Why is engineering so popular now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There's finance major under school of business

Engineering is a more versatile degree. Business is not very challenging (far easier math and stats requirement, for example) compared to engineering/CS at schools like Berkeley and Michigan, and even Wharton compared to Penn SEAS.

UPenn Finance = $206,646
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?215062-University-of-Pennsylvania&fos_code=5208&fos_credential=3

UPenn Chem Engineering = $107,816
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?215062-University-of-Pennsylvania&fos_code=1407&fos_credential=3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There's finance major under school of business

Engineering is a more versatile degree. Business is not very challenging (far easier math and stats requirement, for example) compared to engineering/CS at schools like Berkeley and Michigan, and even Wharton compared to Penn SEAS.

UPenn Finance = $206,646
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?215062-University-of-Pennsylvania&fos_code=5208&fos_credential=3

UPenn Chem Engineering = $107,816
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?215062-University-of-Pennsylvania&fos_code=1407&fos_credential=3

OK. What PP said is still true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There's finance major under school of business

Maybe now, but not back in the day in my cohort. Not all schools had an undergrad business school.

Who cares about back in the days

It's 21st century already

This thread has been discussing the evolving popularity of the engineering degree over time. Many people with engineering degrees go into finance. Now and also back in the day. It's nothing new.

[Anonymous]

It’s a really good path to being a dull person with nothing interesting to say. Come on, what’s worse than sitting next to an engineer on a cross-country flight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a really good path to being a dull person with nothing interesting to say. Come on, what’s worse than sitting next to an engineer on a cross-country flight?

sitting next to some stranger who wants to yammer on while i’m trying to sleep or read!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of kids are going engineering school and choosing diff tracks whether that is Computer Engineering, Aerospace, Civil, Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Petroleum, etc. I think there’s a big market for people in these fields as technology evolves.

I would major in one of the main engineering fields: civil, mechanical, electrical, materials, possibly chemical if one is really interested in it. I would not do an undergraduate major in a more specific area such as aerospace, nuclear, ocean/marine, etc. And certainly avoid petroleum. If one is really interested in one of these areas, do a MS or MEng in that area.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t seen industrial engineering mentioned and many graduates have great career outcomes. Some get hired in finance over finance/business majors. Tim Cook was an IE major at Auburn.

[Anonymous]

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

That’s been the case for decades. Same with pre-med.

Honestly I think it’s here a lot of kids who are good at math and science end up. You only need a BS and will have a great job with room for advancement. Perfect for stem living students.

But don’t go into it if you don’t enjoy it—you will be miserable

[Anonymous]

The graduation rate from Engineering is not bad: "results from a 2021 American Society for Engineering Education survey indicated a first year retention average of 81.9% and six-year graduation average of 55.2% among all engineering schools that self-reported".
More than half would receive an engineering degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There's finance major under school of business

Maybe now, but not back in the day in my cohort. Not all schools had an undergrad business school.

Who cares about back in the days

It's 21st century already

This thread has been discussing the evolving popularity of the engineering degree over time. Many people with engineering degrees go into finance. Now and also back in the day. It's nothing new.

Why is that? I’ve noticed kids graduating from Engineering go to work for Capital One making 6 figures. Is that just because of the math load they took in college?

[Anonymous]

Google elevated the "engineer" to god-like status within the company. All other positions were subordinate to the engineers who created products.

Germany has always revered engineers from a cultural perspective. Google brought that same culture to the United States.

When I applied to college in the late 90s, engineers had just come off a terrible streak of layoffs in the aviation, defense, telecom, personal computing sectors in California. Tons of my friends' dads got laid off as engineers if they worked on anything that touched defense or tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google elevated the "engineer" to god-like status within the company. All other positions were subordinate to the engineers who created products.

Germany has always revered engineers from a cultural perspective. Google brought that same culture to the United States.

When I applied to college in the late 90s, engineers had just come off a terrible streak of layoffs in the aviation, defense, telecom, personal computing sectors in California. Tons of my friends' dads got laid off as engineers if they worked on anything that touched defense or tech.

That’s what I think of when I see parents forcing kids into CS.

Everyone should be able to use Excel, write a macro and create a simple website, but the idea that a major you hate will automatically lucrative is false and harmful.