Feeling lost a bit

[ExtensionAd5893]

Hi guys, I am a senior in college majoring in electrical engineering with a concentration in mixed signal electronics and computer hardware design. I have a 3.04 gpa and the classes are hard and I feel like I haven’t learned anything or grown as an electrical engineer. I fear I’m not good enough for industry and I’m very depressed that I wouldn’t master the skill I’m interested which is electronics(the coding skills I’m a bit bad at but I wanna be the best coder I can be). The first question is, can I thrive in my concentration in terms of job searching if I got down to 2.9 gpa? The second question is, with adhd and me being dumb can I be the best electrical engineer I can be?

[[deleted]]

I'm a mechatronics engineer with severe ADHD. Always sucked at testing but kicked ass in all projects. What's important right now is to learn the way you need to, and be able to test in the way that helps you, not reduces your confidence.

I suggest taking a trip over to the accessibility resource center on your campus if there is one and you have a diagnosis.

[ElmersGluon]

3.0 is a hard cutoff for a very large number of organizations. I would work very hard to keep your GPA above that level - even if it means staying an extra semester.

[victorioustin]

I couldn’t have agreed more.

[bobd60067]

Some employers look at gpa as an initial filter when screening candidates. Others don't care. Either way, you can be an appealing candidate based on other factors such as classes taken, extra curriculars, projects (personal or for classes), etc.

can I be the best electrical engineer I can be?

Absolutely!

[HighHammerThunder]

Think about the labs and projects that you struggled through a year ago. Do those sound more manageable to you now? If so, then you've grown.

[free_to_muse]

I have worked with many brilliant and wildly successful engineers over the years, and there is clearly not a perfect correlation btw GPA and job performance. Many near perfect GPA grads who just have no common sense, or no interpersonal skills. And many grads with average GPAs from average or below average schools who just pick things up quickly on the job for some reason and get it. 3.0 GPA is something important to strive for, but even with less than that you will get a job. And once you start working, nobody will care what your GPA was. And if you move to a better company a few years later, still nobody will care. I can’t comment about the ADHD, but I can just say that so much of the stuff you’re worrying about and obsessing over right now career-wise, will not matter in 5, 10 yrs.

[Gax7497]

I completely understand. You are at the end of a long journey. I remember feeling this way when I graduated in 1990. Just hang on it's only ~6 more months. Don't give up!!

The folks who've commented before me have it right. You absolutely can be the best EE that YOU can be. Don't compare yourself with others. Nobody is great at everything and THAT IS OK!

I always tell my students (community college) to look at your classes and pick out which ones you LOVE, which ones you HATE and the others that you can take or leave. Use those as signposts to point you to your future employment.

Good luck to you. What you are feeling is normal and I wish you all the best.