To people who have ME degrees

[KSI LC XK]

Well first off, I am new to this forum/community. Hello...

Anyway, before I registered to this forum, I have been browsing here for a while and I saw a forum about what it takes to become a ME. Yes, I know it is hard, and I have to be committed. I have to love math. And etc... My question is, is there anything I should know about before I start learning? (anything about anything. Either knowledge or experience.) Anything that has helped YOU get an edge in becoming a ME.

Because to be honest, I have no idea what I am doing. When I was applying to a college, I did not know what I wanted to do, so I just picked Mechanical Engineer (because they needed to know what I was going to major in at that moment). If you think I am not suitable for this tell me. I just don't know what to do...

[structured]

If you are serious, change your major. If you are not, gtfo.

[Nic01101011]

If you are serious, change your major. If you are not, gtfo.

+1

you're barking up the wrong tree.
odd first post though...

[shiftbmw]

1)Realize that you will likely forget many of the details once you are 5 years out of school. What you are really learning is a mindset. You will be able to approach problems and gain an extremely fast understanding of what is needed to solve it. You will only occasionally call upon the information you learned in school.

That said, focus on how and why things happen, and don't get so hung up in the numbers.

2) Having a technical background opens many doors into other career fields, should you choose that engineering is not for you. If you commit for your bachelor's degree, you don't necessarily screw yourself in the future if you change your mind. Business or law school with an engineering degree is a solid combination. Look up the average salary of a patent attorney.

3)Find the right whiskey and stick to it.

[Aptyp]

I don't think engineering degree is something you choose to fill a blank on an application... Just for that, gods of physics and calculus with punish you.

[KSI LC XK]

No way in hell am I going to major in business or law... I'm the kind of person that does not want to do alot/spend too much time in school, but still get a decent job to live in this hard world. I mean, if I won a 50 million dollar lottery, I'd say screw college (who wouldn't...) and live off that, but I have a better chance of jumping off the moon and landing on earth without a single scratch so that's out of the question. The only thing that is motivating me at the moment is getting out of my parents house and have a life of my own. The only problem is, what should I do? If I choose ME now, I don't want to finish and then later on be like "agh I don't want to do this anymore" and go back to school for another four years. It's just that nothing else interests me. Unless there is a job where I would get paid to sit around all day and do nothing. Boy that would be great...

[Raxe]

Work at Wal-Mart.

You are definitely NOT going to successfully graduate as a ME if you're not willing to work your ass off for it.

[TheFightingCPA]

Once I get my accounting degree I'm starting up mechanical engineering. I absoultely love math and the whole subject is mesmerizing to me.

[mamzak]

No way in hell am I going to major in business or law... I'm the kind of person that does not want to do alot/spend too much time in school, but still get a decent job to live in this hard world. I mean, if I won a 50 million dollar lottery, I'd say screw college (who wouldn't...) and live off that, but I have a better chance of jumping off the moon and landing on earth without a single scratch so that's out of the question. The only thing that is motivating me at the moment is getting out of my parents house and have a life of my own. The only problem is, what should I do? If I choose ME now, I don't want to finish and then later on be like "agh I don't want to do this anymore" and go back to school for another four years. It's just that nothing else interests me. Unless there is a job where I would get paid to sit around all day and do nothing. Boy that would be great...

Sounds like you're going to be that kid that dreams big and sits in the first row, but never studies, or doesn't study hard enough, and fails HARD first year.

If you actually want to do this, get serious NOW and prepare to say goodbye to friends, and extra-curricular activities.

[Aptyp]

Work at Wal-Mart.

yup, wait 40 years and you'll be perfectly seasoned to sit on your ass and greet people there.

[Conki]

I never got why everyone's saying that MEs have to say goodbye to friends and free time. I admit, I haven't had much time just sit around, but I like being busy.
I started ME 2 years ago, and I only have my last year left with 1 additional class from junior year (so I'll finish in 3 years with almost regular units in the final year). I had lots of units all the time, and pledged a fraternity in the meantime, of which I'm a member of for 18 months now. We party every day, I love drinking beer, and I never had to give that up.
ME is awesome, there is nothing else that motivates me, only the thought that once I might work for a bigger company to design and test cars.
Oh and extracurricular activities? I'm doing SAE Baja, it's awesome. And I'm a member of Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma and ASME as well.
Vice president of Tau Beta Pi, Scholarship Chairman of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Secretary of American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

I'm saying all this to show an example that ME is not just a nerdy major which if you choose you lose all friends. It is a lifestyle, it is a great, if not the best thing you can do in college. Of course you have to work hard, and then even harder, but it will constantly give back, as you will gain experience in multiple aspects of life. Then as I was told, it's even better when you get out, get your masters, and then live your dream life.
You only need one thing for this; passion for engineering.

[TexasTerp]

I agree with Conki about the ME lifestyle. I was planning on double majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering before I started my life in Opera.

To the OP, I'm agreeing with everyone else here. ME is not something you just get into. Where in Texas are you applying for? A&M and UT? if either, you can forget about it, you'll fail out in the first semester from the sound of it. I have friends with 1600 SATs that didn't cut it in either program. Just go in as a general studies major and pick something later. Hell I was told by the advisors I wouldn't even get in to A&M's College of Engineering and to go in as a general studies for the first year. I have 4 friends who left ME after 2 years, it ain't easy, not by a long shot.

[TexasTerp]

I agree with Conki about the ME lifestyle. I was planning on double majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering before I started my life in Opera.

To the OP, I'm agreeing with everyone else here. ME is not something you just get into. Where in Texas are you applying for? A&M and UT? if either, you can forget about it, you'll fail out in the first semester from the sound of it. I have friends with 1600 SATs that didn't cut it in either program. Just go in as a general studies major and pick something later. Hell I was told by the advisors I wouldn't even get in to A&M's College of Engineering and to go in as a general studies for the first year. I have 4 friends who left ME after 2 years, it ain't easy, not by a long shot.

[Maluco]

No way in hell am I going to major in business or law... I'm the kind of person that does not want to do alot/spend too much time in school, but still get a decent job to live in this hard world. I mean, if I won a 50 million dollar lottery, I'd say screw college (who wouldn't...) and live off that, but I have a better chance of jumping off the moon and landing on earth without a single scratch so that's out of the question. The only thing that is motivating me at the moment is getting out of my parents house and have a life of my own. The only problem is, what should I do? If I choose ME now, I don't want to finish and then later on be like "agh I don't want to do this anymore" and go back to school for another four years. It's just that nothing else interests me. Unless there is a job where I would get paid to sit around all day and do nothing. Boy that would be great...

this statement in conjunction with you even considering ME is a laugh. The E's in my math lab spend hours daily just doing math, nevermind the time spent on other classes.

[drumad]

ME is more or less application vs theory/math. So if you can't tell the difference between a philips head or a flat head screwdriver then you shouldnt be in ME (horrible example, I know). I read an article concerning educating engineers that said it's easier to teach a farmboy math than a mathematician mechanics.

To be honest, I worked my ass off and partied harder. A professor my freshman year told us this specifically, "work hard in class, party harder out of class." Blatantly said, "Get your work done and enjoy college, bc once its all over, you'll be in a constant cycle of work/dayjobs/shit."

You don't sound too motivated at all so I say don't do ME. Go do something relatively easier. If you want money, engineering is definitely not the industry for you.