<p>Look, I’m basically just transferring what my father told me and he has enough experience to know more than a HS Senior or college student does(yes, I’m calling you out). In matter of fact, he even worked with petroleum engineers back at JGC and Aspen Tech which were BOTH located in Houston, Texas (where I grew up and you think at least don’t have a general idea??!!). At one point, he almost moved to Cal to work at Exxon. </p>
<p>Furthermore, I never said that alternative energy will replace oil. You said that out of pure blindness. I very well recognize that oil will AT LEAST be our main source of energy for at least the next 50 years. I only said that oil will not likely expand very much (even though my tone might have been a little over) and it is indeed the one that will least likely to expand the future. </p>
<p>And of course, PE will still probably have the highest pay(150K+), but the future for it is also the most unknown (for various conflict possibilities) and least expandable. Furthermore, my friends who were back in Houston didn’t express anywhere the same optimism you have. Most of them admit that they go into PE solely because of its pay rather than anything else. </p>
<p>Internship will not get you to the top of the engineering world because at a certain level, all engineers possess the same knowledge(difference between 6 digit and 5 digits), what distinguishes them from others is their unique consultant and skills(these skills are quite valuable and will not be handed out). These unique skills may not be directly taught by the elite colleges, but they will give you the tools to be able to create the unique skills that distinguish you from others. And if you really think these mentors from the internships really teach you everything, you’re a blind fool. If a mentor really teaches everything that is “unique” about his way, do you honestly think clients in the future will choose him again? The mentors are just there to guide you, but not teach you everything that makes you the best(directly from my father). The tools to be the best are taught through the system of elite colleges(again, directly from my father).</p>