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What college major should I choose if I'm interest at engineering?

What college major should I choose if I'm interest at engineering?

college college-major
Thank you comment icon Many fields in Engineering depending on where your heart and mind is. Erick Garcia
Thank you comment icon I would suggest to first determine what field in Engineering interest you and second do you like to do math. Dave Sisneros
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Sunny’s Answer

It really depends what you are interested in. Many schools have general engineering for 1-2 years to help you take classes and figure out what discipline of engineering you enjoy the most. Some of these classes will be specific to types of engineering while others will be general in math or statistics. During your first year many of the schools have great programs to talk to engineers in their junior or senior year as well as shadow opportunities that will help you decide what you want to do. Good luck in your search!
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Drew’s Answer

Enrique,
The first two years of engineering school will be very much the same regardless of discipline. That will offer a taste of all the fields. You really don't need to make up your mind until then. Let your enjoyment of one or more courses guide your choice. If you change your mind after you graduate, you can easily qualify for another discipline with a Graduate Degree.
I am a Forensic Engineer. I graduated with a BS and MEng in Environmental Engineering and worked for US EPA for 12 years before going into private practice. I earned my MBA to benefit my business. My clients needed someone with expertise in Environmental Health and Safety, so I got Board Certified in each of those disciplines (DEE, CIH, CSP). I had always wondered about Mechanical Engineering, so I returned to the University to earn the MSME. I am currently studying for a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Engineering. I get to use those several expertises in the cases I handle. I've done railcar derailings, fall into pulp mill vat, chemical exposure from the flavorings at a bakery plant, etc.
Engineering is fun! However, if you graduate, start work, and decide you don't like engineering, you have many good alternatives. Engineers have the highest rate of success getting into Medical School of any discipline (from an old MCAT study guide). I expect the same is true of Law and Business Schools, and probably any professional school.
Whatever field you choose, make sure the curriculum is accredited by the American Board for Accreditation of Engineering and Technology.

Drew recommends the following next steps:

The Occupational Outlook Handbook can give you information about the several engineering disciplines; pay, employment outlook, additional information contacts.
Get your Professional Engineers license as soon as possible.
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Phillip’s Answer

A bachelor's degree in engineering can come with a variety of specialties, but in general, they focus on designing or improving systems, products, and processes for organizations. Core curricula usually cover engineering principles, design theory, and advanced mathematics — like calculus — and typically take four years to complete.

Both on-campus and online engineering programs usually provide specialization options and opportunities to earn dual engineering degrees, especially for related engineering disciplines. Specialization options tend to be diverse, and they can include areas like software, civic, electrical, and petroleum engineering.

Many engineers have strong attention to detail and are meticulous. They often demonstrate interest in learning how things work from an early age, usually by solving puzzles and deconstructing things to put them back together again. A desire to help people through technology, products, and infrastructure also contributes to becoming an good engineer.

Though choosing an engineering program may initially seem daunting, carefully weighing the factors that influence a program's success can help you sort things out and draw useful conclusions. Read on for some guidelines for choosing the right engineering program for you.
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Sanjiv’s Answer

There's good advice here. I'll just add that your choice in major doesn't set you in stone. I know plenty of engineers with non-standard majors for the field. It's a lot about mindset, curiosity and desire to achieve. That said, yes, having an electrical engineering degree makes it easier to get your foot in the door to work as an engineer.
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David C’s Answer

You need first to determine what field of engineering you feel you will enjoy as a career. If money is the primary thing you are interested in regardless of what field of engineering it is, then Petroleum and Computer Science Engineering paid the most in 2022 in the USA. There are excellent schools to choose from once to narrow down to the field of engineering that interests you.

A word of caution would be not to allow money to be the main reason for your choice. If you end up not liking the career choice you've made, you may then come to regret it and go into something else not related to your schooling meaning the cost of the schooling will be mostly lost. Many have fallen into that area. So, choose wisely on various reasons such as interest, long term commitment, continued need for that skill or career in the future, and money, (in that order).

Designer Dave
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Vamshee’s Answer

This is more comprehensive details to your question ...starting with How To become an Engineer.

Complete 4 years of Maths in high school (Algebra/Calculus/Statistics etc)
Get a good GPA/SAT Score will help you get an admission in good universities
After graduating from high school, one will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from a school accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology.
Depends on your career goals and what area of engineering you'd like to practice, one can pursue Master Degree/Doctoral Programs

Some skills/important qualities that would help to be successful engineer

Analytical thinking
Problem Solving
Communication Skills
Working in teams
Creativity and imagination
Good Communication skills etc


Participating in science clubs, learning computer coding, joining Lego or Robotics Club, Playing Chess all will help to acquire skills that would be helpful to become an engineer or get into admission to top engineering college.


There are different engineering disciplines to choose from, some are more popular than others.Research about each one , compare and shortlist few which is of your interest.


Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Software Engineering
Construction Management Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering Management
Engineering Technology
Environmental Engineering
Fire Protection Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Molecular Engineering
Nuclear Engineering
Petroleum Engineering
Technology Management
Telecommunications Engineering

I suggested my son to choose Computer Science Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Telcommmunication Enngineering etc.He end up choosing Graphics Information Technology at ASU, he is in his 2nd semester and likes it.

What college is best for a student?

Reflect on what's important, where you want to be, and who you want to become. With those answers, you can figure out what types of colleges will allow you to reach your goals.

Here are some aspects to consider:

- Location
-Distance from your home
- Majors and classes offered
-Housing Options
- Extracurricular activities
-Affordability
-Campus Atmosphere
-Size (Class/Campus)

Once you have a list of schools, it's time to do research to discover right college.

To learn more about the colleges you're considering, check out college guidebooks and the colleges' websites.
Write down your questions, and get answers by:

Talking to your school counselor or teachers.
Checking out colleges’ student blogs, if available.
Contacting college admissions officials.
Asking admissions officials to recommend current students or recent graduates to talk to.
Visiting college campuses,

There's no shortage of excellent schools to prepare you for your future. Once you compare the colleges that interest you, you can decide based on which suits you more, which affordable and which is overall best for you etc.

Click on the below link to find 2023 Best Engineering Schools - US News Rankings

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/eng-rankings

Hope this helps! Wish you all good luck in your endeavors.
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Greg’s Answer

As many of the contributors to this question have mentioned, its important to find that lane of engineering which interests you the most. Take time to look at several universities and trade schools, many times they will post the curriculum associated with the engineering programs they offer. This review may shed some light on which engineering career might resonate best with you.

In my career as an engineer, it was extremely valuable to obtain a degree in Project Management in addition to my Bachelor of Science. Not only has this helped with career progression, but many of the tools and practices found in Project Management are tightly woven into Engineering roles. Budgeting, forecasting, risk analysis, and project life cycles to name a few.
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John’s Answer

It sounds like you're probably still in high school, so I would recommend going to into college with an open mind on exactly what you want to study. College is one of the places where you can truly dictate your own path. Especially in your first year, I would recommend trying to take a wide range of classes (various types of engineering, but also maybe some business courses for example). The fact that you know you want to study engineering is a great start! But also don't be afraid to pivot from that path if you find something you enjoy even more. Knowing you want to study engineering will allow you to choose a college with a good engineering division. This is important as it will affect your opportunities after you graduate: both in terms of your alumni network and the recruitment that may or may not happen on campus.
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Jerome’s Answer

Depends on what kind of engineering you want to do; most (environmental, electrical, mechanical, data-processing, etc.) are separate college programs and have their own majors. They will generally have at least math and science courses in common so if you aren't sure which way to go, start there while you investigate your intended target career. An internship at an engineering firm can also give you an idea of what that field is like.

Good luck in your search!
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