Did your kid not pursue engineering because they chose to attend a college that doesn't have an engineering major?

[Anonymous]

To OP, 80 percent if our nation's students switch majors at least once. If she has any doubt, go to the best full service university. my DD thought she wanted aerspace engineering but picked UVA (cheaper) which turned out to be a godsend since she switched in sevonf year to humanities. now heading to
law school

[Anonymous]

If she wants to study engineering, or even has an inkling that she might, she should choose a college with a good engineering department. No sense in ruling that out before she's even arrived.

There's plenty of schools that have good engineering depts as well as strengths in natural sciences and humanities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter thinks she wants to pursue engineering, mainly because STEM classes are her strongest subjects (particularly physics--she loved the E&M part of physics C.)
However, she really doesn't know what an engineer does in any concrete sense (she's never shadowed one at work and we don't have any in our family).

As we tour colleges she's loved a number that don't have engineering programs and her reply is always "well then I'll study physics or biology."
Case in point: Emory (which has a 5-6 year engineering program with GT but she has zero interest in doing 5-6 years of undergrad and I'm not paying for 5-6.)
Now I have no idea what she'd do with a physics or biology degree (she has no desire to pursue a straight PhD.)

I guess what I'm asking is, if your child thought they wanted to study engineering but then for other reasons chose a school that didn't offer
engineering, what did they study and how did this work out?

Thank you so much.

Mine thought they wanted Engineering, but was not certain. Also loved Chem or Physics or both, and/or maybe math as a minor. They decided best to have all options available: they applied to schools with direct-admit Engineering (only those with interdisciplinary emphasis allowing minors or other studies in the other schools, & easy to transfer into Arts/Sci college if hate it) and also to colleges that do not have direct admission to Engineering but anyone can start taking Engineering classes then see what you think. There are lots of schools that fit: Almost all ivies(Cornell is too divided/not interdisciplinary, Dartmouth is designed to be 5 yrs for the ABET accredited program), Notre Dame, Duke, Rice, Northwestern WashU, UVA, many more.
All of them have outstanding Chem and Physics, easy access to undergraduate research, and have excellent phD and MD placement(both options being considered), and many of them have top access to start-up tech possibilities. They picked one of the ivies and are happy with the incredible Engineering education.
It is far better to start with the option for Engineering rather than go to an undergraduate school where it is not possible, or not feasible in 4 yrs.

Highly recommend applying to several schools where you can choose your own major, even engineering or CS. Many kids do change majors, and it would suck to be at a school and not "allowed" to major in what you want. Hence why my kid choose schools where engineering was NOT direct admit. There are plenty of excellent ones in the 20-70 range, where a kid can major in literally anything they want. Only restrictions are typically direct admit nursing programs, as those have limited space and you need to start freshman year to finish in 4

[Anonymous]

When I was starting out years ago at UMD as engineering major, they offered a week long program for girls where you stay on campus and learn about different engineering programs, jobs, talk to professors etc. They even paid each girl $500. I would suggest something like this. Also physics requires a phd to get a decent job so she needs to keep this in mind.

[Anonymous]

In all fairness to OP's DD, I'm and engineer, my DH is a different type of engineer, and my kids have been to several years of alumni programs aimed at fostering an interest in in engineering and even they don't fully grasp what an engineer does in the day to day. When they ask me, I have to tell them that it depends.

[Anonymous]

If she likes Emory let her go for it, sound like she really doesn't want to be an engineer

[Anonymous]

I think it’s a totally fair question. My DD is a rising junior. Thinks she wants to be an engineer bc loves physics and math. Yes, she could have done engineering program this summer but writing is her passion, so she’s going to creative writing program instead. So she has no idea. It is helpful to hear everyone suggest going to a school with engineering if that’s even a possibility, since I too had been thinking she could major in physics and then get a masters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to study engineering, or even has an inkling that she might, she should choose a college with a good engineering department. No sense in ruling that out before she's even arrived.

There's plenty of schools that have good engineering depts as well as strengths in natural sciences and humanities.

+1

And stop touring schools without engineering programs. It's confusing and a waste of your time.

[Anonymous]

You could consider LACs that offer a 4 year engineering program like Swarthmore, Mudd, Bucknell.. In addition to the STEM classes that she will take , she can take one or two engineering classes in the first year to see if she likes it. Majors are only decided in yr 2.

[Anonymous]

Stanford has a summer course for high schoolers that is an introduction to different engineering majors to get an overview of the different types. If she is a rising senior I’d reach out to friends and family to ask for acquaintances who can talk to her about their jobs in engineering or even post on Next Door. I absolutely would not do one of the SLACs with a degree in engineering connected to another school. It does not work out for most students. If she wants a SLAC look at Harvey Mudd, Lafayette or Swarthmore. If she likes Emory, look at Tufts which has an engineering major. And stop touring colleges that don’t have engineering majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to study engineering, or even has an inkling that she might, she should choose a college with a good engineering department. No sense in ruling that out before she's even arrived.

There's plenty of schools that have good engineering depts as well as strengths in natural sciences and humanities.

+1

And stop touring schools without engineering programs. It's confusing and a waste of your time.

I'm the OP. I agree that this is confusing but she has a sibling a year younger (I have a rising junior and senior) so on several occasions we'e taken them both to see a college (or colleges) to save on time and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter thinks she wants to pursue engineering, mainly because STEM classes are her strongest subjects (particularly physics--she loved the E&M part of physics C.)
However, she really doesn't know what an engineer does in any concrete sense (she's never shadowed one at work and we don't have any in our family).

As we tour colleges she's loved a number that don't have engineering programs and her reply is always "well then I'll study physics or biology."
Case in point: Emory (which has a 5-6 year engineering program with GT but she has zero interest in doing 5-6 years of undergrad and I'm not paying for 5-6.)
Now I have no idea what she'd do with a physics or biology degree (she has no desire to pursue a straight PhD.)

I guess what I'm asking is, if your child thought they wanted to study engineering but then for other reasons chose a school that didn't offer
engineering, what did they study and how did this work out?

Thank you so much.

Does her high school offer any engineering classes? Are there any engineering clubs - robotics etc she can join? Is there a local college she can investigate their summer STEM programs. Our kid was unsure - strong in STEM, took several engineer-based courses offered his senior year in high school - went from thinking "maybe Physics is close enough" to "yes I want to be an engineer". It changed the schools he applied to - granted timing was tough since he started the HS classes fall of senior year - same time he was applying. The large flagship schools would have had the engineering option, but the smaller SLAC ones didn't or they do the 3-2 which we were advised against.

[Anonymous]

OP, sounds like she was already developed a preference for SLACs. Larger universities would have medical professional majors and engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she likes Emory let her go for it, sound like she really doesn't want to be an engineer

Why pick a school where a strong possible major is not an option? There are plenty of excellent schools with options to major in almost anything, so you can change as your find your path. Why settle for a different major and then need an advanced degree to do what you want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to study engineering, or even has an inkling that she might, she should choose a college with a good engineering department. No sense in ruling that out before she's even arrived.

There's plenty of schools that have good engineering depts as well as strengths in natural sciences and humanities.

+1

And stop touring schools without engineering programs. It's confusing and a waste of your time.

I'm the OP. I agree that this is confusing but she has a sibling a year younger (I have a rising junior and senior) so on several occasions we'e taken them both to see a college (or colleges) to save on time and money.

That's fine, but as a parent who is paying for college, you need to let your DD know that the best school for her is one where there is ACCESSIBLE engineering along with all the other possible choices (by accessible I mean that a kid can actually switch to engineering without jumping thru hoops, no direct admit as 99% of the engineering majors). There are plenty of them in the 20-80 range, that also have great all the liberal arts majors as well. Let your DD have the full college experience and option to switch majors. It would suck to major in Physics then need a 2 year MS Engineering or a PHD in Physics to do meaningful work (that's what it takes, dont' kid yourself otherwise)