Questions keep arising about Engineering for women, difficulty of engineering, other career options for an engineering degree, whether some E Schools deliberately weed out freshmen, and more — which this thread quite helpfully answers.

Who keeps bumping this thread? There are more women in engineering now than before, so it seems to be trending in a positive direction.

As far as the question of whether anyone can become an engineer, it’s not necessarily as hard as you may think at an engineering program that is not as selective. As long as you don’t fail out of the program or university and are forced to pick another major or leave, you still get the engineering degree (and probably a job). If you hate the subject matter or feel like you are not succeeding unless you get A’s in everything, it may not be for you.

Anonymous wrote:Bump.

Why bumping this again?

Anonymous wrote:Gosh this is making me rethink my daughter’s plans to major in engineering. She’s super good at math but has never expressed interest in building things. It sounds quite hard.

It is hard! In all seriousness, we will hold her hand and guide her through if we can so she does not quit or drop out of the program. Engineering needs HER. Women: what can be done to get more young women into the field? Does it start in pre school with teachers encouraging the girls instead of saying they don't understand math and can't help them? Teachers (and caregivers at home) speaking positively about math? Schools having more after school or tutoring programs to help all students in the subject?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Odd way to write it but many parents are pushing their kids into engineering for bragging rights and also not to have to be saddled with their kids college debt.

It used to be pushing your kids to pre-med, then it was pre-law, then CS. Past few years push from parents is engineering- good starting salary and does not require additional years of schooling.

I suspect the only parents that would push kids into engineering are not engineers themselves. I'm an engineer, and would NEVER push a kid into it. It is a difficult and demanding course of study and unless you have BOTH and aptitude and desire for it you will fail.

100%

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Odd way to write it but many parents are pushing their kids into engineering for bragging rights and also not to have to be saddled with their kids college debt.

It used to be pushing your kids to pre-med, then it was pre-law, then CS. Past few years push from parents is engineering- good starting salary and does not require additional years of schooling.

I suspect the only parents that would push kids into engineering are not engineers themselves. I'm an engineer, and would NEVER push a kid into it. It is a difficult and demanding course of study and unless you have BOTH and aptitude and desire for it you will fail.

that can be said for any career

DP. Maybe your definition of career is different than mine. No point in going down that rabbit hole.

So I would rather compare the "engineering degree" (not career), which often results in a career outside engineering.

My randomly assigned freshman roommate accidentally got a degree in history. He got to senior year and his fairly random courses to that point meant the only way for him to graduate on time was to major in History. Ran into him years later - selling shoes at Nordstrom.

No one - and I do mean zero - accidentally graduates with a degree in engineering. This is a fundamental difference from a subset of the arts & humanities degrees.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Odd way to write it but many parents are pushing their kids into engineering for bragging rights and also not to have to be saddled with their kids college debt.

It used to be pushing your kids to pre-med, then it was pre-law, then CS. Past few years push from parents is engineering- good starting salary and does not require additional years of schooling.

I suspect the only parents that would push kids into engineering are not engineers themselves. I'm an engineer, and would NEVER push a kid into it. It is a difficult and demanding course of study and unless you have BOTH and aptitude and desire for it you will fail.

that can be said for any career

Bump.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Odd way to write it but many parents are pushing their kids into engineering for bragging rights and also not to have to be saddled with their kids college debt.

It used to be pushing your kids to pre-med, then it was pre-law, then CS. Past few years push from parents is engineering- good starting salary and does not require additional years of schooling.

I suspect the only parents that would push kids into engineering are not engineers themselves. I'm an engineer, and would NEVER push a kid into it. It is a difficult and demanding course of study and unless you have BOTH and aptitude and desire for it you will fail.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Odd way to write it but many parents are pushing their kids into engineering for bragging rights and also not to have to be saddled with their kids college debt.

It used to be pushing your kids to pre-med, then it was pre-law, then CS. Past few years push from parents is engineering- good starting salary and does not require additional years of schooling.

Bump for the parent worried about their DC's Engineering GPA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

This is the weirdest comment. No mom is asking their kid to be an engineer so they can get their a$$ wiped later in life.

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone think they can be an engineer? Feels like every kid I know is either an engineering major or trying to get into a program. Several of them seem to be struggling to take a full load or get decent grades...is this a sign of the times where its considered a super stable career path so it the "hot" option...

The moms want to be taken care of in old age, so they pick engineering or cs major. Since you asked.

The kid has to be good at what they do, no matter the major, OP. That is the "secret".

Bump

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, but how many actually come out w/ engg degree?

Not too many. I actually am an engineer (Aero undergrad and EE masters) and I can tell you that TONS of people dropped out when I was in school. I'm old, so was often the only woman. That was....interesting.

I agree. I am an engineer myself. Many, many, of them dropped out as well. We didn't have too many women either.

Ditto from another female engineer here.

I have two engineering degrees and don’t work as an engineer. Many of my other female classmates - both grad and undergrad - have similar stories.