<p>So I’m about to start college and I’m not too sure if engineering is right for me. My school has an “Introduction to Engineering” course required for all of those wanting to major in any branch of engineering but in order to take the class you have to already be enrolled as an engineering major. Currently, I am undecided. (Why can’t my school just let me take that one credit class? Ugh.)</p>
<p>Not too sure about other schools, but it’s probably similar; my school has a very structured program for engineering majors and it would eliminate my possibility to explore other classes in anything else (no astronomy classes for me, ). Especially since I already did a year’s worth of dual enrollment, I need to get into major classes fast in order to keep my scholarship.</p>
<p>Anyway, I like math and I’m good at it. However, I would prefer less math because it isn’t the most interesting thing in the world to me. Science I adore. I feel like engineering would supplement my strengths of math and science, but would also transfer to good job prospects and help people in one way or another, unlike mythical science jobs.</p>
<p>Thoughts? Also, I know the branches of engineering vary greatly, so which ones would have more science and less math?</p>
<p>Those purely mathematical problems like integrate, test convergence or find x can become eventually boring after doing them 10^7 times but their applications in physics actually seem interesting. I do not think any engineering can depend heavily on physics but not use much math.</p>
<p>It sounds like it was your dual enrollment that is going to keep you from exploring certain other classes, not your school’s curriculum. Be that as it may, do you have any elective credits left or did you knock all of that out as a dual-enrollment student? Most programs allow/require enough wiggle room in general education electives that you could squeeze things like astronomy in there relatively easy. There is also nothing keeping you from taking an extra class, especially since you have bought yourself a fair bit of time by doing the dual-enrollment program.</p>
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<p>Basically every branch of engineering is equally grounded in both science and math. Math is simply the language that describes the behavior of the natural world, in this case, so science without math is pretty meaningless. Now, how math-heavy the work an engineer does and which type of math they most often use depends entirely on what their specialty area may be within their particular branch of engineering.</p>
<p>You are much better off choosing a branch of engineering based on which topic interests you the most. If the topic is interesting to you, you will be much more likely to put in the effort to really master the material and will be much less annoyed (and may even like) the application of math to the science and the application of that science to the real-world problem.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for your advice. Yeah, I knew there would be a bit of math, physics needs more math than any other science I can think of but some engineering is more chemistry-based and I assumed there would be less math than say, an aerospace engineer. I was curious.</p>
<p>Well, the engineering program has more major classes than all the other majors at my school (makes sense, really) but it wouldn’t give me enough credit room to take another science class and in about the third year it’s mainly all engineering classes. </p>
<p>^ that link right there will lead to a “guideline” of the Mechanical Engineering program with the coursework and credits. If you search that website a little more, it has all of the other Engineering programs.</p>
<p>All of my electives are pretty much gone. This year I have a couple of gen eds left and then they are all gone. Literally only two classes worth. Since I am one year ahead, I’m technically a sophomore and I will probably still be in school for the classic four years, just maybe less crammed in this major. Unless I decide quickly, I might be able to get out a year early and that’s a plus.</p>
<p>My school follows the guideline, so I enroll into the Engineering program my first semester will look just like that, except without English. That’s the only reason I get to have two electives right now. If I don’t enroll into Engineering now and say I wait a year, I’ll graduate a year late probably and another 20k maybe, so it’s a big concern.</p>
<p>What about Engineering Management? I haven’t heard much about that field.</p>
<p>I haven’t been in the workforce so I can’t help much but logically a former engineer would be better engineering manager than somebody with only engineering management education and no experience as an engineer.</p>
<p>If you like applied science then go for engineering. If you like chemistry more than physics then find out if biomedical or chemical engineering would be interesting to you.</p>
). Especially since I already did a year’s worth of dual enrollment, I need to get into major classes fast in order to keep my scholarship.</p>