How to Become an Engineer & Best Engineering Schools

Do you have an analytical mindset and a tendency to solve various problems? If you are strong in developing things and want to earn a lot, in this case, an engineering career is the right step. The key to embarking on the path of engineering will be getting a specialty in engineering and gaining work experience relevant to the profession.

In high school

1. Attend lessons to help you prepare. They will help you enter the college for engineers and facilitate your further studies. Attend math and physics classes as often as possible. If possible, go to one, two lessons of an in-depth study of the subject. Many high schools will offer you in-depth study lessons;
2. Attend electives that will also prepare you. Look for a summer educational program for engineers. Most of them are funny enough and will help you learn faster. Start an interesting hobby related to engineering. You can have a good time, earn good money and at the same time get stronger on the path of engineering. You could repair computers, solder speakers, or make sites. Find a mentor engineer. Do not worry about not doing sports. Just look at the athletes and think: “one day they will work for me”;
3. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been able to go to the best college; engineers are paid well no matter what college they graduate from. Of course, the 23-year-old engineers who graduated from Stanford or the Massachusetts University of Technology are paid 150 thousand dollars but graduates from state colleges also earn well;
4. Start thinking about which area of ​​engineering you like. You do not need to decide it right away, but it’s nice to think about it. Oil engineers earn more, but work is mostly away from big cities. It is really cool to design military aircraft, but when the defense budget is reduced, this profession cannot be considered the best one. In the nearest future, computer engineers will have a lot of work.

In college

1. Be careful, especially in your first year at college. Do not overload yourself so that study does not become an unbearable burden for you. Bend your line, take work seriously and don’t give up! Even if you pass the exams in an in-depth program, you may want to take the course for another semester and not move on until you are completely confident in your knowledge. A repeat course will also increase your GPA;
2. You should be aware that some schools have “advanced” engineering courses. Professors are trying to discourage the desire to learn from talented engineers. What they do is bad and we don’t know why they do it. But understand, after you finish one, two courses, then it will go as if it were knurled. In fact, most colleges will graduate all engineers with average knowledge. Attend classes and office hours. This is not necessary, but visit it anyway until you feel that now you do not need it;
3. Get a friend to study. Find someone to help you deal with difficult courses. You may just have a very cool and smart buddy, but try to find someone else in case you need a lot of help. The best option is a junior or middle student at your college. If you can afford to pay for help, this is also a good option. You can also use one of the sites for tutors;
4. Calculate the training schedule that suits you. Until you get involved in the process, do whatever is necessary for this. Set yourself additional goals. Some successfully complete the task by doing a little every day, while others prefer to do everything all night. Make sure you are aware of the courses that will come in handy in your next year’s curriculum and make sure you spend more time on these courses. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Analyze which courses are easier for you and which are harder. Make sure you balance your training schedule;
5. Decide on your specialty. Engineering involves a wide range of options, but your college may be narrow-minded. Think about different branches of engineering, such as mechanical engineering, programming, bioengineering, construction design, civil engineering design, electrical engineering, and others. Note that computer science is now the same as programming in most colleges. Many people will call it simply computer engineering;
6. If you are fond of mathematics, you will want to go to an engineering college just to avoid annoying humanities. However, if you really like variety, choose a dual specialty in two completely different areas. Remember that you do not have to work in the field of engineering if you have an engineering degree. But if you do not have an engineering degree, you will not be able to work in the field of engineering. If you are considering entering a business school one day, remember that an engineering college is an excellent foundation for obtaining a master’s degree in business administration;
7. Your life will become better as soon as you have “exceeded the middle” of the first or second year of study. You can look for a mentor who works in the company so that he or she helps in further career advancement. A specialty in engineering gives you freedom of choice: work in a large company, in a small enterprise, work for yourself or become a consultant. A mentor, professor, or recent graduate can help you figure out what you would like to try. Usually, professors send first and middle year students to work. This may be research work or help new students.

In the middle of a career ladder

1. Learn the engineering profession while working at your job. For example, if you are interested in electrical engineering, settle in a factory that collaborates with such engineers. If you are interested in programming, apply for a job in a software development company in the quality control department;
2. Decide for yourself if you want to return to school. Think about whether you want to go to a full-time or evening study. Find out if your employer will pay you for an engineering college. This practice is quite common. Even if there is no official program, just ask! Many companies are happy to invest in the education of their own engineer. They will not have to hire someone else and they will save. An excellent alternative would be to attend the evening department for the first one, two semesters to understand whether you like it or not;
3. If you are interested in programming, you can simply learn the programming language on sites such as, for example, W3Schools. This is a great way to learn. Many companies in Silicon Valley are in dire need of programmers and will not require a diploma from you.

Advice

• Before you start a new business, talk with someone who understands this;
• Work harder during the session than during the classes;
• Try to study more at night and early in the morning;
• Never neglect the repetition of material;
• If you feel sleepy, take a bath before class;
• Try to study more at the computer than with books. If you are tired, play instrumental music in the background.

Warnings

Make friends with similar interests. Refusing a bad company will help you avoid difficult life situations and focus on achieving your goal. Stay away from hostile surroundings. Never make friends with people who cause you anxiety and irritation, or with those who have a lack of moral qualities that humanity needs.

Do not quarrel with colleagues or employees. This will greatly annoy you.

Best Engineering Schools

• Missouri University of Science and Technology
• California State University-Chico
• San Jose State University
• Montana Tech of the University of Montana
• North Carolina State University at Raleigh
• University of Michigan-Dearborn
• New Mexico State University
• University of Houston
• Saginaw Valley State University
• Oklahoma State University
• Texas Tech University
• Iowa State University
• West Virginia University Institute of Technology
• West Virginia University
• California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
• University of Kentucky
• Youngstown State University
• CUNY City College
• California State University-Los Angeles
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• University of Nevada-Reno
• Wichita State University
• Minnesota State University-Mankato
• University of South Florida
• Wright State University
• University of Texas of the Permian Basin
• Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering
• University of Colorado Denver
• California Maritime Academy