Aviation/Aero Eng ??

[BlackBearHockey]

To play devils advocate though, and while I do see your line of thinking and it's pretty good, aren't there just as many if not more who will go on to the ranks of politics, or areas of the Navy that aren't solved with a calculator and protractor?

 

[Notso07]

Whether or not its planned, thats certainly what happens, a lot of the engineers I have met working for the defense contractors have been ex-aviators. My plan is go to test school and then eventually someday get out and do test engineering. Oh and what political situations are there out there int those sandy countries that can't possibly be solved with a protractor?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Yeall should be Govt majors, like myself.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Whether or not its planned, thats certainly what happens, a lot of the engineers I have met working for the defense contractors have been ex-aviators. My plan is go to test school and then eventually someday get out and do test engineering. Oh and what political situations are there out there int those sandy countries that can't possibly be solved with a protractor?

I assume you mean TPS? Cause a school of tests sounds pretty bad to me...oh wait, thats my life

You don't need an engineering degree to work for a defense contractor after you get off active duty

 

[larbear]

To play devils advocate though, and while I do see your line of thinking and it's pretty good, aren't there just as many if not more who will go on to the ranks of politics, or areas of the Navy that aren't solved with a calculator and protractor?

Yes, but underachievement needs no incentive.

Back to the original topic. I did the Aero E/NROTC thing and it turned me into an overworked, sickly, sleep-deprived sort of creature with no life. It can be done, but in doing so, you might miss out on the better elements of your "education."

 

[Pags]

Junior/Senior year of engineering school is hard to juggle with anything. That said, it is not impossible and though it may sound cheesy, is "character building" IMHO. I am just finishing an 18 credit term (of very challenging senior year engineering classes) while also holding a senior billet in my Battalion. It has probably been the most difficult term of my college career, but it IS doable. Being organized helps, and learning to prioritize is the real key.

I will say that in the past I had felt engineering involved about the same amount of work and difficulty as a liberal arts degree, just in different ways. Now I would venture to say that it IS a lot harder. My point being, do engineering because YOU want to, not because you think the Navy wants you to. It will not be a walk in the park, and all the Navy really cares about is whether or not you get a degree. So choose your major wisely.

All of what JAC said above is good stuff, here's my take on an engineering degree that I got almost 5yrs ago:

An engineering degree isn't the easiest degree to get. It takes a lot of hard work, time, and determination. Sure, you might not party as much as your communication major buddies, but majoring in engineering isn't necessarily going to turn you into some nerdy hermit. It's very possible to do NROTC, be an engineer, party, and do some other things with your college life. Like JAC said, it's all about time management.

Since I left grad school, I haven't touched my engineering skills. Having an aeronutics back ground in no way gave me a leg up when it came to flying. But, getting an engineering degree did give me excellent academic confidence, a comfort with technical subjects, and time management skills. Sure, I have yet to have to do any partial differential equations in the Navy, but the academic confidence was nice when it came to things like API and flight school tests and memorizing NATOPS.

All that being said, do engineering because you have an interest in it. I'm sure just about any other major can give you the same skills, I stuck with engineering because it was interesting and I enjoyed the challenge.

 

[USN99]

Ageless Wisdom

It's very possible to do NROTC, be an engineer, party, and do some other things with your college life.... it's all about time management.

Since I left grad school, I haven't touched my engineering skills. Having an aeronutics back ground in no way gave me a leg up when it came to flying.

All that being said, do engineering because you have an interest in it.

Pags has it absolutely right. Every Mid should pay attention to these words of ageless wisdom. :icon_smil