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Does College Major matter?

Duff_Man!

New Member
I usually assume engineers aren't idiots. There are always exceptions.

Prime Example

Yeah, I've seen that before.

Of course, we've got this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_levee_failures_in_Greater_New_Orleans

and this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster#Turbogenerator_vibrations_measurement

And this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma_Bridge#Galloping_Gertie

And this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis_bridge_collapse
Although, that was due to budget cuts and not so much engineering.

I could go on, but engineers screw up a lot. Doesn't make college any easier though.
 

CUPike11

Still avoiding work as much as possible....
None
Contributor
I could go on, but engineers screw up a lot. Doesn't make college any easier though.

You have to do engineering because you WANT to do engineering. Not sure what exactly the argument is here or if its been said, but I saw too many people choose engineering just because it was "something to do" or they would "make alot of money" after graduation. I was Aerospace at Michigan and it was no joke. At times I definitely thought I was a complete moron and contemplated switching a few times, but I had an ultimate goal and its one thats been with me since I was 7 and still is currently!

Engineers do screw up and thats why we overanalyze every damn thing that comes across our plate....even women. Yeah. its a curse but oh well.

Bottomline, engineering is only a huge risk if you're not really sure if you want to do it. If you want an engineering degree, you will find ways to make it work and actually still party and learn something and do well.
 

Duff_Man!

New Member
You have to do engineering because you WANT to do engineering. Not sure what exactly the argument is here or if its been said, but I saw too many people choose engineering just because it was "something to do" or they would "make alot of money" after graduation. I was Aerospace at Michigan and it was no joke. At times I definitely thought I was a complete moron and contemplated switching a few times, but I had an ultimate goal and its one thats been with me since I was 7 and still is currently!

Engineers do screw up and thats why we overanalyze every damn thing that comes across our plate....even women. Yeah. its a curse but oh well.

Bottomline, engineering is only a huge risk if you're not really sure if you want to do it. If you want an engineering degree, you will find ways to make it work and actually still party and learn something and do well.

To add, just because you don't like engineering in college (I hated it, it really cut into my drinking time), doesn't mean you won't like it in the real world. It took me all of one week to realize that my college professors didn't have the foggiest damn clue what it's really like to work in industry.

Example: we had this one teacher who had this big project (a third of our grade or something) where we had to design a bridge. We were divided into like 15 groups and we had to 'compete' for our grade (best design wins). At the end of the class, we're all bitching because we all got shitty grades and he tells us "in the real industry, only one company gets the proposal, and everyone else loses, so I should've given you all Fs except team ###." WTF? In real industry, you don't bid on something with 14 other competitors, and if you do, you either take the job at a loss just to keep your guys employed, or you do the seedy thing and bid real low, then try to get all your money back on change-orders and mods to the contract during construction. As a side note, this same guy gave Ds/Fs to 2/3s of the class (we were all seniors by the way), which caused my term GPA to dive below 2.5, it was within 12 months of commissioning, so it was a breach of contract with my scholarship, which cost me a pilot slot in the AF. We brought this BS to the dean, who didn't really care to fight with a tenured professor, and we dropped it there, so we all got screwed.

So, don't expect the real world to be anything like college (at least for civil engineers). Also, if you really want to be an engineer, don't be 'disheartened' by how much it sucks in college.

Also, you CAN party like a rockstar and still be an engineer. There were quite a few times I had to sit down and study while my roommates and 20 of our closest friends played beer pong in the next room on a Tuesday night, but I still managed to go out and make horrible decisions a couple times a week. You just have to manage your time. There will always be another party and there will always be another chance to get laid. On the same token, don't be that guy who studies at 10 pm on Friday night for a test next Tuesday. If you can't party Friday and Saturday night (and most Thursdays), you're not managing your time effectively.
 

AGonxAV8R

HAMPS
pilot
I usually assume engineers aren't idiots. There are always exceptions.

Prime Example


You know how many things engineers have done with positive outcomes, and you post one accident. Engineering new things is risky and at ALL TIMES money is involved, and I know where that can lead, not sure if you know.

I majored in Engineering because it was natural to me. I grew up building my own toys, fixing my own cars, even modifying thing with a few metal pieces and a welding machine.
 

tjhinkle1

New Member
Okay, so far all I have seen here is to pick a major that you are interested in. This is where my conflict comes in. I want to be a Naval Aviator. That's it. Nothing else matters. I don't care how I get there, just that it happens. Last time I checked there wasn't a Naval Aviator degree. Right now I'm just doing general studies because I have no idea what to do. Like I said, my goal is to be a Naval Aviator and then one day a Skipper of an aircraft carrier. Can anyone give me advice for a major that can help me accomplish this? Lets not worry about my interests, just what will work.
 

WEGL12

VT-28
Okay, so far all I have seen here is to pick a major that you are interested in. This is where my conflict comes in. I want to be a Naval Aviator. That's it. Nothing else matters. I don't care how I get there, just that it happens. Last time I checked there wasn't a Naval Aviator degree. Right now I'm just doing general studies because I have no idea what to do. Like I said, my goal is to be a Naval Aviator and then one day a Skipper of an aircraft carrier. Can anyone give me advice for a major that can help me accomplish this? Lets not worry about my interests, just what will work.

Not sure what your actual question is but here is my advice. All you need is an accredited degree to become a Naval Aviator. If you go to a major college, any degree they offer should be accepted by the Navy. Everything I have read indicates major has no impact on your performance in flight school or as an officer. Engineering fields tend to be favored by the Navy but these are not a requirement. I recommend you looking at majors with this idea: What is best for you if the military doesn’t work out? Pick something you have a strong interest in and one that opens doors in the civilian world. I wanted a major that has a positive job market in the civilian world but one I enjoy at the same time. So I picked aerospace engineering, which gives me the degree required to be an officer but also provides job opportunities if the military doesn’t work out.
 

tjhinkle1

New Member
In my high school I took a 4 year aerospace engineering program but my teacher said there wasn't much demand for them. He is also an idiot so I was wondering if the demand for an aerospace engineer is high, low, or moderate.
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
In my high school I took a 4 year aerospace engineering program but my teacher said there wasn't much demand for them. He is also an idiot so I was wondering if the demand for an aerospace engineer is high, low, or moderate.

An idiot eh? Interesting...

Will you enjoy aero eng enough to get decent grades in that field of study? There will always be a demand for a guy who knows what he's doing and does exceptional work in any career field. At the same time no one wants to hire a window licker. Enjoy your general studies. Get acquainted with female anatomy and physiology. Drink beer like it's your job. Talk to some people and take some classes.
 

m26

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Okay, so far all I have seen here is to pick a major that you are interested in. This is where my conflict comes in. I want to be a Naval Aviator. That's it. Nothing else matters. ... Can anyone give me advice for a major that can help me accomplish this? Lets not worry about my interests, just what will work.

Not that I want to encourage this nonsense, but you want a technical degree with a good serving of calculus and physics (assuming you are OCS... even then, prepare for the nuke pitch). A degree in Aviation, if your school has it, aerospace engineering, or other engineering. In that order. Math or physics would work, too.

What is apparently lost on you is why people advise you to pick a major you are interested in.

I'll make an approximate ranking of the importance of certain elements of your package:

1) Grades
1) ASTB
3) Motivational statement
4) Recommendations
5) Extracurriculars and athletics
6) "Quality" of major/school
7) Flight experience

You want to pick the major that you enjoy most because that will be the one you will do best in. If you pick the absolute BEST major for naval aviation, but you hate it and/or are bad at it, you'll get lower grades, have a harder time getting recommendations, and have less time to devote to extracurriculars.

They look at the WHOLE PERSON, and the well-rounded applicant will be more successful than the one who was a slave to the "perfect" major.

JMHO
 
Another thing to keep in mind:

Throughout college, it is likely your interests and the fields you enjoy will stay the same more so than the specifics of what you want to do. For example, through college my plans have varied among becoming a math professor, automotive engineer, flight control systems engineer, research mathematician, pastry chef [not even kidding], full time pianist, and space systems engineer. I'm lucky that most of those fall under the same general field, but I really don't want to be any of those anymore. My interest in applied math and flight stability [and food], however, have remained constant the whole time.

Also worth noting, I've seen plenty of engineering students partying it up and still surviving class, but it is something I would never recommend nor encourage to anyone. Be the good student.
 

JhwK08

New Member
Tbh the aerospace engineering is in a slump right now. The demand is low; there were zero aerospace companies at the schools job fair this year. The aerospace industry is cyclical, and is extremely dependent on the economy and many other factors outside your control. That said - it is not impossible to get a job, just extremely competitive.
 

WEGL12

VT-28
Tbh the aerospace engineering is in a slump right now. The demand is low; there were zero aerospace companies at the schools job fair this year. The aerospace industry is cyclical, and is extremely dependent on the economy and many other factors outside your control. That said - it is not impossible to get a job, just extremely competitive.

Pretty much the same thing I have heard. The job market for aerospace engineers is not increasing at this moment. I also noticed the region you live in has a large part to do with it. An example is in Charleston they are building a new Boeing plant and it seems like a large number of engineering positions are open. Alabama also tends to be a place with a large number of aero engineers. However, doing well in school is the biggest factor in terms of finding a job. I have also heard that many aerospace majors can get a masters in mechanical without much trouble. I don’t know how accurate that claim is. The major reason I picked aerospace over mechanical is because I felt I would enjoy the field more. So far it has worked out in my favor and helped me get selected for BDCP.

UF_ME: I never knew they had actual statistics of each field. Pretty well where I thought aerospace fell number wise (behind civil, electrical, and mechanical).

tjhinkle1: If I were you I would double check that a general studies degree is accepted by the Navy. I know several people that went through college and got a general studies degree. Just pick a major that you will enjoy and the good grades will come with some effort.
 
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