EE vs. CompEng vs. <insert major here>

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
yah azn pride. hah. damn yeah thats what im afraid of. but are the guys geeky as hell? are YOU GEEKY?!!

well i enjoy math, physics, electronics and programming. and am antisocial.

WHAT DO U THINK

woah. *scared* do you actally ENJOY it? i dont necessarily enjoy it... but im good. and im an academic type of person... [im chinese lol]. i mean what else am i gonna do?

i dunno. i want to go into an engineering of some sort... but im scared of the people. honestly. i dunno if ill fit in. im already kinda bored with some of my "gifted" friends, i dont want it to be worse...

yes i honestly enjoy those. i've like physics and electronics ever since elemetnary school.

anyway i dont think it's a good idea to base what program you want to get into by how much you like the majority of ppl in it. i mean they won't bother you. most liekly they'll leave u alone if u leave them alone

ps. i'm chinese too.

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: CTho9305
I'm a 2nd year ECE major, focusing on CE. It seems to me that CS majors do a lot of theoretical stuff, math, its really a science major.

Electrical Engineering seems to suck.... it seems incredibly tedious. Admittedly I've only gotten through the sophomore level EE classes, but I've taken some Junior level CE classes. CE is really cool stuff - computer architecture. Basically, a CE major really gets to understand how a comptuer works in great detail (to the point of designing hardware). I don't really know what EEs do.

CE rocks

(I personally prefer engineering to the pure sciences, because the results of your work are real. With science, you write a paper and let engineers go do cool stuff with it )

By the way, CS majors do not program. High school grads program. A CS major does stuff like encryption algorithms, other algorithms, and maybe REALLY advanced or important programming. But normal programming doesn't require a college education at all.

Maybe CM CS majors, but I think the majority will end up programming. I know my friend with a CS degree from RIT had to struggle to find a job even programming when he got his BS 1.5-2 years ago. I think you'll find the CS job market pretty crummy today. In upstate NY anyway.

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: pterG
Crappopotamus, if you are in it for the girls, I think you should look elsewhere...

yeah like go nursing ROFLMOA

or any arts major

such a big difference between the engineering buildings and the arts buildings...

Dude, what's wrong the nursing?

 

[HokieESM]

Here's some "good" news for you: almost ALL engineering majors take the same courses for the first two semesters. Several semesters of calculus, chemistry, physics, general computing, an introductory computing language (even mechanical and civil engineers), introductory english, the like. So you really do have a couple semesters to decide.

It will HIGHLY depend on what school you go to. Some schools, electrical and computer engineering only differ by a few classes. Some schools, they can differ by ten classes. Computer science is SOMETIMES in a college of engineering (which means general engineering requirements), sometimes not.

I would suggest going in as a general engineering student and figuring out what you want to do in the first two semesters. Talk to students at THAT school and learn what THEY think and how things go at THAT school. Then make your decision. Things only start to "differ" at the sophomore level and above (and something like computer engineering and electrical engineering will be similar at the sophomore level, too).

Best of luck to you!

 

[Crappopotamus]

jaydee. ya know bout the lbc. <- thats scary. i just heard those lyrics as i read your name. *shrug*

lol jd youve got a lot in common with mr gaylord focker. heh. dont worry, im sure the geeks in engineering and comp sci are jealous of all your lady friends! they just HATE cause youre PIMP. right?

dighn - yeah thats true. i will make friends with people outside of school of course... but you spend the most time with the poeple in your classes! you get to know them and stuff! bleh. YEAH. azn pride man lol

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: jaydee

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: pterG
Crappopotamus, if you are in it for the girls, I think you should look elsewhere...

yeah like go nursing ROFLMOA

or any arts major

such a big difference between the engineering buildings and the arts buildings...

Dude, what's wrong the nursing?

nothing. it's just funny how it's 95% female and you are one of the only few guys there.

 

[Zebo]

EE cause you can do/appl for almost anything a CS major can plus all the EE jobs. To hard though for most.

 

[Crappopotamus]

nothing. it's just funny how it's 95% female and you are one of the only few guys there.

think of it as being PIMP DADDY of all those girls. yeah thats the way it is for a male nurse isnt it... dont worry i dont think your feminine.... .... *laughs*

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus

nothing. it's just funny how it's 95% female and you are one of the only few guys there.

think of it as being PIMP DADDY of all those girls. yeah thats the way it is for a male nurse isnt it... dont worry i dont think your feminine.... .... *laughs*

ROFLMAO

yeah u can't help but to think maye they are in thdre for the girls LOL. most liekly not but still

 

[CTho9305]

CMU ECE is like 75% asian, 90% male.

 

[arynn]

I'd go EE over CE as it is more general. I'm a ME, but if I were starting college today with what I know now I'd go EE or CS. Mechanical is still interesting, but most of the techology that is filtering into products these days is being implemented by EEs. As someone else said, chances are you'll work on stuff out of your major in the work place.

It's probably a good idea not to select a specialized major (i.e. aerospace, computer engineering) unless that is all you want to do. It will limit your job opportunities when you graduate.

EEs seem to be in higher than average demand these days.

 

[cchen]

Do you have any idea of what you want to do when you graduate?

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
jaydee. ya know bout the lbc. <- thats scary. i just heard those lyrics as i read your name. *shrug*

lol jd youve got a lot in common with mr gaylord focker. heh. dont worry, im sure the geeks in engineering and comp sci are jealous of all your lady friends! they just HATE cause youre PIMP. right?

dighn - yeah thats true. i will make friends with people outside of school of course... but you spend the most time with the poeple in your classes! you get to know them and stuff! bleh. YEAH. azn pride man lol

Don't get me wrong, I'm an Engineering major with no girls. A good friend of mine is in nursing though, he's in it because he likes it, not for the girls...

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: arynn
I'd go EE over CE as it is more general.

And as a more general curriculum, will likely omit fairly important parts of computer engineering theory like integrated circuit design, architecture, and operating systems/realtime system design unless you go out of your way to take those classes specifically.

If you're looking to work in computer systems, take a computer-oriented major. If you're trying to hedge your bets, take the more general major and audit some of the computer courses. But expecting a general EE degree to carry the same sort of weight in the computer-oriented marketplace is like expecting a mathematics degree to carry the same sort of weight as a computer science degree.

 

[Storm]

For what its worth I graduated in May with a comp sys engineering still looking for a job . I'm in the NJ/NY metro area so it is a little harder than some other places.

I did a lot of programming I would say learned C, C++, learned MS's MFC. I did alright in those classes but Im not a programming type of person. My data structures and algorithms class didnt have any programming. It would have been a lot tougher if it did.

Overall its a lot of math and physics. Two classes differentiated CE from EE. They were Electro-magnetics and Electro-dyanmics, Consequently they've been merged during my senior year.

Its true that a ton of ce, ee, and cs jobs are going to India. Most people graduate ee or ce usually get advanced degrees.

The male/female ratio in ee and ce is probably 10 to 1. Biomedical engineering is probably 60% gals to 40% guys. In any case, I've met a ton of smart people that know their stuff but could party hearty. I think it depends where you go.

 

[pgebhard]

HokieESM, thanks for the good advice. I am glad I still have those beginning years to sort things out. And as Storm mentioned about advanced degrees, I hope to eventually get one. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[joeSmack]

I majored in Computer Science and I much prefer it to EE, CE, CSE, whatever. Personally I pick pure CS over hardcore EE anyday of the week.

Reasons why:
Better topics. Computer graphics, data models and dabases, artificial intelligence, natural language parsing, etc. Versus what: systems and signals, analog circuits, numerical computing? Fvck that. There is a very short list of EE classes that don't suck.

More freedom. EE majors should be given like 6 years instead to graduate. They cram that stuff down your throat. Whereas CS people can take more stuff that they find interesting.

Less labs. I fking hate labs. Stupid BS experiments on faulty equipment that will inevitably fail 5 min before a TA checks you off, then you have to write a 100 page lab report about it. I'd rather be in my OS class writing a Linux driver or something.

Less calculus. I tend to be error prone when doing calculations which is why I hate doing problems where it takes 2 pages of calculus scribble.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Do what you love, then figure out how to make money at it.

 

[gopunk]

there are large overlaps...

my advice is to just pick one, and if you find yourself finding another one more interesting, switch. it's not that hard to switch, since a lot of classes overlap.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
EE cause you can do/appl for almost anything a CS major can plus all the EE jobs. To hard though for most.

i disagree, while i'm sure you could fumble your way through it, a CS major has a distinct advantage for computer graphics, databases, algorithms, data mining, etc. EE, at least at my school, is not CS + EE... it is EE + a small amount of CS. it's also easier to get into

 

[Bluga]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
good to know this stuff. btw, people in comp eng or whatever.... how hard is it? is it really tedious and boring? im still trying to decide if i should go for an engineering or a biz or something else....

and how are the chicks? the guys? im part of the robotics club at my school, and honestly its so geeky. rediculously geeky. oh and theres one girl. and i think she dropped out. GAWD. im so scared it will be like that! is it?

Yes, and as you get to upper years, only the geekiest will be left.

 

[Bluga]

Originally posted by: joeSmack
I majored in Computer Science and I much prefer it to EE, CE, CSE, whatever. Personally I pick pure CS over hardcore EE anyday of the week.

Reasons why:
Better topics. Computer graphics, data models and dabases, artificial intelligence, natural language parsing, etc. Versus what: systems and signals, analog circuits, numerical computing? Fvck that. There is a very short list of EE classes that don't suck.

More freedom. EE majors should be given like 6 years instead to graduate. They cram that stuff down your throat. Whereas CS people can take more stuff that they find interesting.

Less labs. I fking hate labs. Stupid BS experiments on faulty equipment that will inevitably fail 5 min before a TA checks you off, then you have to write a 100 page lab report about it. I'd rather be in my OS class writing a Linux driver or something.

Less calculus. I tend to be error prone when doing calculations which is why I hate doing problems where it takes 2 pages of calculus scribble.

That is so true.

I hate when they f*** cram everything in one semester and EVERY semester.

 

[acidvoodoo]

what kind of things would i study if i went down the aerospace route?

and do you get to choose alot of electives so you can 'specialize'?

 

[HokieESM]

acidvoodoo - I have my bachelors and masters in mechanical engineering (and I'm working on my PhD in mechanics)... and I've been around aerospace a LOT of my life. Aerospace and mechanical are a very similar pair to computer and electrical--aerospace is a lot like a specialty of a "general" mechanical engineering. Aerospace people MOSTLY focus on fluid flow (usually air, so "aerodynamics") and get a brief overview of solids and heat transfer. They specifically study aerospace and aeronautical missions and the demands on them. Whereas, mechanicals focus more on general mechanical systems--and depending on your school, can focus more acutely on general THEORY (some places, mechanical engineers aren't far from greasemonkeys, but some places--specifically places that have engineering mechanics or engineering physics, they can be hardcore theorists).

I will say, though, that if you want to TRULY specialize in an engineering field, a masters degree is really in order. Most of the HIGHLY technical jobs (research, advanced "cutting edge" design, etc) in the mechanical/aerospace (and even in the computer hardware field) fields demand graduate degrees. And with a masters, you TRULY get to specialize. Also, note that your bachelors and masters do not have to be in the same degree--I recently had someone tell me that they would PREFER someone to have a theoretical general bachelors (like ME or eng. science) and then specialize for their masters (like in aerospace for this particular company). However, you can still get a job with a bachelors... don't let me mislead you.

In the EE/CPE field, some of the companies hire bachelors degrees, but some of the "high-tech" places like Intel and AMD frequently want masters degrees for their designer positions. Or want you to go back and get your masters after some on the job experience.

I will say that MOST places are NOT looking for masters in the computer science area. Program "developers" seldomly need the "science" presented by the higher level degrees... although there are plenty of VERY theoretical jobs at national labs and the like for computer scientists (with graduate degrees) to develop new and innovative ways to solve mathematical problems.

 

[acidvoodoo]

well, college apps are still fairly far away for me, i'm in 10th grade, but i'm already preparing. I don't know, i like physics alot as well, i may end up doing that, but i'm unsure what a 'general' physics person can do, u'd have to emphasize would you not?

could you do physics for undergrad, then physics for masters, or vice versa? or are BS and BE degree too different