA

[Q-less]

I absolutely love college and take advanced classes or speed classes to stay interested. Otherwise I get bored. I took 18 hours this past summer and love the fast pace, I took Biology for med majors because I thought non majors would be too easy. I used to be an Engineer major (Civil) and watched the salaries decline over the past few years while finance/accounting starting salaries were going up. Over the course of my career I will make more money within managerial accounting or a CPA firm (I will have more ladders to climb) than with any engineer degree. You're not stupid...you're just learning.

[JDMaholic]

I absolutely love college and take advanced classes or speed classes to stay interested. Otherwise I get bored. I took 18 hours this past summer and love the fast pace, I took Biology for med majors because I thought non majors would be too easy.

At least your modest

[gabossie]

It's not all about money and showing off

[base9se]

That's what college is all about man. Get over it! I took EE systems this summer w/ a full load. All the test I took in that class what nothing like the homework. I mean why should it be. All the professor wants to know is if you know the theory side of it. Always step back and look at the bigger picture. Once you become dependent on test that come out of your homework, it really doesn't show anything to the professor that your learning anything. That's why they give you problems that you've never seen, but don't freak out. Just think for a bit. From my experiences, most problems I've never seen before are 1.) Similar to other homewrok problems or 2.) the problem like 1, but needs an extra step or 2 to solve or 3.) Your professor is just an a$$

I did have one professor that didn't give a sh*t. Thermo professor who had phd-itis, who was an a$$ to everyone and if you asked a question he'll just give you a "you show know that already". Yeah, I've had that type of a professor.

[Q-less]

It is about the money if you are taking loans out and paying your own way. I want a secure job and want to know I will be able to get hired after finishing. I don't really see a lot companies waiting for engineers to finish so they can hire them. Almost every business or entity has accounting needs. I went to VT graduation and felt sorry for a good 2/3's of the graduates knowing they will never get an engineering job....that was a wakeup call. There simply are not enough engineering jobs for each graduating class each year nationwide. I enjoy civil engineering and was depressed for months after changing majors, but it was the right choice.

[gabossie]

Loans or not, I don't want to pay that kind of money for a degree in something I wouldn't enjoy doing the rest of my life. Say you get a job in accounting and pay off your loans, then after 5 years of working you're tired of it... wasted time and money in my opinion.

[Q-less]

I want to know I can pay my debt after school.

....and for those who harp on the smart ones:A girl kept nagging me for asking questions on topics I was curious about becasue she was just in a hurry to get out of class. She did it again after we had an exam returned to us and I turned to her and asked her what she made, I knew she failed....I threw my perfect score in her face and she never bothered me again. Another student said they were going to start listening to the questions/answers I ask because it must be working. The whole class was stunned....I loved it.

[Q-less]

Accounting was my first love.

I can't keep my mouth shut in class im having so much fun. It's like doing puzzles or games when I do the accounting worksheets.

[base9se]

It's all about what you love to do. I personally recommend doing a co-op, because you are actually out there and getting the feel of what could be your career. Enjoy college..find what you enjoy and stick with it!

[rousie13]

At my school.....you start out in one of the harder engineering tracks(mechanical, biomedical, electrical)...then go to civil....then go to business. Thats the path the people who can't make it in engineering take here. Mechanical engineers job placement is very good....you can do nearly anything with that degree.

[gabossie]

For us, people who are in arc drop out and go into either civil or graphic design. We have an over 50% drop out rate.

[Q-less]

At my school.....you start out in one of the harder engineering tracks(mechanical, biomedical, electrical)...then go to civil....then go to business. Thats the path the people who can't make it in engineering take here. Mechanical engineers job placement is very good....you can do nearly anything with that degree.

You are a third year student right...then you should just now be getting into your major curriculum, of course its going to be harder. My fiance's family spent over $100,000 for out of state tuition for her brother to get a mechanical engineering degree from Virginia Tech. He is now back in school getting his masters in education. There is simply too much competition for any engineering job market except computer.

Oh, I could handle it....I skipped a few finals and was the first to make perfect scores on one teacher's exams. Again I enjoyed civil engineering, I was a land surveyor for 4 years and enjoyed it and wanted to do know the inside. I just want to know that I will have a job when I graduate and be soon able to provide for a family and enjoy nice things.

Can you handle it....are you handling it? School just started and you sound as if you are cracking already. Do you enjoy it, or are you just lowering your GPA and hurting your collegiate future if you do decide to change majors. I'm not trying to step on your toes....just trying to get you to think. You are in your major curriculum and should be having more fun than your previous basic curriculum.

All I'm saying is I take in what is around me and made a choice with all things considered. Luckily I fell back on another love.

[Altiman94]

I work 35 hours a week and have 16 hours of classes. My major is business administration. So far my profs seem to be fair and just. Ive had 1 test that i studied alot for and still didnt pull out a good grade. Thats just the way the cookie crumbles

[rousie13]

I have a 3.0 at my school....and if you pull out a 3.0 or higher here, you're doing pretty damn good. My engineering lab is fun and Thermo II can be fun when we're talking about aerodynamics and such. But classes like Engineering Analysis and Systems and Materials are just not fun. Classes like Kinematics and my labs are fun. I'm just hating the stuff that I'll never use again in my life.

[Q-less]

It's just that you imply I couldn't make it in Engineering and your arrogance has blinded you. I wasn't forced out because of grades, enjoyment, etc. I made the choice to change majors and it was hard...based on future career forcasts and tangible evidence engineering markets were slumping.

YOU'RE the one who said you were contemplating your future as an engineer. If you think you are slipping, that should be your wake up call. NO master program for you if your grades slip. What are your future career plans; how do you think your life after college is going to play out. You are preparing for the rest of your life right now and should be thinking of all of your options.

Its childish to call someone an underacheiver for not being an engineer - my teachers hated the fact I changed majors simply because I was one of their best. I just realized I could better my future while I could still change it and not waste my time/life. I would rather realize it now than when I'm bagging groceries with my engineering degree in my wallet.

[rousie13]

I never said anything about you changing out of engineering. You didn't like it, so you changed. I was just saying the trend at my school, which I found amusing because so many did it.

I'm not slipping.....its just the classes I'm taking are making me dislike engineering, but most of what I'm taking now I'll never use again because you won't do most of this work by hand, you'll use computer programs. And my school has a pretty high job placement rate for engineers, so I'm not worried about it.

[Q-less]

Regardless, I respect anyone who has the balls to graduate with a basic engineering degree (mechanical, civil, computer) and brave the job market. Good luck.

Now chemical, biomedical, and maybe aero and you might have a job waiting on you.

[rousie13]

Aero's actually have a harder time than mechanical engineers. Mechanical engineers can cover a lot of different fields with a little bit of tweaking. Aero's just have more fluids classes than meche's.

[Q-less]

I agree a lot of people turn to Business as an easy degree...and I as well think its funny. I looked forward to my junior year to get away from all of the idiots and lazy people in the basic curriculum classes.

I can get my CPA and masters in Accounting/Finance in the same amount of time it would have taken me to get certified as an Engineer...and get in the job market while I still have all of my hair. I saw so many more opportunities with a CPA (government, firm, directors) and the fact that over 80% of all CEO's come from an accounting background. I have the same strong drive to succeed in Accounting as I did in Engineering.

I really hope you do great in school and would like to hear more in the future about your goals. But, if you are doubting yourself, you need to have a heart to heart with yourself and find out what it is that made you choose mechanical engineering and focus on it real hard...that will get you through.

[gabossie]

How long does it take for ME? Arch is 5 years of core classes (we start core classes from day 1 and work on GE's concurently), but it takes most people a little more than 5 years. I'll be there for 6 years I think, but I'm going to try to pick up a minor in graphic arts as well. Bleh, 6 years for a BA and an income that I could probably achieve with a HS diploma, good thing I love it.

[Q-less]

Glad to see your spirits high!!

Accounting was my first love. I became interested in civil eng. after high school. I saw an ad in the paper for a surveyor, I thought it was like a census taker!! I go for the interview and the manager asks me if I know what a plumb bob is and I saw no. He asks if I can hold one and I reply "I will try my damnest." I worked my way from a backsighter to operator within the year. I fell in love with it and even loved doing perk tests..all of it.

I love accounting...its fun....its like puzzles!! People in class think im crazy!!

[base9se]

How long does it take for ME?

MEs usually graduate in 5 years. Great thing about ME is the job versatility. MEs can work anywhere. Whether maintenance, power plants, manufacturing, research, & etc. I think most people go into engineering for the wrong reasons. Most say for salary, some say because they're good in math. Yes, math has alot to do with engineering we all know that. Yeah, you might be good in math but can you analyze & solve the problem. IMO people enjoy engineering mechanics classes because they can relate to it very easily. That's why the first two years are enjoyable to students.

[JDMaholic]

I go to Purdue and most Engineers I know have jobs, the market is starting to pick up and lots of places are hiring again. I even have a job offer with my 2.5 in EE and I only applied a few places. Also alto of placement depends on the quality of the program the school has. (some companies like a select few schools). Many executives started out as Engineers, most technical companies prefer it. MBA programs and law schools readily take Engineers even with a little lower GPA's than other majors. 2 of my former roomates who graduated in 2001 are making over 130g's a year, one got his MBA, the other just lucked. Another friend of mine enrolled at the same time in the same MBA program and is only making 50g's. It's because he had an Agricultural Economics undergraduate degree. Me eh, I probably won't get a great job, but I will get one, and for someone who applies themself in school jobs are available.