How to Be a Prepared Engineering Student
Pick the engineering major that you are most interested in., Know the courses you will take., Obtain the materials you will need for your classes., Make friends and get along with your peers., Form your friends into teams or groups., Take good...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Pick the engineering major that you are most interested in.
In most schools you do not have to declare your major until your second year of college.
Therefore, selecting the broad field of engineering will allow you time to decide on what you want to specialize in.
Many of the classes you will take as an underclassman are prerequisites for several different engineering fields–mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, nuclear, ...
Taking the general courses may guide your choice if you haven't yet targeted a specific path to take through the engineering world. -
Step 2: Know the courses you will take.
Engineering students are generally required to take several physics and calculus based classes.
Some of the classes you should be expecting to take: differential equations analytical physics general biology general chemistry mechanics–stress and materials , Being organized and having the right materials for your classes is key in becoming a successful engineering student.
You cannot wait until the first week or second week of school to go out and get your books, binders and notebooks like you used to do in high school.
The engineering classes that you will be taking are challenging, so they're easy to fall behind in if you don’t have the proper materials. , You will be spending the next sixteen or more weeks with the students in your classes so it’s a good idea to make friends with them.
In the above steps, you were able to see some of the advanced courses that you will be taking.
Many engineering students in your first semester classes will be taking similar classes with you semester after semester, so it is good to become familiar with your fellow classmates. , Engineering school and careers are all about teamwork and co-operating with each other.
Working alone can be very frustrating if you find yourself having trouble with a problem.
Working with others will not only introduce other viewpoints to approaching a problem, it will also provide encouragement to become more of a successful student.
You have to get used to working with groups in engineering school because that is what is expected out of you once you graduate. , Engineering courses require a lot of note taking.
Make sure you are paying close attention to what your professors are saying.
Just because they do not write on the board or on a slide does not mean you shouldn't write it down on your paper.
Professors throughout the semester will give you slight hints on what is going to be on the quizzes and exams, so make sure you are writing down everything.
Following that, you should keep all of your notes and exams from previous semesters.
Maths, physics, and engineering courses build up on each other.
For example, something you learned in calculus 3 might show up in statics.
So you can pull out your old notes to get a refresher on that subject. , There is no right or wrong way on how to study.
That is why you need to figure out your own way on how to do so.
Some people like to work in complete silence, others don’t mind if they are in a loud environment.
You need to spend several hours a week in your school’s library working on your studies and doing research. , Studying on your own is not enough to be a successful engineering student.
You need to make sure your professors know who you are.
Take advantage of their office hours and tutoring sessions.
This goes pass just getting a good grade in their courses.
Most of your engineering professors are engineers themselves, some will help you thrive to being the best engineering student. , Don’t be scared to ask a question, there may be other students struggling too.
Make sure you are asking different types of questions in your classes.
This will give you a better understanding of the subject that you are learning.
This will also familiarize your face with the professor going off the above steps.
Professors love when students ask questions, it tells them that you are really interested in what they are lecturing about. , Do not just copy what the solution manual has written down and think that will help you be a successful student.
This will not be helping you in any way.
Most of the time in engineering school homework is not even collected.
It is for your own good to perform the assigned problems to help you on exams. , Exams should be your number one priority during engineering school.
They are what the countless hours of studying will be for.
It is so important to be prepared for an exam.
Make sure for every exam you bring at least two pencils with erasers, a calculator, and whatever else is needed for your exam (scantron, bluebook, etc.).
Don’t stress yourself out too much, engineering exams can be very challenging with different problem solving skills.
If you do not know the answer to a problem skip it and come back to it.
Usually the other problems will help you get a good idea on the problem you are struggling on. , Cheating will get you no where in life, if it has worked for you in the past it will not work for you in engineering school.
Make sure you are doing your own work and you will be the best possible student you can be. -
Step 3: Obtain the materials you will need for your classes.
-
Step 4: Make friends and get along with your peers.
-
Step 5: Form your friends into teams or groups.
-
Step 6: Take good notes
-
Step 7: and keep everything after your classes are over.
-
Step 8: Learn your own study habits.
-
Step 9: Get along with your professors and teacher’s assistants.
-
Step 10: Ask questions in the classroom.
-
Step 11: Complete all of your assigned homework.
-
Step 12: Study for future exams.
-
Step 13: Work honestly.
Detailed Guide
In most schools you do not have to declare your major until your second year of college.
Therefore, selecting the broad field of engineering will allow you time to decide on what you want to specialize in.
Many of the classes you will take as an underclassman are prerequisites for several different engineering fields–mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, nuclear, ...
Taking the general courses may guide your choice if you haven't yet targeted a specific path to take through the engineering world.
Engineering students are generally required to take several physics and calculus based classes.
Some of the classes you should be expecting to take: differential equations analytical physics general biology general chemistry mechanics–stress and materials , Being organized and having the right materials for your classes is key in becoming a successful engineering student.
You cannot wait until the first week or second week of school to go out and get your books, binders and notebooks like you used to do in high school.
The engineering classes that you will be taking are challenging, so they're easy to fall behind in if you don’t have the proper materials. , You will be spending the next sixteen or more weeks with the students in your classes so it’s a good idea to make friends with them.
In the above steps, you were able to see some of the advanced courses that you will be taking.
Many engineering students in your first semester classes will be taking similar classes with you semester after semester, so it is good to become familiar with your fellow classmates. , Engineering school and careers are all about teamwork and co-operating with each other.
Working alone can be very frustrating if you find yourself having trouble with a problem.
Working with others will not only introduce other viewpoints to approaching a problem, it will also provide encouragement to become more of a successful student.
You have to get used to working with groups in engineering school because that is what is expected out of you once you graduate. , Engineering courses require a lot of note taking.
Make sure you are paying close attention to what your professors are saying.
Just because they do not write on the board or on a slide does not mean you shouldn't write it down on your paper.
Professors throughout the semester will give you slight hints on what is going to be on the quizzes and exams, so make sure you are writing down everything.
Following that, you should keep all of your notes and exams from previous semesters.
Maths, physics, and engineering courses build up on each other.
For example, something you learned in calculus 3 might show up in statics.
So you can pull out your old notes to get a refresher on that subject. , There is no right or wrong way on how to study.
That is why you need to figure out your own way on how to do so.
Some people like to work in complete silence, others don’t mind if they are in a loud environment.
You need to spend several hours a week in your school’s library working on your studies and doing research. , Studying on your own is not enough to be a successful engineering student.
You need to make sure your professors know who you are.
Take advantage of their office hours and tutoring sessions.
This goes pass just getting a good grade in their courses.
Most of your engineering professors are engineers themselves, some will help you thrive to being the best engineering student. , Don’t be scared to ask a question, there may be other students struggling too.
Make sure you are asking different types of questions in your classes.
This will give you a better understanding of the subject that you are learning.
This will also familiarize your face with the professor going off the above steps.
Professors love when students ask questions, it tells them that you are really interested in what they are lecturing about. , Do not just copy what the solution manual has written down and think that will help you be a successful student.
This will not be helping you in any way.
Most of the time in engineering school homework is not even collected.
It is for your own good to perform the assigned problems to help you on exams. , Exams should be your number one priority during engineering school.
They are what the countless hours of studying will be for.
It is so important to be prepared for an exam.
Make sure for every exam you bring at least two pencils with erasers, a calculator, and whatever else is needed for your exam (scantron, bluebook, etc.).
Don’t stress yourself out too much, engineering exams can be very challenging with different problem solving skills.
If you do not know the answer to a problem skip it and come back to it.
Usually the other problems will help you get a good idea on the problem you are struggling on. , Cheating will get you no where in life, if it has worked for you in the past it will not work for you in engineering school.
Make sure you are doing your own work and you will be the best possible student you can be.
About the Author
Frances Chavez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: