Why is engineering so popular now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Engineering has been "popular" since the 80s.

I think a true definition of popular is whether admissions rates for kids applying for engineering are lower than the college as a whole.

I honestly don’t believe that was remotely the case in the 1980s vs today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Majors that are considered more quantitative have been climbing for years. Business, comp sci, engineering, etc. Plus you find a lot of people branch out from these majors into other fields. For example, there are a healthy number of engineering majors in private equity. It's just a different set of equations and problem-solving.

There is the perception that if you are the English major in a stack of resumes that includes finance and engineering, you are odd duck.

This was true 30 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Better for employers when there’s a glut.

[Anonymous]

Outside of St John's and a handful of tiny Christian colleges where no one on this board would dream of sending their children, the liberal arts have turned into a self-referential parody of themselves. Only the most quantitative majors have held to some level of standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Engineering is a broad field and there is a lot of recruitment being done to ensure a good pipeline. We need to replace a huge amount of critical infrastructure. In addition to needing a ton of engineers, we also need high end electricians, machinists, welders, carpenters. If you want to be incredibly hot on the job market, learn welding AND become an engineer. $$$$$

Pretty much any trade, actually, in combo with engineering. Allows you to earn money on the side while going to school.

[Anonymous]

A lot of kids go in. Not all come out.

[Anonymous]

The general thought that soft science degrees lead to working at Starbucks. And the US still imports so many engineers. Jobs available upon graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of kids go in. Not all come out.

The accuracy 🎯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is engineering so popular now? I never remember it being discussed so much and it seems like in the past 5 years so many high school kids are saying they want to go into engineering and if you ask why they don’t seem to know.

It used to be computer science was the hot major, along with the usual pre-med, pre-law.

But now seems engineering is what all parents are clamoring for their kids to go into.

Why?

In the 1980s, stories about engineer layoffs made majoring in engineering somewhat unpopular. Relatives pleaded with me to give up my foolish ideas of majoring in physics or engineering and to switch to something practical, like history, that would eventually lead to a law degree.

Maybe part of what’s happening is that engineering is recovering from a long-term slump and getting its mojo back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is engineering so popular now? I never remember it being discussed so much and it seems like in the past 5 years so many high school kids are saying they want to go into engineering and if you ask why they don’t seem to know.

It used to be computer science was the hot major, along with the usual pre-med, pre-law.

But now seems engineering is what all parents are clamoring for their kids to go into.

Why?

In the 1980s, stories about engineer layoffs made majoring in engineering somewhat unpopular. Relatives pleaded with me to give up my foolish ideas of majoring in physics or engineering and to switch to something practical, like history, that would eventually lead to a law degree.

Maybe part of what’s happening is that engineering is recovering from a long-term slump and getting its mojo back.

Demand for engineering students has been growing since the late 80s. Out of my peer group graduating from HS back then, you were either pre-med (biology), pre-law (history), or engineering. We heard there were lots of jobs with high starting salaries.

[Anonymous]

In my area it used to be the “elite” students would do pre-med (biology), pre-law (history), then finance was added in, then it seems finance dwindled a bit and CS was added in, and now it seems almost all in my DC friend group are talking about applying for engineering - only a few for CS.

Big shift from when my nieces/nephews went to college a few years back. Most who wanted engineering got in - now it seems so many more are vying for the same spots.

[Anonymous]

It was very popular when I left for college in 1988. I work with a ton of engineers in intellectual property---lawyers with chem E, Mechanical, etc. engineering degrees.

What has changed is the number of women going into engineering, which is great.

When I was in school all of the women in STEM were biology majors--biology related--biochem, microbiology, emerging molecular biology, etc. Chemistry, Physics, Engineering were a sausage fest.

Engineering was always a sure decent salary. I had interest in English and Bio and my dad pushed me the science route which has been good for me--still working with great $.

I will say, there is this crazy focus and fascination on STEM nowadays. People go on and on and are oh so impressed if their kid has any inclination towards science/math...YAWN. They are also very critical of anyone not in STEM. I'm not impressed--I have a grad degree in STEM. Many of the smartest people I know were not in STEM.

My sons are equally strong in Science/Math and Humanities/English. I was certain the oldest would go the STEM route since his interests in elementary seemed that way, but now he's a Senior and since Freshmen year he is fascinated with International Relations/History, etc. He's scored 5s on all of his Science/Math AP exams and As in classes, just like in History/English--but the passion is not for math/science and I'd never push him that way.

[Anonymous]

Engineering was popular even before CS took off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my area it used to be the “elite” students would do pre-med (biology), pre-law (history), then finance was added in, then it seems finance dwindled a bit and CS was added in, and now it seems almost all in my DC friend group are talking about applying for engineering - only a few for CS.

Big shift from when my nieces/nephews went to college a few years back. Most who wanted engineering got in - now it seems so many more are vying for the same spots.

Most of the people from my cohort who went into finance majored in engineering. Some were also econ. There wasn't a "finance" degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineering is a broad field and there is a lot of recruitment being done to ensure a good pipeline. We need to replace a huge amount of critical infrastructure. In addition to needing a ton of engineers, we also need high end electricians, machinists, welders, carpenters. If you want to be incredibly hot on the job market, learn welding AND become an engineer. $$$$$

Pretty much any trade, actually, in combo with engineering. Allows you to earn money on the side while going to school.

No, no, you don't do the trades as a side hustle. You do them to further specialize.