College Discussion - View Single Post

jbtravers07 · 07-17-2007, 01:24 AM

I have a couple questions concerning engineering, most specifically if I would be a good candidate for engineer. This fall i will be starting as a freshman at Purdue majoring in chemistry and will be doing undergrad research starting the first semester. I'm not sure if chemistry (or any pure science) is the right major for me because I am not really a big fan of labs, or at least I wasn't in high school. I remember i liked lectures in chemistry and bio and physics but not the labs, but probably cuz they were for the most part repetitive or dull. Right now my plans are either to go to grad school (but from what I hear, this isn't well advised because of a PhD glut) or med school (probably the MD/PhD path and try to get a position at a research university). If I end up hating the labs in college as well (i'm taking Bio and Chem so i will have plenty of experience), I would consider transferring over to engineering, then based on how I enjoyed it either just get a Masters in engineering or enter Med school and forgo the PhD.

I am a pretty math and science oriented person. In high school my favorite class was calculus, I have done well on standardized tests (ACT of 35 and SAT I Math of 780), and I have taken plenty of AP classes (5 on Calc BC, 3 on Chem, 4 on Calc AB, 4 in Stats) so I have some of the basic classes out of the way. I like trying to improve things, like recently I rearranged my bedroom to maximize open space (i know its nerdy but o well). However, i am terrible at drawing and do not consider myself very good at designing. Like, I am good at figuring out the easiest way of doing things, but I wouldn't consider myself one to draw a plan for an artificial heart or nuclear reactor or anything like that. The general impression is that one must be able to draw at least decently to excel in engineering - is this true?

Finally, if I do decide to enter into engineering, I'm not sure which discipline I would enter, although I am leaning towards Industrial b/c I like the whole aspect of figuring out the best and most logical way of doing things.

To sum it up succinctly, I enjoy figuring out the best and most logical way of doing things and I like math, but I can't draw and don't want to design products or reactors or anything like that. Is engineering for me?

07-17-2007, 01:24 AM	#1
jbtravers07 New Member Join Date: May 2007 Threads: 4 Posts: 19	Right skills for engineering? I have a couple questions concerning engineering, most specifically if I would be a good candidate for engineer. This fall i will be starting as a freshman at Purdue majoring in chemistry and will be doing undergrad research starting the first semester. I'm not sure if chemistry (or any pure science) is the right major for me because I am not really a big fan of labs, or at least I wasn't in high school. I remember i liked lectures in chemistry and bio and physics but not the labs, but probably cuz they were for the most part repetitive or dull. Right now my plans are either to go to grad school (but from what I hear, this isn't well advised because of a PhD glut) or med school (probably the MD/PhD path and try to get a position at a research university). If I end up hating the labs in college as well (i'm taking Bio and Chem so i will have plenty of experience), I would consider transferring over to engineering, then based on how I enjoyed it either just get a Masters in engineering or enter Med school and forgo the PhD. I am a pretty math and science oriented person. In high school my favorite class was calculus, I have done well on standardized tests (ACT of 35 and SAT I Math of 780), and I have taken plenty of AP classes (5 on Calc BC, 3 on Chem, 4 on Calc AB, 4 in Stats) so I have some of the basic classes out of the way. I like trying to improve things, like recently I rearranged my bedroom to maximize open space (i know its nerdy but o well). However, i am terrible at drawing and do not consider myself very good at designing. Like, I am good at figuring out the easiest way of doing things, but I wouldn't consider myself one to draw a plan for an artificial heart or nuclear reactor or anything like that. The general impression is that one must be able to draw at least decently to excel in engineering - is this true? Finally, if I do decide to enter into engineering, I'm not sure which discipline I would enter, although I am leaning towards Industrial b/c I like the whole aspect of figuring out the best and most logical way of doing things. To sum it up succinctly, I enjoy figuring out the best and most logical way of doing things and I like math, but I can't draw and don't want to design products or reactors or anything like that. Is engineering for me?