Systems Engineering major ... and more

Colleges & Universities United States Naval Academy (USNA)
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<p>One of the best things that we are seeing is the academic advising that the plebes get (and I would images upper-class too). Son’s advisor has made excellent suggestions, sent him off to talk to the right folks in certain departments and is making sure that he has chosen classes both for this past semester and the next that will give him many options for both a major and minor if he chooses. </p>

<p>There is not a civilian school out there that is following the progress of their freshmen like USNA is following the plebes. Heck, at most schools you are lucky if you even have an assigned advisor until you are well into your major!</p>

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<p>

Correct. In fact, I think there may be a thread about it in here already.</p>

<p>

It boggles the mind, actually. </p>

<p>

Never was able to find that damned thing.</p>

<p>

More like, “Neurons are firing.”</p>

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<p>On the subject of declaring majors…Z is correct - USNA doesn’t want any incoming declared majors…this has been the case forever. EXCEPT for the Class of 2010 and for the Arabic and Chinese majors. The profs who developed this program have pleaded with USNA to let them start off the bat with their mids as Plebes, because they are very concerned that these young people needed to hit the ground running for their major,if there was any chance that these young adults would be able to be competent by graduation in their foreign language… and that’s why those Plebes are already declared Arabic or Chinese majors, and WhistePig is right, my kiddo is one of the Arabic majors as a Plebe. She had her schedule modified from the original one - I believe she had bumped another required Plebe class, but I don’t recall which one - and will have to pick up her requirements on that when there is a whole in her schedule. I have seen her 6 weeek progress report so for once I know each class she has…
Arabic
Chemistry
Calculus2
English
Seamanship
Boxing(female)
Leadership,
with listed validated classes in English and Spanish as well</p>

<p>This comes to 18 units of actual class time. But for anyone who is a USNA grad YOU know that this is not the real indication of the other roughly 18 units of military stuff you have to deal with.</p>

<p>I don’t know if this helps, but I do have, from Plebe Parent’s weekend, a printed schedule of the 4 year program ALL mids follow - and there is a component of math/engineering/science for all, no matter what your major. If anyone wants me to scan and email them a copy email me at <a href="mailto:nofoolingme2003■■■■■■.com">nofoolingme2003■■■■■■.com</a> and I’ll be happy to oblidge. Clearly USNA is a math/science/engineering school first and foremost - those in other majors in essence still minor in this area.</p>

<p>Trust me - USNA has one of the best academic programs in the country and if your kiddo goes there - not only is his academic education top notch - but he/she graduates with a guaranteed job - and leadership opportunities Ivy League young people can only dream about.</p>

<p>GO NAVY
BEAT ARMY</p>

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<p>Continued from Post #20:</p>

<p>All of the engineering majors at the Naval Academy share the same core courses:</p>

<p>• Calculus (3 semesters)</p>

<p>• Differential Equations (1 semester)</p>

<p>• Statics (1 semester)</p>

<p>• Dynamics (1 semester)</p>

<p>• Electrical Engineering (Cables) (1 semester)</p>

<p>• Thermodynamics (2 semesters)</p>

<p>• Fluid Dynamics (1 semester)</p>

<p>• Chemistry (2 semesters)</p>

<p>• Physics (2 semesters)</p>

<p>Midshipmen don’t get into any specific major courses until the second semester of Youngster year (unless you’ve validated a lot of courses).</p>

<p>Naval Architecture and Aeronautical Engineering are essentially the application of engineering principals to a specific design problem. For Naval Architecture and Aeronautical Engineering the design problem is the same: designing 3-dimensional vessels that will be propelled through a fluid. Specifically, for Naval Architecture designing ships that will be propelled through water and for Aerospace Engineering designing aircraft that will be propelled through the air.</p>

<p>Naval Architecture came into being as an engineering discipline because of a unique and complex end-product, the ship. A special combination of knowledge and experience is needed to design and build a ship. Variety exists not only in the kinds of work (research, design, cost-estimation, fabrication, and management), but also in the types of craft involved—from sailboats to aircraft carriers, hydrofoil boats to catamarans, and submarines to surface-effect vehicles.</p>

<p>One of the benefits of attending the Naval Academy is having access to world-class laboratory facilities. Midshipmen don’t have to compete with graduate students for that access. Most students at civilian universities don’t get the same access as midshipmen until they are in graduate school.</p>

<p>Recently, the laboratory facilities were totally rebuilt and are state-of-the-art in every aspect. Thank you Hurricane Isabelle!</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Most of the above are also required for “bull” majors. We didn’t have the “dynamic” courses, but did take Weapons Systems Engineering and Law for the JO our firtie year. We took something akin to Thermo, but it wasn’t called that, our 2/c year and intro to engineering as a plebe. We also took the same naval courses as everyone else (celestial nav, leadership, etc.) In fairness, bull majors also take lower levels of EE and a few other courses. Bull majors also had to take (or validate) 4 semesters of a language.</p>

<p>The downside, IMO, of being an engineering major is that, if you don’t come to USNA knowing how to write, you won’t learn it. You just don’t get enough exposure to the humanities. I used to type papers for students (yes, in the days of – hold your breath – typewriters). I was amazed at those who couldn’t construct a sentence, let alone a coherent paragraph. My husband (an engineer) agrees that, for all but a few positions in life, knowing how to express your ideas on paper is critical. </p>

<p>Personally, I found the combo of a technical background and a major that I enjoyed to be perfect. Math/science was always hard for me, altho I came to do quite well in it. But my true love was US politics and courses on the law. Maybe that’s why I became an attorney. :)</p>

<p>That said, I do believe that my technical background gives me a different perspective than a lot of lawyers, not to mention helping me do well at Jeopardy when the subject is nuclear engineering. It’s amazing what you remember. </p>

<p>I truly advise picking a major that interests you. If you want to go Nuc Power, I suggest an engineering/science major. History majors have commanded subs – BUT, it’s a much harder road for them. If you want to be an astronaut, stick with engineering and physics. But the rest of you should be okay with anything they offer.</p>

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<p>Believe it or not, I’ve learned more about how to write by preparing memoranda, reports, and procedures, both in the Navy as well as industry, than I ever did in a classroom.</p>

<p>I STILL have NO IDEA how to diagram a sentence! :eek:</p>

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<p>Z … Why would you want to, unless you want to teach how to diagram sentences.</p>

<p>And 1985, the “downside” should be amply and quickly apparent to any who’ve known many, any engineers. There is a reason those with any sales gifts make a gazillion in civilian life. Prbly cause they’re the ones who can diagram sentences?</p>

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<p>On the “downside” issue, if you come to USNA with strong writing skills, you’re ok, of course. But, with the emphasis in my day on math grades and scores, many didn’t. I think it’s a lot harder to learn to write, so to speak, at age 25 or 30 than at 15 or 20. </p>

<p>B/c of all the naval requirements + the major requirements, there are very few hrs for an eng major that can be devoted to the humanities. Not much USNA can do about it. </p>

<p>BTW, I’m not suggesting that someone who wants to be an engineer should choose a humanities major. Quite the contrary. But you also shouldn’t pick an engineering major if your true love is in another area.</p>

<p>The one thing you should NOT do is attend USNA with the immediate desire to be a doctor. Yes, a few folks each year do it (my roommate did). But there are lots of issues and your path is by no means certain. If your desire is to be a doc go to a civilian college and then do the military program for med school.</p>

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<p>Preach it, sister.</p>

<p>Study what you LIKE, but always remember what you’re there for: to be a Naval Officer first and foremost.</p>

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<p>I thank God that if there was ONE THING our public school district insisted all 5 of my kids by virtue of being their students… were going to be able to do - is WRITE and SPEAK effectively. From grade school, through middle school and in high school these kids are taught to write, write, write in all kinds of forms.Testings, assessments, practice essays - this was the norm. And we come from a huge school district - with 3400 in both of our high schools. I used to think it was a bit excessive until each of my kids hit college when suddenly they realized they could write coherent essays on practically one draft, while many of…their equally as bright peers didn’t even know how to begin.</p>

<p>My Plebe had her first English essay…a ‘narrative essay’ - to write. While she expressed some anxiety to me over this first assignment, I assured her that she KNEW how to write ( thank you teachers!) and sure enough - her first draft was read by USNA’s English teacher who asked her if she was going to be an English major - since she was such a great writer. </p>

<p>Funny thing, out of my 5 only 1 had the faintest interest in English…</p>

<p>But USNA1985 is 100% correct about writing/speaking skills putting you ahead of the pack for any college class that requires writing papers!</p>

<p>Parents of interested incoming mids…make sure your kids know how to write and speak effectively. As mids, as college students and especially as military officers it will help them tremendously.</p>

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<p>AMEN peskemom! </p>

<p>I’ve tried to share this message … usually unsuccessfully … about communicating skills. Important lesson learned late by one who was a math major, in part because it required zero papers or essays and no lectures. Very little diff EQ has been used. Lots of writing, speaking. </p>

<p>You are fortunate who’ve had schools and teachers who see this as not merely important, but essential.</p>

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<p>a question that I’ve wondered …</p>

<p>Has anyone identified a particular “thing” or exercise … other than practice … that you believe has helped you to become a better writer?</p>

<p>Anything you or your children have done that has led to a sort of “aha” moment?</p>

<p>What might they be?</p>

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<p>Practice, practice, practice.</p>

<p>One day I woke up and I had become a Grammar Nazi. Go figure. :D</p>

<p>My old boss and I (who was also a GN) used to have a great time figuring out the correct usage of plurals and such. Used to drive the other folks nuts because they’d never seen the words used correctly.</p>

<p>In other words, I was driving folks nuts with the written word long before I got here. ;)</p>

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<p>Practice is key, but in the context of something you love to do. My son does Model UN and will write a position paper for his committee before doing his Lit homework because he loves to research the specific country’s position, it’s politics and it’s historical context versus reading and analyzing Romeo and Juliet!!!</p>

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<p>it’s??? ;)</p>

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<p>It is my son who can write…I didn’t say it was me!!!</p>

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<p>WPig - to paraphrase CS Lewis - if you want to be literate then read more literature…avoid mass publications such as newpapers and magazines because one rarely encounters anything new or challenging there in terms of vocab, sentence structure and complexity. </p>

<p>Reading wisely usually helps develop writing skills through exposure(again paraphrasing CS Lewis)</p>

<p>I have no recommendable suggestions on how to get a teenage boy to read literature.</p>

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<p>In my observations of raising 5 teenagers, the way to get them to write and learn to write well, is to have them write about something they are passionate about. I always suggested to my kids when they were cluless about how to start on an essay assignment to TALK to me about their ideas, thoughts. I engaged them in questions - probed their thought patterns - listened for their enthusiasm or lack thereof. Once I got them to talk more than several sentences in a row about something , I focused their own ideas in this arena- it became clear not only to me, but to them, that they had something to say about it. That, to me, is the first step in writing. Have something to say. Think about it in your own mind. Act as if you were convincing someone else of what you personally believe about this. Then write it down.</p>

<p>Let me give you an example.Nothing is more boring than being given a history essay to write about the Roman period, for example, when you HATE history. Say this is your kid. You know they don’t have a clue where to begin. You remember that they saw and loved The Gladiator movie. So you get them to talk about the movie - what they remember, what they liked, what struck them. You propose some ideas for how to write about their thoughts and see how they respond. Sometimes it was the opposite of my suggestion that opened their minds to what they themselves thought - and that got the juices flowing for writing. They discover something in their memory of that movie can tie into whatever the teacher wants them to write about.And voila, the essay process begins.</p>

<p>It seems, like it or not, that our kids are a generation raised with an audio-visual stimulation that most of we parents 40+ and older don’t really appreciate shaped them as much as it did. Most youth of today in high school aren’t about to sit down and read Ivanhoe, or Moby Dick for fun - or at least they are not about to admit it openly to their friends. But they seem to relish one-upping each other on who saw the very first showing of Lord of the Rings, or The Matrix for example. Rather than fight this - I decided to use it for my advantage in parenting and encouraged their interests in their entertainment be the fodder for their essays in high school. Coupled with the excellent writing tools they were learning in their english classes year after year - this seemed to work.</p>

<p>Parents,don’t despair! One thing I have discovered about kids who grow into adulthood with good thinking skills, is that ultimately their pop culture is unsatisfying. One after another I have seen my 5 children and many many of their peers graviate to great literature in college and adulthood. Reading the Great Books of Western Civilization has more and more appeal for these 20-something young people who realize the nihilism of their generation’s art forms.</p>

<p>So in my opinon we parents have the job of guiding and steering our teens through this necessary phase of their years, without us alienating them by our distain for their music/dress/art ( and believe me, lots of it I DO distain!) while keeping the communication lines open to the times we will be able to delight with them as they grow and mature, discovering the broader, richer, more fulfilling world of American history, culture, literature that we experience and suddenly we’re adults togethter having amazing discussions! At least this is how it worked in our home, thanks be to God.</p>

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<p>Man, I hope someone’s taking notes about this. It’s a slam dunk best seller. </p>

<p>Even if it’s only parents who buy … and read it. </p>

<p>Thanx for such thoughtful answers.</p>

<p>Maybe most of all, those young people reading and interested in going to NA or any SA … or any great school for that matter … take note, get reading and writing.</p>

<p>Funny, but when my candidate met a number of years back with a then-Plebe who was asked the old “what 1 thing would you recommend to help get me where you are …” , his answer?</p>

<p>“I’d read and write alot more.”</p>

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<p>Peskemom - you are a wise woman!</p>