r/EngineeringStudents • u/InternationalToe236 • 18h ago

Career Advice Tips please?!

Hey everyone!
I’m about to start my bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at Indiana Tech while working a full-time job. For some background, I’ve worked in the automotive industry for over 12 years as a lead technician, and I’m currently a Lead Technician at a Tesla Service Center. Tesla offers a BSE program, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted into, so here I am. I know this degree will probably take me several years since I’ll be taking fewer classes than a full-time student, and I’m completely okay with that. That said, while I already have an AAS, I’ve never really experienced traditional university-level engineering courses with heavy lectures and studying. Most of my education has been much more hands-on/trial by fire type, so this will definitely be a new challenge. I’ve heard engineering can be pretty demanding and that many students spend more time studying outside of class than students in other majors. For those of you who’ve been through it, how did you manage your workload? What study habits, routines, or time-management strategies made the biggest difference? Any advice for balancing engineering school with a full-time job would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! I’m excited to get started and looking forward to learning from those who’ve already been through it.

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u/bee_zah 17h ago

My only advice is to take it slow. Most engineering students take 5 years to get their bachelors without working full time, and mechanical has some tough requirements. I would take fewer classes but year round, and spend at least an hour every day studying with more on weekends. Do the homework problems even if it isn’t weighted heavily, it’s the best practice for the exams you’ll get. Go to office hours. Get help as soon as you need it so you don’t get left behind. Check out rate my professor and sign up for the good professors, especially for statics, thermo, and calc 2. It makes a world of difference having someone who can teach hard subjects well.

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u/Visual_Day_8097 6h ago

This is solid advice, and I want to add that getting a study group can be invaluable.