What are the egineering weed-out classes?

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain to me what the engineering weed out classes are? Everyone says XYZ engineering has first year weed out classes. What are they? Calculus? Don't most people take Calc I in HS and some kids take Calc II and Calc III. What else are they?

[Anonymous]

Yes calc II and III, physics I, II, III. Also statics and dynamics. This was at UMD more than 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes calc II and III, physics I, II, III. Also statics and dynamics. This was at UMD more than 10 years ago.

And these are vastly harder than AP Calc BC and AP Physics C? Do these classes prepare you at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes calc II and III, physics I, II, III. Also statics and dynamics. This was at UMD more than 10 years ago.

And chem I.

A ton retake calc because AP isnt always good enough for the engineering schools.

[Anonymous]

Some colleges don’t allow a student to use AP credit for courses that are requirements for their major

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes calc II and III, physics I, II, III. Also statics and dynamics. This was at UMD more than 10 years ago.

And these are vastly harder than AP Calc BC and AP Physics C? Do these classes prepare you at all?

Yes, they help. No, the AP program is not a replacement for engineering school.

[Anonymous]

Math, Chem, and basic ME classes (thermo and stuff) were easy for me but Physics was a different story. Apparently, I am not wired for phys.

- UMD ME grad

[Anonymous]

When a school "strongly recommends" that everyone take the 101 course, take it.

[Anonymous]

Statics, dynamics, which I didn’t find that hard. Thermo and EE were very hard for me, but they come junior year, so by then it was too late. 😀

[Anonymous]

Basically the first two years of math and science are weed out classes.

[Anonymous]

At my university, it wasn't a specific class, but the combination of classes.

Ex - 2nd semester of Freshman year included
- Calc 2 (4 hours)
- 2nd semester chemistry (3-4 hours depending on if you had a lab)
- 1st semester of physics (4 hours)

The chem + physics combo was difficult, esp. with the English lit requirement and some sort of humanities. If you didn't have both completed at the end of your freshman year, you could not matriculate into your accepted major. (e.g., you wouldn't officially be Mechanical Engineering). Some kids I know were happy to delay physics until sophomore year. Others took it over summer school. Others took both sciences all in 1 semester and hated life. And some changed majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my university, it wasn't a specific class, but the combination of classes.

Ex - 2nd semester of Freshman year included
- Calc 2 (4 hours)
- 2nd semester chemistry (3-4 hours depending on if you had a lab)
- 1st semester of physics (4 hours)

The chem + physics combo was difficult, esp. with the English lit requirement and some sort of humanities. If you didn't have both completed at the end of your freshman year, you could not matriculate into your accepted major. (e.g., you wouldn't officially be Mechanical Engineering). Some kids I know were happy to delay physics until sophomore year. Others took it over summer school. Others took both sciences all in 1 semester and hated life. And some changed majors.

Whew! would be helpful for readers if you could kindly name the school.

[Anonymous]

Statics and Dynamics for MechE, Aero etc... and circuit analysis and power for EE/CE etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes calc II and III, physics I, II, III. Also statics and dynamics. This was at UMD more than 10 years ago.

And these are vastly harder than AP Calc BC and AP Physics C? Do these classes prepare you at all?

Probably. Yes, years ago, but I got 5 on BC calc and was one of the top couple of math students a private HS in new england. the next calc course in sequence in college was really rough.

[Anonymous]

Agree on Statics and Dynamics. Those hit me hard at first.