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College Major question: How long to continue in a major before switching?

Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
How long should you typically stick it out in a major before switching? I'm into my 3rd semester for mechanical engineering, and it's still just rather dull, tedious, and minimally interesting. Is that simply because these still qualify as "preliminary" courses? I'm a bit wary of college, still, as I wasted 2 years on a Cisco networking degree that went absolutely nowhere. Is this a question better answered by my advisor?
I am still virtually clueless on how college is supposed to work in this respect. I mean, when I applied to this university, I did so in May I believe it was, for that same academic year, only to find out that I just barely made it in because you're apparently supposed to register like 8 months in advance. I never knew that or anticipated it.
 
Ask your advisor. But, as a rule of thumb, do not major in something you are not interested in, especially for undergrad. If you are only in your second year you still have plenty of time to complete a different major in a more interesting field.
 
Originally posted by: veggz
Don't you take those courses in high school?
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Don't know about your high school, but mines didn't offer courses like Linear Algebra and Vector Analysis, which he should be in by now.
 
Originally posted by: Johntk5
Aren't you enjoying Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations? I know I did.
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People actually enjoy stuff like that???:Q😕 I guess so, or it'd never get taught.

I had calculus in high school, and I failed the final, but passed the class. Calculus again in college didn't go a whole lot better. I did get a B in the class, but that was mainly because 1) I did the homework, 2) homework wasn't graded so much on accuracy but effort, 3) the teacher gave insane amounts of partial credit. That was hell to go through. I did problems a few times until I'd get them right. Calc2 wasn't much better. There was some insidious and perverted stuff in there that should never be done to any undeserving number or variable.

No Linear Algebra yet, or Differential Equations. I think the DE class is next year.

I'm in Physics right now. The teacher acts like he's fresh out of teaching 2nd graders. He uses "cool" in every other sentence, he is very animated, and tries to get us all enthusiastic and worked up over the smallest things.


I already made a minor major switch, from Mechanical Engineering to Mechanical Engineering Technology, so my courses got a bit messed up, but after this semester I'll be on the normal track.
The "engineering" type classes I've had thus far:
- CAD intro - Pro/Engineer, creating computer models of solid parts. I don't particularly like doing it, but I'm also really good at it. Got a 98% on the final and as my overall grade. About a third of the class either dropped or failed. I found it exceptionally easy, but just tedious.
- Engineering intro class. It was no more advanced than a high school physics class. This also included making a 3d model of a small cruise-control car we had to build. That model there was far more detailed than we were supposed to make it. There didn't need to be nuts, bolts, or teeth on the gears. I found this out after making the model, which still took me a lot less time than anyone else spent on their 3d models.
- Manufacturing materials and processes. Information about various metals, composite materials, and manufacturing processes. Nothing in depth.

Right now I am in:
- Physics. It should be a bit of a review - I had Physics I and II in high school, taught by a guy who was also a college professor. But that was over 6 years ago. My memory of high school is about like what you get after resaving a JPEG at 0 quality 5 times over.
- Strength of Materials, the class which follows Statics. Statics - easy for the most part. Got A's on the first two exams, but by the end I was losing interest. My grade was a B in that class.
- Dynamics. Deals with vectors. It starts at 8am so I'm already biased against it.😉
- Pro/Engineer, next level. This deals more with making working drawings in Pro/Engineer than with the solids modeling portion.
 
I had a friend who was one semester away from a double major in EE and CS. He decided he hated it, couldn't stand another class in either subject, and switched majors to English. So you can do it at any time. Better early than late if you don't like what you are doing.
 
You can change anytime! Just depends on how long you can afford to stay in school.

I found that the EE program I went to was not that interesting until after you get past all the support classes (Math, Physics, etc). After you get into the core classes it gets better, but if you are pretty sure you won't like it later, switching early is much easier than later.
 
Originally posted by: Dirigible
I had a friend who was one semester away from a double major in EE and CS. He decided he hated it, couldn't stand another class in either subject, and switched majors to English. So you can do it at any time. Better early than late if you don't like what you are doing.
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But what can you do with an English major, or degree, whatever?


English shared a special place, along with gym class. I hated each for their own distinct reasons, though I think gym is just a small step below English.



I suppose this could also just be a later version of the usual phase of "I really haven't got the slightest damn clue what I want to do with my life." I've got the mindset like Peter in Office Space, only with less ambition.
 
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: Dirigible
I had a friend who was one semester away from a double major in EE and CS. He decided he hated it, couldn't stand another class in either subject, and switched majors to English. So you can do it at any time. Better early than late if you don't like what you are doing.
Click to expand...

But what can you do with an English major?


English shared a special place, along with gym class. I hated each for their own distinct reasons, though I think gym is just a small step below English.



I suppose this could also just be a later version of the usual phase of "I really haven't got the slightest damn clue what I want to do with my life." I've got the mindset like Peter in Office Space, only with less ambition.
Click to expand...


Yeah, he now does computery stuff for a startup. Don't ask me what. He's told me several times but I still don't understand it. He's definitely using his EECS non-major more than his English major.
 
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