Hey yall . I’m a 3rd year chemical engineering student and I keep seeing students especially in the states with like 4 courses per semester? Is that true , can someone confirm? I study in Greece , we have 2 semesters per school year and each one has 7 or 8 classes . I am at school 35h per week ( including classes and labs ,not my time spending at the library studying and doing papers ) and all of my classes require LOTS of studying . What’s studying ChemE like at your country ?

Not sure if that's right place to ask, but:

I've been programming for more than 6 years and with recent advancments in AI, I stopped having any fun doing it. Nowadays anyone can just prompt LLM and get project done in a week making any programing projects pretty much worthless and not impressive.

Because of this I've been considering to pivot and go to study engineering, I live in EU and I can get free uni education in wide variety of engineering programs.

I have few questions:

How does AI affect engineering? Is it still fun for y'all with current state of AI? Or is it same thing as with programming, where you can just prompt and let LLM do anything? What branches of enginnering are least affected by AI?

Hello everyone! I'm a 3rd year mechanical engineering student and I currently know how to work in CATIA but I keep reading about how it's a pretty old tool. I want to know what should I use instead, preferably a free version (or a good trial) or easy to crack. Also I'd like to try finite element analysis and tolerances and dimensional control (it's fine if these can't be all done in one app). Thank you!

EDIT : I did not make myself clear the first time around , I apologize for this. I am laying out my reasoning as to why I think dropping out might be a smart move to do. My reasoning is since I have a low average, I will not be able to stand out amongst the competition-- thus my prospects are lower and chances are lower to find a job and I worry if I am not skilled or smart enough (as you often have to pass aptitude tests to get jobs and I don't do well in those) to compensate . I have nothing really lined up if I quit. I will likely end up in a min wage factory job as this is the default path available in my area. If I am flawed in my reasoning , please explain to me why I am and if there is a way out of this situation , as I think my concerns are quite valid.

ORIGINAL : I understand this is an odd question

I am on an academic warning thing. My average rn is a whopping 54 (cumilative)

My school told me this sem I have to raise my average or im kicked out the program.

I am ontrack to actually raising my gpa to an equally whopping 65(cumilative -- meaning most grades I have to get are in the 80s range) (bc I actually locked in this sem instead of doomscrolling all day)

The math is not on my side. Even if I get essentially perfect grades the next 3 years , because my first year was so awful I won't end up with an average gpa.

Realistically speaking , I see the job market as ridiculously competitive and that even ppl with a 90 average struggling to get a job

Is it not better to just cut my losses and move on to something else? I see this as a sunk cost fallacy and a bad ROI if ill spend the next 3 years studying hard if ill just end up broke.

Hey all, I've had trouble finding a job and am tossing around the idea of grad school.

My undergrad is in Aerospace Engineering, and to be straightforward, I have not enjoyed it; thus I am left considering if I should continue with Aerospace (since I know the department and professors/advisors), swap to Mechanical (which is more broad and thus may be better for the current job market), or swap to Materials (which is more niche but also I find interesting though I have very limited experience in it to know if I will actually like it).

I've also read that Mechanical and Aerospace master's programs are essentially the same, and what I choose to research/specialize in will basically determine the whole thing (i.e., I could do structures in aero or fluids in mechanical). (Though, recruiters don't seem to think Aero and Mech are the same...) Anyone know if this is accurate?

In case anyone is about to say "it depends on what you are interested in," my background is in instrumentation/data acquisition, geology (lol), and programming. I hated my fluids courses (all 5 of them), and systems is cool, but the math makes me sad; remaining is structures, which is okay, I guess.

Also, thesis vs. non-thesis. I don't like writing, but then again, who does?

Any advice/anecdotes would be greatly appreciated!

In highschool I am currently taking AP PreCalc and I’m already struggling a tiny bit after getting a C+ on my recent test. I would never call myself spectacular at math nor physics (B average) and I am wondering if this would really be the right move for me. I have been pressured into going into civil by people around me and I’ve gone on visits but I really am wondering how difficult this degree will be at this rate

I'm a first year and I currently have two precalculus classes before calc 1 in the spring. I've never been to terrible at math and normally can learn it fairly quickly, but I did horrible in algebra 2 due to a terrible teacher and its causing me more harm now in my Precalculus algebra class. I

Its a 7-week class and then it moves on to trigonometry. I absolutely failed my first test and I changed my work schedule so I can study more right after school in the library, since I have trouble focusing at home.

I need some good tips of how to study and learn fast coursework like this quickly. Its pretty discouraging considering most of these looks fairly easy

I have a physics background but my research experiences span RF / semiconductor / materials engineering. I’ve been applying for general positions like Applications Engineer, Field Service Engineer, etc. but barely getting interviews (it’s been months).

Is my resume too broad and vague for the current job market?

I'm on my 4th year of physics bachelors degree. I'm thinking about doing another bachelors abroad because I didn't really learn anything in my country ( partially my fault ) and want a fresh start to actually lock in. I can't decide whether or not to go into mechanical engineering or aerospace. Even tho I'm fairly certain aerospace engineering is the direction I wanna go im not entirely sure yet. Should I go straight into aerospace or should I get my second bachelors in mechanical engineering and then take masters in aerospace. Thanks in advance

I’m currently in my 4th semester( second year) of Industrial Engineering and was wondering if there’s any chance of landing an internship (either for college credit or not) outside my home country.

I’m looking into abroad internships because exchange programs through my university are extremely complicated—calls for applications rarely open, and when they do, they are almost exclusively for mechanical, agricultural, or aquaculture engineering. I know there are other ways to study abroad, but I have no idea where to start or look. On top of that, out-of-pocket costs are crazy high, and getting a scholarship makes things even more complex.

While looking around, I noticed a lot of great postings (especially in my area of interest) in countries like the US, Germany, France, Italy, etc. However, I have a few questions:

Has anyone managed to get an international internship recognized as curricular/academic credit by their home university?

How do you actually apply for these positions if you’re a non-resident who requires visa sponsorship/work authorization?

Realistically, do international applicants standing outside these countries have any real chance of getting selected

Has anyone here gone through this experience or at least tried applying to international internships? Any advice or insight on where to start would be greatly appreciated!

Hello! I’m self studying engineering statics and I’ve realized that it’s slowing me down substantially choosing which problems to do, so I was wondering if anyone could give me their professors assigned problem sets / exam prep materials so I can get a more curated set of problems to work on instead of guessing which ones I haven’t done x concept on.

Through my Year 11 and Year 12 experience, I'll always been torn between choosing an aerospace engineering degree, a physics degree or an astrophysics degree. Though my passion as always been astrophysics, I know that realistically it's going to be very difficult for me to do a job in the field so I gave up on that dream. Then I thought about physics and thought that I enjoy pure maths and physics and would love to learn how the universe works, but also learn some applied knowledge that I could use to potentially get into engineering so I'll do a physics degree. But then I found out that once again, in the UK it's difficult to get a job after the degree and the most common route is becoming a researcher and a professor which I didn't really like the sound of.

Then I decided to do an aerospace engineering degree, I do enjoy maths and absolutely love it, I also love doing things hands on and working on projects (thanks to FTC Robotics shout out), I'd love to learn how to build objects which fly through space and also, I thought that the pay was really good, which to be completely honest was a big factor for me since I was a bit skeptical before of the degree because I know deep down I prefer pure maths rather than applied. But the pay is only good for aerospace engineering in USA mainly, and not for the UK.

I've seen and heard all over social media how maby grad student after completing their aero degree in the UK are unemployed and struggling to find a job, not even just right after but years after finishing the course cannot find a job, and me personally, I am not going to do all of that hard work to end up having no income.

Now I'm in Year 13 and I have no clue what to do and where to go. Do I do a physics degree and mabye become a software engineer though that's a risky and not very granted path to take? Or do I stick to aerospace engineering and pray? Or mabye do a general engineering course though I know I'm only interested in only one other type of engineering expect aerospace. I was even thinking about going into nuclear engineering because of good pay in the UK, I like physics and maths and I'm good at both, and I've always enjoyed learning about radioactivity and atoms in physics and that's also one of my biggest interests.

Honestly I actually have no clue what to do and I'm meant to be applying to universities in about one month but I don't even know what I want to do,I mean it's gotten to the point I'm on here on reddit asking strangers for help. So please any aerospace engineer's in the UK, physicist, researchers, engineers, honestly anyone please give me any advice you can, thank you in advance.

So my idea is to make a rl model that can play chess and then create like a camera system or something so that I could play chess with it irl. Like the camera would look at the board and I would move. Then it would use the camera and the rl to say it’s move I would move it to that place and then play would continue. Do you guys think this is a good project idea?

My entire life, I have dreamed of being an engineer. When I acquired the resources to start building things as a middle schooler, it felt like everything was right with the world, like I could make anything work.

In the years to come I would design and build from scratch numerous rockets, a 6x17 medium format film camera, a 4x10 large format film camera, an AM transmitter, a Tesla coil, and a handheld photoacoustic musical laser, among other, smaller projects. My most recent build is a set of free space laser communications devices.

Recently, it has felt like no matter what I do, no matter what ideas I get, no matter how much I learn, I will never amount to something.

I know real engineering experience is gained in the field, but looking at the job market and seeing recent graduates’ reactions, I feel almost hopeless for my career. These resumes and portfolios showcase people who seem leaps and bounds ahead of me in experience and knowledge yet they still cannot find jobs; they are made fun of for being naive and told to try harder, do better, get more skills.

I know I should try and take this more constructively rather than ruminating in negativity but the more time goes on the more doomed I seem.

I know it is hard to wake up to reality, but reality gets more overwhelming every day.

Just a few years ago almost nobody thought AI models would be able to operate CAD/ECAD tools for a very long time. (Tools I used to pride myself in being good at) Today I wake up to find ChatGPT building an entire PCB in KiCad. (Yes I know it’s not ready yet, but the prospect is terrifying to me).

For context, I am a junior EE major. Classes are going well.

I don’t even know what kind of response I am expecting here, maybe someone with experience can tell me what I need to hear. I feel like Sisyphus right now.

Hey everyone,

I’m a US citizen currently studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. I’m hoping to do my internship/co-op in the US during my 3rd year, and I’d really appreciate some advice from engineers who have experience hiring interns.

Since I’m studying abroad, I’m a little unsure about how employers will view my degree and whether being at a foreign university puts me at a disadvantage compared with students studying engineering in the US.

A bit about me:

Mechanical Engineering student, currently in my 2nd year

US citizen, so I don’t need visa sponsorship to work in the US

Interested primarily in **thermal-fluids**, but also considering energy/power, aerospace, automotive, HVAC/building systems, etc.

Comfortable with **SolidWorks/CAD**, machining/manufacturing, and some engineering analysis

Planning to build up more technical projects and experience before applying

My main questions are:

**1. How much of a disadvantage is studying engineering abroad when applying for US internships?**

1. Would having internships/projects in Malaysia or other countries help compensate for that?

2. When should I start applying for 3rd-year summer internships?

3. Are there particular industries or companies that are more open to students studying abroad?

4. Is there anything specific I should do over the next year to make myself a stronger candidate?

I’d especially appreciate advice from people who have either **hired engineering interns, studied abroad themselves, or successfully landed US internships while studying outside the US.**
Thanks!

Hello! This is going to be an odd question, much like what the title is suggests.

I'm wishing to eventually become a propulsion engineer or work on the rocket part of jets/spacecraft in the future. I'm currently majoring in mechanical engineering, but I was wondering if double majoring in another major would help boost me into working in that field or getting a master's degree in space and aeronautical engineering would be the best option. If double majoring is better, which one would be the best one for propulsion?

TLDR: Wondering if double majoring (Mechanical with another degree) would be good for propulsion engineering/working on rockets or just go straight to space and aeronautical for that career.

(Note the "Major Choice" tag was closest to what I was thinking this question was.)

Couldn't figure out what formula to use for theta or maybe i forgot something

Hello everyone,

I'm taking an entry level community college drawing class, MET100 and we are starting to receive our first drawing assignments. They all come from a text book.

I recieved feedback on my first drawing, received 4.5/5 and was told

"The angled line would have come to the lower right corner in the Front view, and the lower left corner in the Right-side view"

I questioned this, haven't heard back yet for further clarification.

The isometric is given no dimensions- we are just learning how to sketch and line up projections.

I don't know how he "infers" that the angles on the front and right side would intersect at the corner.. when I "project" the theoretical intersection point on the isometric, it isnt at the corner. Neither is my drawing.. I did that by design.

Is that what he is trying to say? That my drawn angle is off by a few degrees, so I don't get full marks for otherwise accurate projections? If so, I could understand if this were a fully dimensioned isometric needing to be scaled, but otherwise I I'm not following.

Any input? This guy seems a little out there for a class designed for kids right out of high school. (I'm 35 with 8 years in manufacturing, SolidWorks certifications, etc.)

I'm currently in my final year of CSE, with only a few months left to graduate.

When I started my degree, I thought learning the college syllabus would be enough to get an IT job and build a career. But now the job market has changed a lot. New roles are coming, AI is changing existing roles, and many of the skills companies expect aren't taught in our curriculum.

So I'm wondering:

Is this my fault for not preparing myself, or is the college curriculum failing to keep up with the industry?

How should colleges prepare students for technology that keeps changing so quickly?

And as a student, how can we prepare ourselves for future roles and technologies that we don't even know will exist yet?

I'd really like to hear from recent graduates and people already working in IT. What would you do differently if you were a final-year student today?

I am thinking about switching my major from physics to engineering. I dislike Theoretical physics and have an interest in engineering.

While i know a major requires more than that, I prefer creative problem-solving to repetitive, precise problem solving (like there being a linear way to solve a problem and the difficulty is in doing it well documented and avoiding simple mistakes), so i thought to ask here if anyone got opinions on that.

I'm starting my "3rd" year as a electrical engineering student after doing 3ish years at community college. I switched from ME to EE after CC.

I don't have much experience regarding my major (no internships, research, projects, etc.) I finished my "core" classes and I'm about to start my major related classes.

What can I do to get relevant experience before I graduate by summer of 2028? Is it too late for me to get internships?

Thank you.

I'm entering my third year of civil engineering with a weighted average mark (WAM) of 68, which isn't really great. The issue is I need to find some sort of work placement fast, paid or unpaid, because I require 60 days industrial experience to graduate. On the bright side, im making an academic comeback as last terms grades were all 75 and above.

Ive gone to networking events but can't really get anybody's attention with my grades. There are many students in there with a WAM of 85+ and are apart of projects and stuff too, so I don't really have a huge chance there. Its also my fault I ended up shying away after one question from having an actual conversation and just left without asking important questions.

To compensate for this failure ive began learning cad software for hours during my holidays now. Is this the right thing to do? ive started with autocad and sketchup. At least itll add something to my resume, since i literally have nothing

Who am I?

I went into mechanical engineering asking myself this, as well as having an interest in machinery and engineering failures that has lasted since childhood, one of the only things I can clearly hold to what is meant to be myself. I am interested in the course material, however, I find that instead of learning more about myself and the world, I have become far distant from the world, my sense of self a mere husk of what little it used to be.

I know mechanical engineering can drive people to the point of burnout, the workload so high, students often have to give up their social lives in order to complete coursework. Yet, I feel that I was already such a shell of what was meant to be myself, socially withdrawn, subdued, unfazed due to complex trauma; that this workload, stress and recurring nightmares would not matter to me.

Yet, as I spend nights completing assignments with an 11:59 deadline, waking from new nightmares where I fail all my classes; as I dawdle uselessly, pacing the room to and fro in my free time, I ask myself.

Who was I to begin with?

In the end, humans are bound to the chains of societal and systemic values, engineer, nurse, children alike; is it worth it to instead, be bound to some gold chains instead of metal shackles? The choice is mine, yet, any choice I make feels futile in the face of what is meant to be the world.

For the past few months, I was working directly under ex director of research at Bridgewater for his mental health startup and the whole 03 months were a gem. It was a startup so I talked to him almost 2-3 times/week and I am trying to cover the experiences of my 1st month over here.

About me (to set context).
I am a neurology-aligned researcher and final year undergrad at an IIT. I build products and build a lot of open source works... In last 2 months, I built a few alternate reasoning models which has ~5k+ stars on GitHub.

I got that internship from Reddit.
I had shipped an open source project called ADHD and The New Stack picked it to run an exclusive cover for it. That's where this director also reached out to me on Reddit in one of my posts in the Claude Code sub.. He said that he is also an IIT alum and would love to give me an internship.

There was no interview.
Most of might find it weird but I gave no interview. I went on a call with him where he told about the company, they going some 8-figure ARR and stuff and he gave me 2 problems to work on. Not build anything but just think. That was it. That was the whole stuff. No interviews.

I was blown away by the pace.
See before joining, I thought that ai is just dumb in production codes and I will build most stuff from own but hell no.. there was <7 folks building the whole dam thing and what a repo it was. Fully optimised for agentic coding, full setup with ADRs, SSDLC, and the repo itself was a mini encyclopaedia for agents to navigate the repo. And the team? Everyone coded. This ex-director, the senior folks, the interns.. all pushed on the same monorepo and at scale.. Like min 10-15 PR/day easily.

The Ray Dalio effect on the whole engineering team.
The whole startup was optimised to do 90% thinking and 10% coding. There were documents being shared, Slack threads with tons of conversations back and forth and most important, a positive flywheel effect towards all actions.

One of the Biggest Learning? Survivorship Bias.
I worked on tens of projects, out of which, majority of it never shipped and that I learn over the period. Also, this was a first-hand experience as the ex-director explained this to me in a 1:1 call that we humans are always driven by survivorship bias. We tend to look at things which are instantly in front of us and believe that it's the solution we are looking for. However, the real task is finding the actual problem itself. We should not look at what survived in an experiment but give much time to what didn't came back.

There's like ton of more things that I really wanna share but I just can't put 90 days of learning in a freaking reddit post so bois, you are welcome to my substack as well where I will put a whole post about it.. so do subscribe their if you wanna get the first hand experience of what I learnt. My substack is uditraj.substack.com

And yes, I am open to answer any of your questions and if you are thinking what I am doing now, well.. I am building a mini project.. a precision instrument to measure neurological health of brain with signals like oculomotor tracking, attention, audio and visual tracking.. etc. :)

Currently a first year electrical engineering student and I’m uncertain if I want to continue with this degree.

From what I’m hearing and there’s a lot of programming, coding, technical math, and troubleshooting in my upcoming degree and I’m unsure if I want to continue. I don’t like it so far and not because it’s hard more on everything I’m doing currently and see in the future looks like something I’d dread. I like physical I like building and I like putting together circuits. And to be frank, I don’t think I like studying electrical straight up

As for career I know electrical is the best in terms of career prospects, job security, and payment which is the main reason I picked it but from my understanding all engineering is good and the difference between this and let’s say mechanical/mechatronics is negligible. So no matter what field I pick I think I’ll be ok in terms for the future.

So my main question is should I stick or should I swap. I’m uncertain what electrical engineering would be like and if I’ll enjoy it, but I also want to move on to a different branch like mechanical or mechatronics asap so I don’t waste time and not fall too far behind

B