So I'm thinking of staying in engineering for I do enjoy it. I have gotten through calc III and Statics...that leaves Dynamics as the last weed-out course right?? or all they all just weed out courses? any tips from you older/grads? Word

7/19/2009 10:28:57 PM

it doesn't get easier. people just say it does because they've become numb to the pain.

[Edited on July 19, 2009 at 10:39 PM. Reason : i quit fighting it and hit a stride during junior year ]

7/19/2009 10:38:20 PM

it gets easier in the sense that people start complaining to their professors about the course content getting too hard

and then they magically get better grades...

7/19/2009 10:42:12 PM

If you have trouble doing well in engineering courses, for the safety of others please consider a different major.

7/19/2009 10:42:54 PM

Quote :

"or all they all just weed out courses?"

pretty much, at least up until the last semester or two. in fact, i'd say the junior level stuff sucks much, much worse than any of the calc series/statics/dynamics/etc.

7/19/2009 10:46:48 PM

calcs/statics/dynamics are child's play.

what engineering?

oh yeah, re: tips for passing engineering courses. study

[Edited on July 19, 2009 at 10:52 PM. Reason : .]

7/19/2009 10:50:40 PM

dunno what you're in, but for me (in CEM) things got "easier" when i got past some of the theory-based classes (like dynamics) and into classes with a more tangible, real world application (like concrete design, etc). that's just the way i learn and apply problem solving techniques though, it may be different for others.

7/19/2009 10:52:57 PM

by the way, opinions from your specific major would probably be more useful to you. i've found that the experiences of my friends in other engineering majors can vary significantly from mine in mechanical.

going by your user info, you're in biological and agri engineering, right?

7/19/2009 10:53:17 PM

go to every class and take notes.

of course friends in your major help make everything better.

also if you can't pronounce the professor's name try to take a professor you can, doesnt work all the time but again depends on major.

[Edited on July 19, 2009 at 11:01 PM. Reason : ^ yea advice for passing ME is fairly different that passing any other major]

7/19/2009 10:58:10 PM

Quote :

"oh yeah, re: tips for passing engineering courses. study be smart"

7/19/2009 11:04:53 PM

Quote :

"go to every class and take notes"

definitely go to class, but, for me, notes are a waste of time. i learn better when i focus on listening and understanding, rather than simply trying to get every word down on paper. i don't copy down any of the theoretical stuff or derivations. i only copy down example problems.

moral of the story is to figure out how you learn best and stick with it.

7/19/2009 11:15:18 PM

notes are useless, your textbook is going to be your best friend.

you'll do 90% of your learning outside of class and by doing homework. basically the homeworks are how you learn the material.

7/20/2009 12:14:45 AM

most of this advice is all over the place and could be pretty hit or miss depending on your style and actual major in engineering

for example, in the majority of my CPE classes I used the book(s) very little with most of the material coming from professors' notes; also I write down nearly everything because unless I'm doing that I'll zone out pretty easily and miss the important stuff, at least with it written down I can go back and go over things at my pace or in greater detail than in class

but most of all, like neuservrrat said, figure out what works best for you and go with it

7/20/2009 12:53:35 AM

there are a lot of other classes that are going to be more difficult that statics/dynamics, engineering does not get easier. although i will say that i think once you start to think more like an engineer you will understand material better.

advice:
do your homework
if you don't understand something in your homework, go to your professors' office hours
find a group of other engineers to do homework with
try not to get behind, because it all builds on itself
don't skip class. especially your BAE classes.
your professors make a huge difference in how well you will understand material, look them up on here before you sign up for classes. i did well in engineering but i had some professors that were so bad i almost quit going to class. it was very frustrating to be a student in a class where the professor did not know how to teach and did not care if you learned anything.
get to know all your BAE professors; i graduated with a degree in bioprocess engineering so i am familiar with the faculty. they all really want you to learn and they are your greatest asset. also if you they like you and think you're smart they might hook you up with a job (i worked for the dept for 2+ years as an undergrad)

7/20/2009 2:32:42 AM

Some really good advice in here, and I personally think it all boils down to one thing: Time.

Spend time studying, spend time doing the homework, spend time talking to classmates and the professor, and spend time reading.

7/20/2009 10:34:15 AM

dont be a dumbass

Word.

7/20/2009 11:40:10 AM

dont be a dumbass

Word.

7/20/2009 11:40:10 AM

Any course in engineering can be a "weed-out" course. It really depends on how much you want it. I had some classmates that gave up second semester junior year. I really don't think the courses get any easier, but your problem solving skills become better and you become used to what it takes to get through these courses. Like others have said on here, it really comes down to time. Taking the time to actually do your homework (I am a big fan of NOT owning the solutions manual, others will tell you its great), go to class, go to study sessions if they are offered, if you have questions go to your professor.

7/20/2009 12:12:57 PM

Study?

7/20/2009 2:24:17 PM

Solution Manual debate!!!

7/20/2009 2:24:34 PM

generally getting at least a B has just been doing the homework and going to class and reviewing the material before a test.

For me getting the A in my MAE classes has been trying to spend more time on what the professor likes to ask and his style of grading. With Boles in thermo for example... if you even think about skipping a step... any step, don't do it.

7/20/2009 2:52:44 PM

tips?

study, do your homework, ask questions, talk to the professors, work in a group. if you can't hack it, then get out.

[Edited on July 20, 2009 at 8:49 PM. Reason : .]

7/20/2009 8:49:12 PM

go to class, read the book, do the homework.

that's all it takes, folks.

7/20/2009 9:44:19 PM

i wouldn't waste my time reading the books

you're better off investing time in finding old tests and studying them

7/20/2009 10:08:16 PM

Well I was MAE, then I switched over to BAE so I could matriculate, because I was unaware that the different engineering majors had different GPA requirements for matriculation I blame my advisor for not pointing this out sooner. I cooped with Duke Energy and did the real world engineering thing and managed a my own .5 mil project by the end of it and I loved it once I got going. I don't study enough I don't think, but some teachers are so wildly different than others.

7/20/2009 11:28:09 PM

If you'd like to pass your engineering courses, try acing your tests. that might help.

7/21/2009 7:02:25 AM

Quote :

"work in a group"

This becomes true for most 400 level "hard" math/engineering/science/statistics/etc. courses. You'll find it rewarding for being able to understand the material and making some close friends.

Also, start thinking about what you want to do post-graduation (career, research-based PhD, courses-only masters, MBA/law, etc.). Classes aren't everything when folks are hiring.

Also, if you have not done so yet, go get an internship or coop. Do NOT get a four-year degree in something you think you like, then get into the field and find you really don't like it. Better to switch while you have an chance before its much much more difficult to do so later.

[Edited on July 21, 2009 at 8:15 AM. Reason : .]

7/21/2009 8:14:44 AM

If i could do it all over again i would form better relationships w/ my profs, attend a lot more office hours, and work in a lot more groups.

7/21/2009 8:25:35 AM

Quote :

"once you start to think more like an engineer you will understand material better. "

A lot of truth to this.


Be prepared to teach yourself a lot of the material.

Get to know your TA's. I owe my degree to Mr. Alex York of the MAE department. He helped me a lot in those early classes. My junior year first semester was probably my hardest in terms of adjusting, that is when the shit really started to hit the fan. It got easier from there... not because the classes were easier, just because I had mostly learned how to handle things.

7/21/2009 9:36:22 AM

Quote :

"Also, if you have not done so yet, go get an internship or coop. Do NOT get a four-year degree in something you think you like, then get into the field and find you really don't like it. Better to switch while you have an chance before its much much more difficult to do so later."

true. I actually just switched out of ee after co-oping for a year.

7/21/2009 10:19:55 AM

Quote :

"that leaves Dynamics as the last weed-out course right?? or all they all just weed out courses? any tips from you older/grads? Word"

Dynamics isn't really the last weed-out course. It's just that all the dumbass have failed out by that point, so you're generally left with smart people in the classes. And by that point, you've figured out how to study properly to get good grades.
By the end of dynamics I had figured out how to:
1 - quit staying up all fucking night playing Diablo (the original version)
2 - make some friends in my major
3 - do homework quickly after learning the material instead of waiting until the night before
4 - get rid of the crazy girlfriend who ... was crazy
5 - always go to class

Most of my post-Dynamics classes in AE were harder than Statics/Dynamics/Calc, but I got better grades in those (except for Statics, of course - that class was a breeze) because I handled my time better and knew what I was in for and how much time I needed to devote to each class.

7/21/2009 11:27:36 AM

ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST AS A SUPER SENIOR IN MECHANICAL...

Get a hold of the "Fundamentals of Engineering Supplied Reference Handbook" early on in your engineering career. This thing has got EVERYTHING that you will ever learn in school and will make studying much easier and simpler for you and you will be able to fully get acquainted with it for years until you actually have the take the FE exam.

[Edited on July 21, 2009 at 1:01 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on July 21, 2009 at 1:02 PM. Reason : .]

7/21/2009 1:00:49 PM

yeah, my ece 331 teacher let us use the FE sheets w/ the electrical stuff on our final exam

it was pretty much everything you needed to pass the exam

7/21/2009 2:02:04 PM

GO TO CLASS

7/21/2009 8:31:44 PM

Goto every class and do all the hw. If you do this then you will pass. The people who don't have dedication to actually try are the ones that get weeded out. Just treat it like a job and get all your hw and such done and you will be fine.

7/21/2009 8:44:59 PM

i'm getting ready to graduate and my words of advice are GO TO CLASS

even if you don't do all the homework, and hate the way the professor teaches you will benefit from going to class

7/21/2009 11:15:07 PM

well, to deviate from 20 carbon copies of the same advice...

I skipped heat transfer (MAE 310) for an entire month, and still got an easy B in the class (because the textbook was so good).

7/22/2009 10:46:46 AM

Quote :

"even if you don't do all the homework, and hate the way the professor teaches you will benefit from going to class"

with some teachers, your time is better spent learning from other sources. but i guess you could go to class and at least catch up on some sleep.

[Edited on July 22, 2009 at 2:29 PM. Reason : i had a friend who would just ignore the teacher and read the book during class. worked for him.]

7/22/2009 2:29:09 PM

Advice from an alumnus: There is NO such thing as a weed out course.


Like others have said, it doesn't get easier. Just more tolerable. Best method for young Padawans is to be like water and conform to each individual class like a fluid. Then class will you pass.

7/22/2009 3:20:58 PM

Watch distance ed lectures, repeat stuff you don't understand, all while doing your homework. If worst comes to worst get an adderall script.

7/22/2009 7:44:03 PM

work

7/22/2009 8:22:34 PM

Quote :

"Some really good advice in here, and I personally think it all boils down to one thing: Time. Spend time studying, spend time doing the homework, spend time talking to classmates and the professor, and spend time reading."

Definitely.

It was a lesson I almost learned too late: it just takes a lot of effort (for most of us, anyway).

7/22/2009 10:18:27 PM

I know taking classes that are hybrid on campus/distance ed helped me out. I mean it's good to attend class and all, but when you can sit at home, stream or download the video, and re-watch a lecture, it makes it so much easier to absorb in my opinion. It also helped with hw when I could find an example problem or two covered in the lecture and pause/work along. You also don't fall (or feel like you fell) way behind if/when you miss a lecture. After I accidentally got into the first one, I was hooked and would look for the MAE courses that were taught in Daniels (in one of the 2 studios in there, I forget the room #s). I ended up taking 4 of my MAE classes like that.

7/23/2009 4:36:24 PM

1.) Don't be like me and decide to sleep in instead of going to class.
2.) Make friends, or at least study buddies in your major. All the indian/chinese international students band together; you should too.
3.) Go to office hours at the least the professor will recoginize your face. Wish i learned this before my senior year.
4.) Shut off facebook, turn off your PS3, and do your fucking homework.

MOST IMPORTANTLY
5.) Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.

Quote :

"Dynamics as the last weed-out course right?? "

haha you are in for a rude awakening. Dynamics is just "testing the waters." Thermo, Fluids, and Vibrations will be your downfall.

[Edited on July 24, 2009 at 9:23 AM. Reason : as]

7/24/2009 9:21:56 AM

-Ask people who've taken the class before what they thought about the material, teacher, etc.
-Take the time to DO and UNDERSTAND your homework. Having a solutions manual CAN help you get unstuck if you're really jammed up, but if you can't explain your way through ALL your homework, you're SOL come test day. AND there's actually quite a few errors in them. Study buddies work much better than manuals!
-Find a group of (preferably motivated) people to study with/ do homework with.
-Start studying ~3 days in advance. If your teachers even remotely base tests off homework (and alot do), redo all the homework problems and any practice tests and/or old tests you can find. At least, that's what I do.
-Reading the book has never really helped me.
-Oh, and make yourself KNOWN to the professor. Somehow. You could go to office hours a couple times or maybe ask really good questions in class. Something to make the teacher recognize you and/or your name.


And, dynamics was the class I hated most in MAE. IMO, it got easier after that, because you know exactly what engineering courses are like and that you're gonna spend tons of time studying if you want to excel. There are lots of pieces of advice in this forum concerning teachers' habits, etc. that will help you alot. I know they helped me!

[Edited on July 24, 2009 at 12:36 PM. Reason : ]

7/24/2009 12:33:51 PM

TIPS FOR EE:

Figure out which 10% of the grade takes up 10 times as much as the rest and just get a B in every class.

7/24/2009 12:35:46 PM

Study and find a group. Doing things alone is almost impossible. All engineering courses are weed out courses.

[Edited on July 25, 2009 at 1:53 AM. Reason : a]

7/25/2009 1:53:03 AM

Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.
Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny.

That's about the most important rule in this thread.

Quote :

""Also, if you have not done so yet, go get an internship or coop. Do NOT get a four-year degree in something you think you like, then get into the field and find you really don't like it. Better to switch while you have an chance before its much much more difficult to do so later.""

While I agree with the concept, I will say that most engineering jobs (Mech, Aero, CHE, Civil, EE) can get put into the job zone right out of college (process management, ie being the guy who is on call to fix the fucked up production line). Past that it depends on the company whether you want to go to project management, design, research, or even customer relations.

Get involved with your professional organization and go to company luncheons. You will learn so much about your engineering field and what it really is like out there, its not even funny. This is ESPECIALLY true for CHE's, since our AICHE club is well organized and has dozens of companies that come throughout the semesters. Plus you will learn what the companies are looking for and be able to tailor yourself to whatever strikes your fancy.

[Edited on July 25, 2009 at 3:21 AM. Reason : moar]

7/25/2009 3:16:12 AM

Quote :

" Do not sit next to the indian foreign exchange kids; they smell funny."

this doesn't count in EE. You couldn't even sit outside in the hallway

7/27/2009 6:36:00 AM

the best advice i can give is just not to sweat it and enjoy college.

i had a blast, went to every single basketball adn football game, went out and drank, and didn't put massive pressure on myself to excel in all my courses. i went to class, studied, made good friends in my classes and formed study groups. i took it seriously, but not too seriously, and graduated with a 3.3GPA

the moment you stress (or strain) HAH! yourself out is the moment your mind stops functioning.

in other terms, think of your brain as a bunch of gears that need lubricant (alcohol) every now and then.

7/27/2009 11:24:02 AM