I graduated in May and only really started to seriously search around the end of July and it didn’t take as long as expected.

- No Internships
- No Co-ops
- No extra curriculars
- My only projects are ones I did for class
- 2.7 GPA in Electrical Engineering
- Only job experience is some unrelated summer jobs and helping my family’s small HVAC business.

Living near the Houston area probably helped a bunch.

For context, I'm about to start the 3rd (and final) year of my bachelor's degree. I've been interested in EE since technical secondary school (IT focus), and frankly I don't know what else I would do.

I have to admit I don't have any special passion for it, but I never really did for anything else either. I don't do extra projects in my free time, the way some people do. During the school year my curriculum is full enough, and in summer I really want to step away from anything school-related.

I have to repeat one class from last semester (I could have passed it, but it would have required an oral retake exam with the worst human being I've ever met).

My grades put me in the top 20-30% of students, but it still feels like I'm studying the test and not the subject. I really don't know how to feel about that.

I stopped going to one subject's lectures because there was a guy answering every question the professor asked as if it were 1+1. It made me feel stupid and bad about myself. I don't really know why professors ask questions during lectures anyway. The first time we ever saw an antenna array, the professor asked if anyone wanted to write out its radiation function. Picture my surprise when that same guy just did it.

But on the other hand, almost every new lab partner has managed to surprise me with how little someone in the same class can know and still be there.

Is it normal to feel like this?

I have a BFA but I want to get a 2nd degree in engineering. I didn't realize that many schools just straight up don't accept ppl pursing a 2nd degree. There are a few schools with a few exceptions for certain majors, but I wanted to know how difficult it would be to get into an engineering master's program.

I'm currently in community college taking lots of calculus and physics and whatever other classes I can that fulfills schools' lower division engineering courses. I'm really locked in, trying to ace all my classes and do extracurriculars to give myself just a little more edge.

What are the odds I could actually be accepted into a masters program? Has anyone else gotten a masters in engineering after receiving another degree in something completely unrelated?

Extra info: my goal is UC Berkeley for mechanical engineering but idk how possible that is

Hello all, I am a 20yo 3rd year ME student. This semester I am doing Cal III, Physics II, and Statics. It all just feels like a pointless slog... Especially for statics, it feels like a ton of work just to maybe get the right answer on one problem, but still having 14 more afterwards. I have spent a lot of time on school and especially my math and physics skills. I guess the most frustrating thing is thinking about how I could have gone straight into the workforce or gone to a trade school and I would already be making money by now. I'm tired of struggling financially just to do what feels like unnecessarily complicated math problems and group project reports. It just makes me wonder if it will even be worth it once I'm finished, especially since I am not enjoying this much at all. So, really, how good of an indicator are my feelings on school towards how I might feel about my future job as an engineer? Are there other people who have felt this way, got through it, and still found a fulfilling career in engineering?

How about we cook 🤔...

Serious note I believe in all you guys and do your best.

Hey there, I’m 18 and just started community college a few weeks ago. I wanted to become a software engineer before because I love computers and problem solving, but with the way that market is going I don’t think it’s smart to base my career path on a gamble. So I was thinking about doing mechanical engineering, but I don’t know if I’m cut out for it.

A little background about me and why I don’t know if I’m cut out for engineering. I have adhd and depression. Sometimes I can’t find the meaning in doing anything and I can have very little to no motivation. When things get harder or more stressful than they already are I’ll get majorly depressed and usually give up on things. I stopped going to school for months at a time in highschool because this got so bad along with my anxiety. I still got good grades because I did all my work from home, but I couldn’t get myself to go consistently.

I also used to randomly set this big challenges for myself without really understanding that I’d have to keep doing them when things got tough, and then I’d inevitably fail. That was fine when I was younger outside of making me lose trust in myself, but I cannot do that when so much wasted time and money is at stake.

I don’t want to be the type of person that gives up anymore, but I also don’t know if I could really change enough to be able to get through an engineering degree. I always overestimate what I can do and I guess that’s what I’m scared I’m doing now.

Should I still try to be an engineer? Or is it smarter to figure something else out?

Year long job search, fall 25 grad..BSME, 2.4 GPA, 1 internship. Was about to give up for sure. Was more apps than this but i stopped counting lmao. Both offers were 4 round interviews

(Please excuse the messy text and english, im rushing this out cuz i have something going on).

I need help deciding courses. right now its between two choices, mechanical or mechatronics and robotics engineering. my interest and my brain all directs to robotics cause i want to play with circuits and programming and coding and wires and hands and stuff. i dont know what mechanical is about, isnt it just physics? but looking at the subject; "fluid motion" just sounds like a snooze fest to me. but heres the thing, in Heriot Watt, mechanical has the option to go to UK, i really wanna go there for a year or two, mechatronic and robotics doesnt. usually ill be fine with just raw dogging mechanical but the sound of fluid motion and thermodynamics scares me of how uninterested i might be. because i got straight As in the final exams of high school with the only A- being history. because i have next to NO interest in it, i hated it becuase of how uninterested i am (almost everyone got A/A+) subjects that im not interested in is so much harder to me than actual hard subjects. im scared thats gonna happen if i go mechanical, UNLESS im viewing mechanical in the totally wrong light. i also have been wanting to go overseas since i was a kid, like a dream.

Hi everyome,

I’m an undergraduate mechanical engineering student. With the rapid acceleration of AI models (code generation, CAD automation, automated FEA/CFD scripting, generative design), it feels like traditional "handbook calculations" and basic drafting tasks are quickly being commoditized.

For experienced engineers and senior professionals in the industry:

Core Competencies: Which areas of mechanical engineering do you think remain most resilient to automation? What foundational skills should I double down on right now?

Emerging Niches: Are there specific cross-disciplinary domains (e.g., thermal management, semiconductor/precision hardware, robotics/mechatronics, multiphysics simulations) where AI acts purely as an accelerator rather than a replacement?

Practical Strategy: How can a student leverage modern AI tools today without neglecting the core physical intuition, workshop/manufacturing practicalities, and first-principles thinking?

Looking forward to hearing your insights and real-world perspectives on how the role of a mechanical engineer is evolving.

I went to the first office hours hoping it would help, but still I cannot understand anything (mainly the different integrals for electric fields). We’ve moved onto gauss’s law and it makes a bit more sense I guess. I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to understand, but something just won’t click, and it feels like it’s starting to cut into some of my other classes a bit. I assume it only gets worse. How cooked am I? Besides hiring a tutor there’s not really any other resources so are there any helpful YouTube channels or something

As title says, I’m back to school and haven’t been in a few years and decided to embark in civil engineering. I’m liking what I’m studying, but how do you stay energized during the semester?

I’m seeing myself being tired already early morning and I’m wondering how I’m gonna be capable ..

​

I'm a fresher in university. I chose engineering on a whim (mechanical engineering specifically). Now, I'm suffering academically. I can't seem to grasp the concepts clearly which are discussed in the courses. Maybe, I'm at fault here. Even if I try to understand the slides provided by the professors, it seems hard for me to get it. I tried asking ai to explain the concepts for me. Still it's not working out. It's not like I'm the only one using ai in this respect. My classmates are using it too. But it feels like I'm the only one who's suffering. Then, I thought my study method might be incorrect, watched a lot of videos for fixing my study method. But it’s not easy as it sounds. Again, some of my friends are planning on making projects (soccerbot, LFR, bionic arm and others that I haven’t even heard of ), some of them have even completed solidworks, autocad etc. before varsity even started. I think I'm lagging behind everyone. Mid-term exams just ended. I did very poor in the previous exams. I might survive a backlog if I somehow do well in the final term exam. I'm feeling frustrated. Is there a out for me? How can I keep  myself interested in studying ME? I can't give up yet. I have to overcome this somehow as my family has high hopes for me. There will be a mid-break of 7-10 days starting in a few days. How can I utilise this break properly? I want to get a fresh start. If there is anyone out there who can help me with their guidance, please do so. I would be grateful.

Well, this is in career help because you need to get along to have a succesful career, but well, I am a trans girl, and I have seen a lot of rw engineers in twitter so I am a bit worried. My social skills are fine, was very closed just a bit ago but managed to open up a lot more recently, yet I am worried that I will not be able to mingle well with the rest of the people in the profesion. I have heard that in general, people care more about your skills and how easy you are to work with than your identity, but I would like to hear your input on this. Thank you in advance

I’m starting Computer Science Engineering at a University in Hungary. I’ve found that the program isn’t ABET accredited, although it’s accredited in Hungary and listed in EEED.

I specifically want to work in engineering after my degree and possibly pursue an engineering master’s abroad.

How much could the lack of ABET accreditation affect my engineering career or future studies? Is transferring to an ABET-accredited university worth considering?

I feel like i messed up by choosing this.

Chat, did I do good? 3 month search out of college. Mechanical Engineering.

I’m in week 3 of Fluid Mechanics, and I’m already struggling to keep up. I did well in an accelerated Statics class over the summer, but Fluid Mechanics feels much broader and harder to organize.
I’m not sure how to identify which equations or solution methods apply to a given problem.
There are many variables, fluid properties, units, and symbols to keep track of.
I don’t have a physics background, so I feel like I’m missing some of the intuition behind the concepts.
I’ve been reviewing units and symbols, but the material still isn’t sticking.
For those who have taken Fluid Mechanics
What helped the subject finally click for you? And
Are there any study methods, resources, or habits you recommend?

The single biggest thing you can do to get a leg up in any mechanical job where you will be producing manufacturing drawings is learn GD&T. The fact that this isn't covered in most university courses on engineering drawings is pretty unbelievable. It's not only an extremely powerful tool for producing clear drawings, in many industries it's basically mandatory, especially at more advanced companies.

The dimensioning standards you're learning are as useful as a toddler learning to write CAT. it's a place to start, sure, but it's not actually getting you to a point where you really communicate effectively with engineering drawings.

Read job descriptions and you'll see GD&T experience as a preferred qualification constantly, employers want it, it will make you a better engineer. Go learn it.

So today I got both an email and a call simultaneously from an employer. The email asked if we could do a phone screening next week and the caller asked if we could do it now (same person; this conflict isn’t the bad part).

However, this recruiter catches me at a bad time. I’m in the middle of a very crowded part of campus and ask if I can call them back in a few minutes to find a quiet room to speak. They say yes and I do so.

I call her back after 3 minutes having given up on finding a spot indoors. only to figure out that she’s not picking up. I give her one more call + voicemail but still nothing (I accidentally tapped the button to call her one more time but that was a mistake ). I emailed her my availability next week as a reply. Do you think this is completely screwed or is there still a chance? I can’t believe I let this happen.

Hello, I am a freshman Mechanical Engineering student, and I have been considering pursuing a minor in physics. There is significant overlap between my degree and a physics minor, so it is doable in terms of coursework. My question arises from what the value of obtaining a minor would give me. I have not been able to find a clear answer on this, with some sources saying it is useless, and others saying it is worth pursuing. I am mostly curious as to whether it would help me succeed in or pursue a career in the aerospace industry.

The only other thing I might add to this is if I do pursue the minor, I will have a lot more difficulty fitting undergraduate research into my schedule. However, I have also heard a lot about how undergrad research is not particularly helpful in securing a career, especially compared with internships.

I'm 29 looking to start classes for a 4 year program with about 12 credits to roll over and I'm trying to decide between online classes or in person. I currently work full time 3-11 mon-fri and don't want to leave because I make decent money and I would like to manage at least 2-3 courses per semester. Are in person classes possible or should I attend online classes? For people who did attend online classes, did you find you had a harder time paying attention and less motivation to study? That's what I'm worried about

Hello, this past month I interviewed for 3 separate internships in the aerospace/space field and for all three I made it to the final round and ultimately got rejected. The experience has been very frustrating as for 2 out of the 3 roles I felt the interview went well in terms of answering the technical questions and other behavioral questions with one interview going 45 minutes over the time limit (which I took as a good sign). I was just wondering for future opportunities any tips on how to prepare better for these types of positions and what these type of aerospace companies specifically look for in candidates. I am sorry if this post comes off as vague but just wanted to reach out to anyone who previously struggled and was able to find an extra gear that improved their chances.

I’ve had no interviews due to lack of being ahead and I’m already a junior in standing so I was wondering which club would help me more at this time. I know both clubs take up a lot of time but formula looks like it will take up substantially more time the uwr. I’m taking my hardest course load to date right now too: System integration and controls, machine elements 2, Fluid mechanics, Measurement and data analytics, Internal Combustion Engines, Eng Econ. If it helps I go to Ohio State. I want to say uwr is definitely a friendlier more welcoming environment and is more accessible due to the lab being on campus. But formula looks more structured but may have worse onboarding so I might be feel lost instead of learning more.

I’ll add that I’m a Mech E at this point just looking to get any experience I can.

I’m realizing getting an engineering degree and becoming an engineer are two different things

I was not the type to take apart my toys as a kid. I don’t have the classic engineering brain. I was a typical girl who played with dolls. I have no true prior knowledge of engineering before undergrad

I’m second year. I’ve joined 2 student clubs and done some arduino projects this year (they are really terrible)

I don’t feel like my knowledge of circuits is strong even though I keep doing projects. I get my work corrected so much by the teams in student clubs for silly mistakes that I’m wondering whether I’m built for this compared to other students who did take apart their toys as kids

I know I’m supposed to feel terrible in undergrad but is it normal that I feel like I’m working three times as hard as anymore just to be mediocre? My grades are also subpar. Never failed classes but gpa is 2.79