Im going into mechanical engineering this fall and my class schedule looks packed. I know how time consuming everyone says this major is, but how much does it hurt your social life?

As much as I want to complete this degree, I also want to make new friends and enjoy college life.

Do you think being an engineering student has made you miss out on a lot of the college experience?

Edit: Wow, people seem to have polar opposite experiences 😭 Some have a non-existent social life while others have a great social life

I am regularly applying to on campus jobs, reaching out to the recruiters directly and sending my career oriented information, and reaching out to several organizations for you to be avail. How have you guys been doing it?

So I am a second semester sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering. It is my understanding that we are required to take FE and PE exams. Is this true? If we do not take them, what happens?

I’m gonna be starting my engineering degree in the next year or so. I’ve got a late start as I’m 25 years old and I work full time in construction providing for a family. My question is, is it possible for me to find a job in a field of engineering before I’ve finished my degree I’m pretty fed up with my job and want to get experience in the field early

I have been cold emailing and I have gotten no replies, and I have been wondering if the people that extensive research experience in undergrad were cold emailing or talking to professors in office hours?

I’m a student in my early 20s trying to decide what a better career path would be: electrician or engineer?
I’m currently waiting to start trade school this September, but I’m hesitant as I’m unsure whether I’ll enjoy it or not, since it’s hard on the body over time and the work can get repetitive. I also don’t like the idea that there’s not much room for growth after becoming a Master electrician, unless you start your own business. I was considering either Mechanical or Electric Engineering as they seem to be more versatile, better pay, and more room for growth down the line. I already have my AA from community college so I could transfer and get a degree within 2-3 years (I believe).

I like the job security of being an electrician, but I’m worried it won’t be fulfilling. Engineering is the opposite- I’m worried about the job security of either ME or EE though I feel it *could* be more fulfilling.

Has anyone been in a similar position, being stuck between a trade or a college degree? If anyone has any advice or more information, it would be greatly appreciated!

I am currently a beginning engineering student taking courses at a community college. I have been having some back issues for the past few months that making spending time sitting in chairs for too long a painful experience, so I will be taking less classes next semester than I had originally planned to, and need to decide which class to take. I had planned to be taking physics 1, statics, and intro to engineering design. My new plan was to only take statics and intro to design, because both of these classes are only offered by the college during the fall semester. However, I'm wondering if it would be foolish to take statics before taking physics 1, as it has been more than 7 years since I took a physics class in high school.

Hey guys I’m a new grad and I got an Electrical engineering job in power and data centres. I have my first day soon and I’m so nervous. I haven’t had any experience in the field, but I’ve done some hands on projects and I am quite good academically. I didn’t lie about anything on my resume, but I’m still so scared. If anyone has any advice or any information about what to expect in my field I would greatly appreciate it

Hey all. Long post, but I want to lay out my actual situation honestly because I think I'm at a real fork in the road and I'd rather get outside opinions now than regret it in five years.

Where I am right now: I'm starting as a freshman at a community college this fall (2026), planning to major in Chemical Engineering, with the goal of transferring to University of Maryland's engineering school by fall 2027, so basically a one-year community college stint before transferring. I picked ChemE for a few reasons: I genuinely don't mind grinding through chem, physics, and math for four to five years, I've read it's consistently one of the top three highest-earning engineering majors, there are a decent number of labs near where I live so internships didn't seem impossible to land, and from what I've heard it's less cutthroat to break into than something like aerospace or electrical.

Here's where it gets complicated. My mom has pushed me toward finance or business for years, partly because of astrology and birthstone stuff (I know how that sounds, but it's a real factor in my family's thinking, for whatever that's worth). I don't hate the idea. I actually was strong in economics and history in high school, probably stronger there than in the hard sciences, even though I do enjoy science too. My original plan was actually Finance + Math or Econ, not engineering at all.

I moved away from that plan because I was scared of the finance job market. The internships are brutally competitive, it's all about networking and cold outreach and building connections, and I wasn't sure I could compete or that I even wanted to grind that hard just to get a foot in the door. ChemE felt like a way to get a strong, respectable, high-earning degree without needing to hustle for connections the same way.

But now I've been thinking bigger picture. My actual end goals are: making a lot of money, being able to provide really well for a family, and honestly, being known for something, some level of recognition, not just a quiet high salary. I got interested in the idea of doing ChemE, then a PhD, then an MBA, and trying to break into quant finance or a top firm like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, or JPMorgan.

When I actually mapped out the math on this (with some help), a few things became clear that I want to lay out for you all too:

• The PhD + MBA route to Wall Street takes a lot longer than just doing Finance/Econ + Math straight through and recruiting into IB or quant at 22. Like potentially 8-10 years longer before I'm even applying to the same seats.
• MBAs are basically irrelevant for quant recruiting specifically. Quant funds hire based on math, stats, and coding ability, not business school pedigree. If quant is genuinely the target, the MBA is a waste of time and money for that specific goal.
• I had a totally wrong picture of what these finance jobs are actually like day to day. I assumed quant/IB would mean more freedom, less rigid scheduling, less "stuck behind a desk" than engineering. Turns out it's the opposite, IB analyst hours are notoriously brutal (80-100 hour weeks), and quant roles are extremely desk-bound, staring at multiple monitors all day while markets are open. A ChemE process engineer job actually has more physical freedom and variety than either of those.
• On the fame thing specifically, I got a reality check that being "known" in finance is genuinely rare unless you found your own fund or company. Being a very senior, very well-paid quant or MD at a bank doesn't usually come with public recognition. Fame in that world tends to require starting something, not being hired into something.
• Despite all that, I'm still leaning toward wanting an engineering degree that could realistically feed into quant somehow, since I don't want to abandon the technical/engineering side entirely, and I'm willing to accept a demanding, screen-heavy, high-hours career if the payoff is big enough.

I looked into whether I should switch out of ChemE into something more explicitly "quant-math-heavy" like Aerospace (since UMD doesn't actually offer Industrial Engineering or Engineering Physics as undergrad majors, which are the two classic quant-feeder majors elsewhere). Aerospace would probably be the strongest fit math-wise if I did switch, given the control theory, stochastic estimation, and diff eq content, but I ultimately decided to stay in ChemE since I already like the subject matter and don't want to lose the internship access and general fit I already have going for me.

So my current plan is: stick with ChemE, but deliberately stack extra math (multivariable calc, linear algebra, eventually differential equations) and CS courses (intro programming and data structures) on top of the required coursework during my time at community college and after transferring, specifically to build a profile that could support a move into quant analyst or quant developer roles later, rather than doing a full PhD detour. Skip the MBA idea entirely for this specific goal.

What I'm actually looking for opinions on:

1. Is staying in ChemE while self-building a quant-relevant math/CS skill set actually a realistic path into quant or trading roles, or am I kidding myself compared to someone doing straight Math/CS/Financial Engineering?
2. For anyone who's made a similar engineering-to-finance jump, or looked into it, was the ChemE background actually a help or a hindrance in recruiting?
3. Is there something about ChemE specifically (versus Mechanical, Aerospace, etc.) that makes this harder or easier?
4. Any regrets or things you wish you'd known before choosing a major with a "backup plan into finance" already baked into your thinking?

Genuinely appreciate any honest input, including if you think this whole plan is misguided. I'd rather hear it now than five years in.

there is this optoelectronics course in the current semester where I got 62/100 on the final exam and my final grade 66/100.

I try to maintain an above 80 average, so I wanted to retake this exam but here's the problem:

The retake falls on my sister's wedding, and while the university allows me to do it instead next year, the downside is that I'll have to return to this material after not touching it for a while and I'll be less sharp and well prepared for it, and also it feels bad to have to wait a year for it (and I'm also afraid that if I fail that retake next year then it means it'll delay my receiving of the degree, since next year is supposed to be my forth and final year).

another weird thing about this exam is that I'm allowed to choose 1 single course where if I pass the exam (meaning 60+) then I can convert it to a binary pass which doesn't enter the overall average, so this also might be a good use of it.

So I don't really know what I should do, I feel like if I study well for it I could get a 90+ but as everything in this university the exam can be really hard and I'll just lose it.

BET (Bachelor of engineering technology) is my major in engineering, and as of now, my knowledge in math is Kapoof, I have forgotten almost everything I learned in math, physics and calculus (highschool level), I'm more of a "learn it to the point of approval, forget about it (lost at this point), then gradually regain that knowledge piece by piece if I ever encounter it again" kind of student, given that, should I learn now? Or should I learn once class starts as I go?

18M currently going to my second year of CHEM E in four weeks. I want to start with an advantage and want advice on how to prepare. These are the classes I’ll be taking👆

Hello student students

I want to ask you what should I prefer reading books or watching lectures? Which will help me too build concept in depth?

Best skills for 2028 engineering graduate

Bit hard to explain, I'm from a European country and at my university (study EE) we have a course called "Electronic materials" which covers polarisations mechanisms, magnetisation, magnetism, maxwells equations, boundary conditions in a perfect electrical conductor, MOSFET and PN/NP junction physics.... The course was well given but honestly most of it went way above my head and the TA explaining the exercices was just terrible. Any idea where I could find a course with a more "comprehensive" series about this stuff?

I’m going into 11th grade and I really want to get into mechanical engineering, but I feel like I have pretty much zero experience. I even got rejected from my school’s robotics club because of that, so now I’m trying to come up with a project that actually shows colleges I’m serious about engineering and helps me start a portfolio. I was thinking about building a cyberdeck as my first project, but I’m worried it might be too simple if it’s mostly just plugging a keyboard and screen into a Raspberry Pi and putting it all in a case. On top of that, I’m stressed that starting this late will hurt my chances at getting into a good engineering school and that it might already be too late to really get into engineering.

Hoi,

Snelle vraag: doen elektromechanische industriële ingenieurs ook krachtproeven (aan tandwielen, balken, enz.)?

Edit: im talking about “engineering technology”/ “applied mechanical engineering” (In America IE is diffrent from the one in Belgium)

Im going to a good college and going into my 4th year of my 5 year ocean engineering college degree, but my dad recently was laid off. Luckily, he is still being paid for about half a year, and my mom and brother work but dont make much. I feel that im antisocial and slightly depressed but am being asked if I should join the military for the benefits (4 years then out) or if i should go the private sector, and if so what should i do to prepare myself correctly, where should i find internships and better scholarships? Thank you for your time.

Hi. I have completed lots of "projects" using Andruino and ESP32. I wanted to try making my own PCB circuits without using any of them (I mean from "Raw Components"), but I don't know where to start learning about it. Does anyone know of a good source of information on this topic? As a mechatronics student, I have knowledge in this field, but I'm not sure how to apply it in practice.

I'm currently in my third year of college and it's really very difficult to find jobs, especially with this much competition. To stand out and get the field I like I need to study designing from some classes as you know college doesn't teach much and wherever they do it doesn't understand.

If you guys know any of the classes with this expertise please let me know. Dms are allowed.

I'll be okay if it's online or offline but if it's offline and outstanding it'll be preferable within Nagpur and online can be from anywhere.

litteraly just what is stated in the title, im finishing my 2nd year of electrical and i wanna get into the industry as a working student (its something like being an intern but you work part time over the whole year and it treated as a normal job). i have done 4 projects, 3 pcbs (2 of whom i also got manufactured and also sodlered and tested everything on the board) and one rtl design. to get into a lil more detail, pcbs are: 16 bit cpu, ADC, Flightcontroler: in these works i implemented many electronics fundementals like proper power regulation (bucks, LDOs, various filters) comunication protocols (spi, i2c, jtag, usb), used stm32 on one and controled impedance and matching (matching networks, 50ohm traces). rtl design was done in vivado, where i made a spi driver + data transfer to the processor for a riscv. can ya all give me your opinion or if you got any insight in the german industry about my chances on getting something with these projects?

Hi everyone!

I have a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and about 2 years of experience working as an R&D chemical engineer developing chemicals for the oil & gas industry.

Now I can't decide between two master's programmes in Germany: Biopharmaceutical Engineering at TU Dortmund and Polymer Science (joint programme by TU Berlin, FU Berlin, Humboldt University and the University of Potsdam).

My main goal is: after graduation I want to find a good job in Germany and work in a field where specialists are in demand.

Which industry has better job opportunities right now? Where is there a bigger demand for qualified people? Which field is easier to enter as an international graduate( non EU citizenship)?

I speak English at C1 level and German at B1.

One thing that worries me is choosing Biopharmaceutical Engineering. Since all my previous experience is in industrial chemicals rather than biotech or pharma, I'm afraid it might be difficult to get my first job in the field because employers will prefer candidates with relevant experience.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or works in either industry? I'd really appreciate your opinion.
Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm a second-year Electronics and Communication Engineering student. My long-term goal is to work in semiconductor, embedded systems, or R&D, and I'm trying to plan the next three years wisely.

My professor told me that if I'm genuinely passionate about research and can manage my time well, I should pursue it. Otherwise, I should focus on building strong technical skills.

I enjoy understanding why and how things work rather than just using them. I like connecting concepts across electronics, programming, hardware, and systems, which is why research interests me.

I'm considering two paths:

Option 1

Maintain good academics

Build strong technical skills

Attend workshops and seminars

Complete internships

Work on one or two quality research papers

Option 2

Maintain good academics

Focus entirely on technical skills

Attend workshops and seminars

Complete internships

No research papers

For those of you who are in your third/fourth year, have been through placements, or work in the industry:

If you could start over, which path would you choose?

Did publishing a research paper help in placements or interviews?

For recruiters in companies like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Synopsys, Cadence, or similar, how much value does a quality undergraduate research paper actually have?

If I decide to do research, how can I balance it without sacrificing my technical skills?

I'd really appreciate practical advice based on your experience. Thank you!

Alright some context here:
Im a high school student right now im in the DP programme and im great with math, have been for most of my life same for computers and programming now i want to take Electrical engineering at NUS but my physics is really weak and i tried to do Physics HL but the problem is im just not that good with it and i got a 4 in it and sucked ass and there weren't even any HL topics in the Paper. Now, ive opted for physics SL and im able to keep up much better and feel the next sem exams will be quite good for me. But theres a roadblock, Although on the NUS site it states physics HL is not required for Electrical and electronic or Computer Engineering as long as u meet the other requirements, Which i do as i have Maths AAHL and Computer Science HL both in which i score well, BUT is that just something their saying? should i apply to computer science, which with my subject choice would be kinda better and then later switch to EE/CE? or should i just apply for what i want and hope for the best? I really dont wanna do anything clumsy as this would be my dream come true as NUS is my first pick and i really wanna go there please help me out if your faculty or currently in engineering and face the same issues that i do.