so, what's first year engineering like?

isshevital
Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:42:36 +0000

sorry if this is a frequently asked question, i went back 16 pages and couldn’t seem to find any topics specifically related to the experience rather than the difficulty of getting in!

mostly, i’m interested to know what options a student might have if they need help. if i decide to attend purdue and get accepted to the engineering program, i’ll be the first to admit that i won’t be able to do it without dedication and a lot of help. are there study groups, or are office hours pretty much the only way to get additional help with difficult material?

also, how difficult did you find it? how comfortable were you with math going into the program? had you taken calculus in high school, or just precalculus? tips for success and common mistakes?

any other commentary is appreciated as well. i’m an indecisive high school senior trying to decide between IU for a liberal arts degree and purdue for an engineering or physics degree. mostly, i’m considering purdue because my brother graduated with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in '07 and has commonly told me that as a woman, i’ll have my road paved in gold should i decide to pursue engineering. to put it bluntly, math doesn’t come naturally to me, but with dedication and lots of studying i’ve done well before. physics, on the other hand, is one of my best subjects.

i’m trying to be really honest with myself as far as whether i could survive rigorous math courses, so the best approximation of what i’ll be getting myself into would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

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