I was wondering if there are anyone majoring in mechanical engineering on this site? How is the curriculum in school? Im very interested in this major!! Is there an extreme amount of math required for this field? How hard is the curriculum, do you still have some time to have fun? Thanks!
i am majorin in ME. I am a sophomore and I havnt really gotten into the main ME curriculum yet. There are 4 calculus that I have to take. I am on the 2nd one now and it doesnt seem too hard. The only class so far that is a bitch is the physics. I still have more than enough time to go out and have a good time, but the thing i dont have is money.
I'm an ME at Purdue. The work is challenging and difficult. Mostly because it is things you have never seen before (once you get past the basics) and it does involve a lot of math. It's lots of work because its not things that you are used to seeing on an every day basis. It's almost all problem solving kinds of things, with very little memorizing (other than basic formulas), so everything always different. I had to take 5 semesters of upper level math (3 of Calculus, 2 of Differential Equations), and most of it seems to get used on this or that. Of course there is still time to have fun. We'd all go insane if there wasn't. Don't plan on going out every night drinking... major in management or something if you want to do that[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/IMG] . If you budget your time well and do your homework during the day rather than waiting until 8 pm to start it, you can still have free time and some fun.
Well I'm a Civil Structural Forensic Engineer (i.e. I study structural failures of materials) and I can tell you for about your first 2-3 years of college...all engineers take the same classes (weeding out period)...then your last 1-2 years you specialize in the Engineeing field of choice..even though, you're considered in the School of Mechanical engineering. Anyway, here are some anwers to your questions:
1. Engineering.........ALL MATH!!!!!!!!!!!..then SOME MORE MATH......then when you think you're done.......A HELL OF A LOT OF MATH!!!...!!!!!
2. Enginering Major= NO FUN!!!!!!!!.......study all the time unless your just a mathmatical genius or the material come easy to you
3. BUT!!..in the end, when the smoke clears and you're getting that diploma....NOTHING FEELS BETTER!!!
GOOD LUCK...and just being honest with you...BTW, what school??????
I'm ME. depends on the school you go to for the work load. I used to go to the Colorado School of Mines, and that school will rape you(Hard). There is lots of math, you have Calc 1,2,3 and then diffy screw for math classes. I had to take Physics 1,2,3. and then the rest of you classes are based on those. so even when you are done with the math classes all your other classes are calc and physics based. If you do good in those classes and understand whats going on it's not to bad, just time comsuming. It pretty interesting I think.
I have my BS in EET, and I am currently working toward my MCSE degree. I just love it when work pays for schooling of any kind. If you want to be an Engineer of any kind be prepared to have virtually no life outside of school, if you want to end up with the maximum amount of knowledge and experience that you can gain from your teachers and the other students in the course. Also find an edge where you and your teacher can connect outside of school work so that you get in on his good side, my teacher at DeVry was a bowling nut, loved the sport. Me and him would gove over to the lanes after school, he would buy the drinks and the food, I would pay for the bowling. We would just have fun while we were there and at the same time discussing the things that we went over in class and what else I should be doing if I really wanted to make it in this field. If you can get in like that with a teacher it will make your school "daze" a lot easier than you think.
I have a BSME from NU, its probably in the top 5 hardest undergrad degrees on the market - how possible or impossible it is depends on where you go. NU had what I would describe as a strong program, you didn't have to blow away your social life completley but a girl and a job were out of the question for almost everyone in the program. After you graduate those situations both improve quite a bit - and thats an understatement, As an engineer you are able to enjoy a lot of things...
I am falling behind in math... I still have 3 technical calculus to take... allman is deadon with that fact that all engineering majors gotta go through a buttload of math.
been taking a lot of general classes instead because I'm getting my ass outta engineering.
expect some good amount of physics with mechanical engineering...
*raises hand* Mech E at university of Arkansas
edit: Mech E's here are pretty busy, but it doesnt mean you dont get to have a social life. like a few peopel said before, is very math and physics intensive, and you WILL stay busy thats dor damn sure. im only a freshman, so i've only had a taste of true mech E classes, and i've got 3 calculus classes to go, 2 physics, and some other things before i get finished with my pre-professional stuff
one word. thermodynamics. if you're a mechie you will learn to love thermo.. or you will die [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]
glad i'm an electrical, until applied EM waves comes along
ME student here! like most people said, you have to love MATH. Everything involves math. Don't like math? you gonna have a hard time in engineering. Basically ME involves Thermal Sciences ( Thermodynamics, Heat transfer, HVAC, etc) and Mechanical Design Sciences ( Machinery Design, CAD, Materials, Vibrations, Controls, etc) and also they give you some of the other engineering courses like Electronics, Electric machines and transformers, management, ethics that will help you as ME. It's hard, you have to study and do a LOT of work, but if you are good you get great opportunities in most prestigious industries. so Enjoy!!
I just thought I would add this. This semester is only 1/3 over and my homework returned has stacked up to over and inch in nothing but math math math, and more math problems. Get good at matries, they make the world a lot easier.
