Did anyone worry their DC was unprepared for their major (or college)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS will start a Mechanical Engineering program in the fall. He only took 2 APs (both Computer Science), never took AP in another science or math. He has not taken Calculus (took PreCalc as a junior, but it wasn’t Honors so he was only approved for PreCalc 2, whatever that is, for senior year). His grades in his math/science courses in HS average a B+, which is same as his overall GPA after junior year.

He is going to a school ranked in the top 50 for Engineering (ranked in top 75 overall). All I read is about how rigorous the program is. I’m worried it will be too difficult for him. I was kind of surprised he was accepted TBH.

Anyone have a DC where you were worried about the same issue? How did they do? And should I have him take a Calculus course over the summer?

I thought that this was an interesting question. I see literally everyone majoring in biomedical engineering or some kind of engineering or comp sci. However, I just don't see that so many kids could be that advanced in the math and sciences to handle these types of majors.

If the colleges admitted them, then the colleges thought they could handle the work.

And in truth, a lot of it is willingness to grind. Just a matter of putting the hours in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big question is if your kid really is interested in engineering or simply picked it because it seems to lead to good jobs.

If your kid really isn't interested in the material, it will probably end badly (and hopefully quickly and then can find a major that works better). This is the case for even kids with high stats and rigor.

My CS kid is at a Top 10 school and there are plenty of kids scoring between 1-5 points (out of 100) on tests where the Mean score is a 68. They aren't stupid...but they picked CS because of external influences, don't like it and aren't any good at it.

You need to pick a major in college that translates into a good paying job. Most engineering majors lead to good paying jobs.

I studied CS at VTech and hated it but I am working in Cyber Security for Freddie Mac and get paid a lot of money for it. I don't like what I am doing but it is certainly better than being broke.

Why do you need to pick a major that way? I love what I'm doing and have a massive amount of professional and personal freedom. It's not lucrative by any real standards, but I'm not broke at all. I'd much rather do what I love than have lots of disposable income that I have no real time to enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Calculus is a week out class. I would absolutely audit a calc class over the summer if possible so he isn't going in cold. Most engineering students will have taken beyond calc and will retake back one or two steps (i.e., kid who got through multivar in HS may start at Cal II).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calculus is a week out class. I would absolutely audit a calc class over the summer if possible so he isn't going in cold. Most engineering students will have taken beyond calc and will retake back one or two steps (i.e., kid who got through multivar in HS may start at Cal II).

**weed out

[Anonymous]

OP, I think it's unanimous. Your son should find a way to audit a Calculus class this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was unprepared for the D’s my son got freshman year in Engineering. My advice: get his login info to the grading notification system. If you see his grades start to dip on initial quizzes, get a tutor on Wyzant STAT! I had to tell my son that if he wanted monetary disbursements, he had to fork over the login info. You don’t want to pay to have your kid retake a required class. Executive function doesn’t kick in for boys till much later. Professors in weed out classes don’t care who they fail. You’ll thank me later.

Yes agreed. He needs to stay on top of everything weekly. Even a three week period of getting behind can wreck a semester. Make a list of resources he can use to get help from Day 1 (college plus self-paid resources). And do Calc over the summer. Take it pass/fail if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS will start a Mechanical Engineering program in the fall. He only took 2 APs (both Computer Science), never took AP in another science or math. He has not taken Calculus (took PreCalc as a junior, but it wasn’t Honors so he was only approved for PreCalc 2, whatever that is, for senior year). His grades in his math/science courses in HS average a B+, which is same as his overall GPA after junior year.

He is going to a school ranked in the top 50 for Engineering (ranked in top 75 overall). All I read is about how rigorous the program is. I’m worried it will be too difficult for him. I was kind of surprised he was accepted TBH.

Anyone have a DC where you were worried about the same issue? How did they do? And should I have him take a Calculus course over the summer?

I thought that this was an interesting question. I see literally everyone majoring in biomedical engineering or some kind of engineering or comp sci. However, I just don't see that so many kids could be that advanced in the math and sciences to handle these types of majors. At the same time, I get why kids are majoring in engineering/comp sci (i.e. you want a decent paying job at the end of the college journey).

You are seeing so many kids because you are in the DCUM bubble. Literally there is a hyper-concentration of top-SAT scorers, intellectual math and science career parents, and huge amounts of high income people in the suburbs of DC.

[Anonymous]

OP - your son sounds similar to my daughter. A-/B+ student in high school STEM classes.

She is a MechE major at a top 50 university. Most of her classmates have had Calc 1/2 and Physics C prior to starting college. She is managing with her classes and getting As/Bs, but puts a ton of time into studying, going to study groups, peer tutoring, etc.

Exposure to a Calc course (and I would also add physics) will be a great help prior to freshman year.

[Anonymous]

https://www.3blue1brown.com/topics/calculus

https://betterexplained.com/calculus/lesson-1/

https://www.amazon.com/Calculus-Five-Hours-Concepts-Revealed-ebook/dp/B077VV95N3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big question is if your kid really is interested in engineering or simply picked it because it seems to lead to good jobs.

If your kid really isn't interested in the material, it will probably end badly (and hopefully quickly and then can find a major that works better). This is the case for even kids with high stats and rigor.

My CS kid is at a Top 10 school and there are plenty of kids scoring between 1-5 points (out of 100) on tests where the Mean score is a 68. They aren't stupid...but they picked CS because of external influences, don't like it and aren't any good at it.

You need to pick a major in college that translates into a good paying job. Most engineering majors lead to good paying jobs.

I studied CS at VTech and hated it but I am working in Cyber Security for Freddie Mac and get paid a lot of money for it. I don't like what I am doing but it is certainly better than being broke.

What would you have studied, or what would you do now, if you didn’t have to fear being broke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need to pick a major in college that translates into a good paying job. Most engineering majors lead to good paying jobs.

I studied CS at VTech and hated it but I am working in Cyber Security for Freddie Mac and get paid a lot of money for it. I don't like what I am doing but it is certainly better than being broke.

Why do you need to pick a major that way? I love what I'm doing and have a massive amount of professional and personal freedom. It's not lucrative by any real standards, but I'm not broke at all. I'd much rather do what I love than have lots of disposable income that I have no real time to enjoy.

I picked CS because I was a first generation immigrant. I needed to make a lot of money so that I could purchase a home in Langley for my kids to attend Churchill/Cooper/Langley pyramid. Even though I hate my job, I know the future will be better for my children, hopefully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am concerned that my kids who will be applying to UK universities in the Fall (we're from there originally) won't be up to the academic standards of their peers, if they get places. I think they'll each catch up, but it will be a steep learning curve.

Well maybe because the UK system is 2 years ahead of US?!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need to pick a major in college that translates into a good paying job. Most engineering majors lead to good paying jobs.

I studied CS at VTech and hated it but I am working in Cyber Security for Freddie Mac and get paid a lot of money for it. I don't like what I am doing but it is certainly better than being broke.

Why do you need to pick a major that way? I love what I'm doing and have a massive amount of professional and personal freedom. It's not lucrative by any real standards, but I'm not broke at all. I'd much rather do what I love than have lots of disposable income that I have no real time to enjoy.

I picked CS because I was a first generation immigrant. I needed to make a lot of money so that I could purchase a home in Langley for my kids to attend Churchill/Cooper/Langley pyramid. Even though I hate my job, I know the future will be better for my children, hopefully.

Personally, I admire this. Not everyone has the luxury of putting personal happiness first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You need to pick a major in college that translates into a good paying job. Most engineering majors lead to good paying jobs.

I studied CS at VTech and hated it but I am working in Cyber Security for Freddie Mac and get paid a lot of money for it. I don't like what I am doing but it is certainly better than being broke.

Why do you need to pick a major that way? I love what I'm doing and have a massive amount of professional and personal freedom. It's not lucrative by any real standards, but I'm not broke at all. I'd much rather do what I love than have lots of disposable income that I have no real time to enjoy.

I picked CS because I was a first generation immigrant. I needed to make a lot of money so that I could purchase a home in Langley for my kids to attend Churchill/Cooper/Langley pyramid. Even though I hate my job, I know the future will be better for my children, hopefully.

Personally, I admire this. Not everyone has the luxury of putting personal happiness first.

There are many different well paying majors…engineering or finance could also have sufficed and PP may have enjoyed one of those.

However, why would you admire a person that will no doubt look back on their life with plenty of regrets (they already do).

Also, their life plan was strangely specific and narrow…I might understand it if there was pressure to support the parents (which maybe there is, but not mentioned).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I'm the OP.

He is going to RPI, and it's actually the Aerospace program not Mechanical in general (but the core math/science requirements are the same) He has wanted to be an aerospace engineer since 8th grade. He takes flight lessons and almost has his pilot's license. He loves planes/flight, so he did not pick the major for the money, it's a true interest of his.

The good news is it is a collaborative program, not weed out, no quotas, and I've encouraged him to take advantage of every opportunity for office hours/study sessions etc. and since most students are taking the same material, he will have a lot of students to study with.

He attends a highly ranked, large public high school. I don't feel there is grade inflation. The HS does not provide class rank.

How he got in? The acceptance rate is pretty high at RPI (but self-selecting group), his ACT was good (34, but only 32 for Science/Math), I assume his recs were good, supplemental essay describing why he wanted to study aerospace engineering likely came off as genuine, but who knows . . .

I’ve only read one page of comments so far: I think that RPI is a rigorous school and that your son will be in trouble.

Your son should take Calculus at Mathnasium and take freshman physics at a community college without getting college credit for it, then start with the easiest math and physics courses RPI will let him take in the fall.

It’s better if he starts in remedial classes and catches up by going to summer school than if he tries to swim with the sharks his first semester.