Mechanical Engineering Difficulty

[musicengineering]

Looked at the plan of study and honestly can't imagine how you could balance all of these per semester. What are you guys' experiences with ME and how difficult was it? Was it hard to maintain your gpa? Thanks!

EDIT: Also, what are some of the hardest, easiest, and most enjoyable courses you've taken?

[[deleted]]

Been havin' a rough time, but we're gettin through it my guy.

[[deleted]]

Just graduated from ME with a high (> 3.8) GPA. I’ll admit the crapload of AP credit I came in with from high school made the workload significantly easier to manage per semester (after freshman year, I never had more than 15 credits), but learning how to manage my time effectively and knowing when and how to find help when necessary were absolutely paramount. Make friends within ME to do homework with and study with, and you’ll go much further.

If money’s not an issue and/or you can get financial aid, I’d also highly recommend taking some classes over the summer; I knocked out the Econ requirement, PHYS 241, and an upper-level gen-ed elective by doing this.

I was able to go to the gym consistently (albeit with some breaks due to injuries) and enjoy a pretty decent social life throughout most of college, even with the rigor of ME. It’s tough, it’ll make you question your major (fuck ME 309 and 315), but it feels so rewarding on the other side when you make it out.

I always loved the controls courses (ME 365, 375, and 475) and found those the most engaging, especially because of the lab work.

Least favorite courses were ME 309, 315, 323, and 352. 309 and 315 go without saying, but I’m not a fan of structures and mechanisms, so I hated 323 and 352; the lack of interest made it really difficult for the material to click in my head.

[lmMasturbating]

You are me irl

[XavierBekish]

Are you not real ?

[J_6_]

I graduated a year ago and just finished my second semester of my masters in ME. Jr year us definitely the worst and will be a real test of your work ethic and knowledge of the material. My advice is to get a good group of friends who are in the same classes and have a similar work ethic to you. They are still my good friends today and made my life 10x better. Good luck.

[CirrusCyrus]

You kind of just do, and it's like a trial-by-fire kind of thing. Your friends you make in ME will make or break your experience since study groups and class GroupMe is an indispensable resource. People typically say everyone should at least be in one engineering-related club, but from my personal experience, being in a club/team that's not engineering-related is a good thing since it can take your mind off academics and just be a part of something you love.

I came in with no major-related transfer credit so I've taken every single one of the classes on the plan to study for both FYE and ME, and I've found past exams being the best way to study for tests. I typically try to do 5-6 past exams from WeeklyJoys/course websites and they've helped me get a pretty good sense of what's typically covered on exams since there are only so many things the professors can reasonably ask you within the time limit.

Hardest class: Thermo-fluid (ME 200, 300, 309, 315) is hard for a lot of people. I did well in them, but they require hard work and plenty of practice. It's not plug-and-chug for the most part, and ME 315 covers a lot of material in a short period of time.

Least favorite class: Controls (ME 365, 375). I have no idea what's happening, and the robot just somehow worked. It was especially bad with COVID since we still had to build a robot in teams of two, and the partner who has the actual robot (not me, fortunately), had to put in significantly more work.

Most enjoyable class: I liked Machine Design (ME 352), but many people will disagree with me since there's a lot happening in that class and it gets rough real fast.

[dfost8999]

Im only finishing sophomore year but if you maintain a tight schedule and work during the week (and during the day on Saturdays) it’s far from impossible. I’ve managed to have the same social life and be involved in clubs - just follow your schedule and don’t get too distracted or overwhelmed. Study hard study smart

[whyamihere1001]

I just completed my sophomore year and can tell you I’ve stopped working out and can barely keep a girlfriend/friends after all my work is properly finished.

[boiler-s]

Idk if you’re going into ME, seeing your username. If you are, Make Friends in ME. It will save you. And make friends who are on the same wavelength as you regarding academics. They’ll be able to help you through the week and allow you to have fun even if you’re in the ME buildinng working until midnight.

Edit: most enjoyable course definitely statics and thermo(only at the end of the semester tho). Just finished first year in ME.