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/sci/ - Science & Math

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11018712 No.11018712 [Reply] [Original]

engineering general post your struggles/successes and questions

Im going to be offered a job this week and im really happy and relieved after all these years of struggle to see the light at the end.

My company says that continuing education is important and after working for a year, they will pay for any certs or grad school i may need.Im curious if i graduate college with a sub 3.0 would it even be possible for me to enter a graduate school?

>> No.11018731

>>11018712
GPA isn't everything. Did you do undergraduate research? Relevant extracurricular activities like clubs? Were the professors of your department fond of you?

>> No.11018839

>>11018731
no (except for the last one i didnt ruffle any feathers), but im more curious about if in 5 years i apply to a completely different school i have no affiliation with, would they take me because i would have say 5 years of engineering experience and im just trying to continue my studies. Like is their a process for grad schools to accept people who are well into there careers but want some form of continuing education and if so, do they give a shit about your gpa from 5+ years ago?

>> No.11018931
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11018931

>>11018712
Nice pic. He should try actually connecting the LCD and initializing it before probing it.

>> No.11018947

>>11018731
GPA is everything because internships are everything. You need a good GPA to get internships. Extracurriculars are practically worthless to employers.

>> No.11018951

>>11018712

Anyone else in the work force yet? In college, I take breaks and never work for more than 45 minutes at a time. But I spend all day every day studying at a very relaxing pace. When you’re at a real job you have to work all day and not work all night.

How do you guys get adjusted to the change in pace

>> No.11018961

>>11018712
What looks better on your resume:

>Internship putting in excel data in "muh dream company"
Or:
>internship for irrelevant company that requires you to complete an entire engineering project on your own

>> No.11019104

>>11018839
>like is their a process for grad schools to accept people who are well into there careers but want some form of continuing education
I know that some exist, but they're usually for people who graduted up to 2 years prior the application or so. I also don't know whether such programs exist in the US (which I assume you're from, given that you have to worry about your GPA), but it's likely that they do
>>11018947
Only in America. Even so, it depends on which company you're applying to and which kind of job you're aiming for

>> No.11019185

>4 exams, 5 homework assignments all within a few days of each other
>none of these professors are remotely helpful at teaching material and the only reason Im not failing horribly is shady online resources

Why does my university send me emails saying how much they value student mental health? That is the biggest lie

>> No.11019195

>>11018951
I'm kind of the opposite. I like to work hard for many hours (more than 8) at a time, but then other days do absolutely nothing. I dunno man I guess I just had to adjust to it. It's actually dumb because if I could choose my own hours I'd end up being more productive.

>> No.11019204

>>11018961
I worked an internship for a, sort of, irrelevant company and I was given a set of deliverables I had to meet by the end of the summer and on my own initiative I went above and beyond and designed a lot of code and non-code solutions to make a very robust system. I would prefer doing data entry for my "dream company" though because when you talk to recruiters, they honestly don't care about your project. By the time you interview for real, you already have a job. And when it's just on your resume, they probably think you're just bullshitting.

>> No.11019216

I need some resume tips to help me get past teh ATS and boost my interview count. Do you guys use like tables to make your resume organized? I feel this kinda screws with my format when i copy and paste it onto notepad, it looks messy.

>> No.11019258

>>11018961
For internships, muh dream company no matter what. But when you're full time, don't tolerate it if youre ever forced to do dumbass busy work. Future employers don't care as much about name recognition once you've graduated

>> No.11019323

I've been offered a bursary to do my master's in radio engineering. I'm torn between a tunable notch filter design for electronic warfare systems and a 2 element radio interferometry demonstator system. I'd like to do more work with waveguides and filters but I will get a lot of experience with antenna and receiver design if I do the interferometry. Any advice?

>> No.11020609

>>11018712
>Started studying EEE at a top University
>Am happy and enjoying the course so far
: )

>> No.11020736

>>11018947
This. All my summer work was in research labs at my school because its what I could get. I was probably one of the most respected people in my class, but I can't get a job while I know dozens of mouth breathers who did.

>> No.11020805

What field of Engineering is the best paid?

>> No.11020823

>>11020805
If you just want to grind dollars and don’t give a fuck about work-life balance, then either a sales engineer position where you can get fat commissions or a field service position where you are getting per diem and massive amounts of OT.

Otherwise, get a vanilla Mech/Civil/Electrical degree, your PE, and start a design firm.

>> No.11021049

>>11019216
yo, im trying to get a job here. Lemme get some tips (pause)

>> No.11021473

>>11019216
I use LaTEX because I am an alpha male who is too lazy to manually make my resume look good and just steal nice looking formats online.

>> No.11021865

idk how to do statics but i can roarks. problem is fe 2days

>> No.11021885

I've got a hefty Electricity & Magnetism test tomorrow fellas

>> No.11022233

>>11021049
Pay to get one written

>> No.11022284

>>11020805
Used to be petroleum, IDK if that still holds today

>>11020823
>tfw just started a field service engineer position with a high base salary working on refineries
feels good man
I'm not sure if I get OT, but if they start abusing my OT and I don't get paid for it, I'm sure as hell going to start abusing my unlimited vacation

>> No.11022310

Kek
>continuing education
This is code for you having to work outside of work, and if it’s like a programming job that never ends unless you move into management
Do you want to be always working with no time to develop other aspects of life?
Well I hope it’s different and there’s only a set of standard certifications you have to get
Not continuously new ones never ending or you get laid off or replaced
Because if you want a family or any real life then these jobs are for suckers
Life is more than money
Have fun hope it’s not anything like being a code monkey douche

>> No.11022363

>>11021885
I'm looking at a waveform using an oscilloscope but I don't believe in the data what do I do

>> No.11022610

I just got hired for a junior mechanical engineer position at this Energy company that makes transformers. My job is mostly focused on enclosure design/support. Does anyone have any tips or advice for someone who is about to start working?

>> No.11022614

>>11020805
All of them.
Gay for pay is becoming a thing now.

>> No.11022632

>>11019323
don't support the military

>> No.11023079

>>11022310
>continuing education

M8, that’s code for company paid boondoggle. You should be attending conferences to get CEUs.

>> No.11023143

How do I get out
Eng is such a boomer field with such little room for actual growth.
5 years to make 82k? Fuck this my friend in Acc Sci will have all the exams passed making 6 figures

>> No.11023190

>>11023143
Reminder that your biggest raises will come from switching jobs, not staying in a single job for a long time

>> No.11023236

>>11023190
Which sucks because I actually like the company I work for (other than the pay)
People are pleasant and the work itself is relatively interesting.
Scared to switch because of ruining those two things.

>> No.11023247

>>11023236
In-company job switches also apply, as long as you upgrade your title you'll get a raise
Also, you need to determine how much intangibles like liking your work and coworkers is worth to you vs cash in hand

>> No.11023259

>>11023190
This right here.

>> No.11023592
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11023592

>the only class that could possibly stand between me and graduating at this point is history

>> No.11023623
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11023623

>>11018712
>engineer
>uses an memeduino

>> No.11023802

>>11023143
82k is a good starting wage. You're making as much as physical or occupational therapists without needing a doctorate. Engineering is filled with boomers because so many young people give up and do something else. I had like half a dozen friends who went to college for engineering but dropped out by the start of the 2nd year because the math was too much. That math is job security.

>> No.11023963

Is engineering physics/engineering science a good option or is it just a meme?

>> No.11024015

>>11023963
its the safety pick for when you try to get a PhD in physics and utterly fail.

>> No.11024018

>>11018961
both

>> No.11024054

>>11022632
faggot

>> No.11024062

How important is an internship experience after graduating?
I really want one, I’m graduating next december, and I haven’t had any luck yet. I went to a career fair yesterday, and not many engineering companies. The “good” ones all told me to apply online and did not accept resumes.

>> No.11024070

>>11024062
I should note that I do have a good GPA (3.50) and I do have work experience, although not relevant to my field

>> No.11024159

How can I convince a company to give me an internship as an international student in the US?
yes, yes I know ">fuck off we're full"
but seriously, any tips?

>> No.11024177

>>11024159
Just get in touch with the other parasites from your country and see if they can help you further ruin Americas racial hygiene.

>> No.11024226

>>11024159
Fuck off, find an internship in your own country.

>> No.11024271

>>11024070
Do you people not have mandatory internships during your studies? We have to have 2 4 months internships over the course of 2 years at my school.

>> No.11024399

>>11023592

> He didnt take ap history credits in hs

>> No.11024465

>>11018712
Do you guys have any recommendations for any textbooks on dynamics and control?

>> No.11024512

>>11024062
Highly recommended, get's you out of the college mentality

>> No.11024524

>>11024159
Show em paperwork proving you won't need any sort of sponsorship (OPT, CPT, etc)

>> No.11024862

What should I do if I don't really have interest in any of the clubs at uni? I feel like my resume is lacking but I'm not sure what else is a good booster.

>> No.11025050

>>11024862
Make a project that you could present on in an area you're interested in
eg, I worked on a water purification thing with a couple friends even though it wasn't part of any club activities

>> No.11025262

Why is engineering so hard. I'm not talking about the work exactly but the time and god forbid the career path.

>> No.11025348
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11025348

>>11024399
>school was too small to have ap anything

>> No.11025457

hi i just wrote a closed form solution for the sequence of prime numbers

>> No.11025808

Who here is MEP? EE recent grad here, I place receptacles n pick lights n sheiitt. It's quite boring, but the job is pretty low stress and chill. I want to get out of the industry before I reach my mid 20s and go into computer science or embedded systems. For now, I'll work towards my PE in power systems.

>> No.11025858
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11025858

>wake up at 5AM and leave for an uni at 5:30AM
>get back home at 8PM
how the fuck am i supposed to have enough energy to study after that

>> No.11026227

>>11025858
Study between class and kill every motherfucking pajeet and chink in the university. Bonus points for niggers.

>> No.11026427

Is Electrical Engineering worth it?

>> No.11026762

guys I just learned about the FE/PE exams and I'm kinda scared now

>> No.11026824

>>11026762
I think you nee a 65% or 70% to pass the FE. You wont know your score anyway because the results only show if you passed or not, not your actual grade.

>> No.11026855

anyone here do a second round interview at schlumberger?

>> No.11026864

>>11026762
I passed the FE for chemE and it's a joke. The exam is entirely plug and chug and the only hard part is recognizing what to look up in the reference manual for each question

>> No.11028125

>>11018712
Is anybody here a petroleum engineer? Is the job market terrible or has it been picking up?

>> No.11028132

>>11018712
Is it a bad idea to take a part time 6 month internship if you have already graduated with your degree and don't have a job yet?

>> No.11028168

Hey, how do you explain to your boss that you want to quit? I've been working part-time in a company and recently I started an internship on full-time there, but I got an offer to work on a project in my uni. I mean, my current job is nice and I'm content, but I feel that this new opportunity will help me a lot more in the long run. To be fair, I've no idea how to explain this to him without feeling like an asshole.

>>11018951
Yeah, I just started working full-time and I'm in the same boat.

>> No.11028174

>>11028168
>I'd like to quit this paid full-time position so I can work on a university project for free
He won't be insulted. Confused, but not insulted.

>> No.11028180

>>11028174
It's not for free though, I'll get paid the same or a bit more and I know the people who I'm going to work with, since I did my bachelor's thesis on that same project.

>> No.11028201

>>11028180
Then sit down with him and use your words to explain that you're giving two weeks notice because you're taking another job which is a good career move for you. I've never had to write out a resignation letter or email but if you think that will help you then have one written up.

>> No.11028328

>>11026762
FE is easy if you take it right out of college

>> No.11028541

is openfoam used in the aerospace and/or motorsport industry at all?

>> No.11029011

>>11028328
>>11026864
>>11026824
but I'm doing it for EE and the stats say it has a 69% pass rate

>> No.11029018

how suicidal is majoring in EE/Signal Processing and then minoring in CompE

>> No.11029628

>>11029011
It has a %69 pass rate because retards wait till they are 2 years+ out of college and brain dumped everything. Take it as soon as you can and you’ll be fine.

>> No.11029639

>>11028541
Openfoam is a grad student toy. It’s all Solidworks and Fluent

>> No.11029867

>>11029639
>solidworks
the ptsd this gives me
Catia just always works for me

>> No.11029868

>>11029639
I cant afford either of those what the fuck

>> No.11029890

>>11029868
dude torrent them. Never understood why no one bothers with cracked software in uni, especially engineering.
Alternatively, usually universities give out student licences for free

>> No.11029896

>>11029011
what difference does it make? I'm also studying for the EE, but if you're still in school I suggest you book an exam date while you're still there. Im about 4 months out of school and most of this stuff is pretty easy, cant imagine being 2 years out trying to rehash all this.

>> No.11029902

>>11029890
>dude torrent them
literally where
>usually universities give out student licences for free
my uni gave me an 18 month license for a gimped version of CATIA and wont even renew it

>> No.11029906

>>11029896
Always do the exam as soon as you get out of school. Less troublesome.

>> No.11029911

>>11029902
>literally where
Maybe these are blocked in the US, but look for pirate bay proxies or mirrors. Literally just google them. Or stright up ask the TAs' for cracked versions or a liscense. Most will say no but if ur nice enough to one of them they might say yes.
>wont even renew it
That's kinda really scumbag of them. Here they just renew it every year so long as ur still in the uni.

>> No.11029916

>>11029902
also forgot to mention some distributors of Catia/Solidworks/etc... give out free student liscences for older-ish versions of the software.

Heck even Catia from 1995 is still used today just because of how stable it is. It still gets the job done.

>> No.11029923

I'm still have 2 years or so left on a physics undergrad and the nuclear engineering department is already scouting me for a PhD. How seriously should I consider it?

>> No.11029944

>>11022284
If you're non-exempt, laws on OT are pretty ironclad. Stiffing people out of OT is not remotely worth the legal cost for the company.

>> No.11029954

>>11029944
If you're an engineer then your hourly wage should be high enough to make you exempt. In my experience, if you're an engineer getting paid hourly then you're probably just going to get paid straight time for OT. I much prefer being salaried now, being an hourly contractor was a fucking scam.

>> No.11029977

>>11029954
Actually I got that wrong, the exemption for highly paid employees is for salaries above $100,000. But even if you don't make that much you can still be exempt anyway because "professionals" are exempt from the overtime rules.

>The job duties of the traditional "learned professions" are exempt. These include lawyers, doctors, dentists, teachers, architects, clergy. Also included are registered nurses (but not LPNs), accountants (but not bookkeepers), engineers (who have engineering degrees or the equivalent and perform work of the sort usually performed by licensed professional engineers), actuaries, scientists (but not technicians), pharmacists, and other employees who perform work requiring "advanced knowledge" similar to that historically associated with the traditional learned professions.

>Professionally exempt work means work which is predominantly intellectual, requires specialized education, and involves the exercise of discretion and judgment. Professionally exempt workers must have education beyond high school, and usually beyond college, in fields that are distinguished from (more "academic" than) the mechanical arts or skilled trades. Advanced degrees are the most common measure of this, but are not absolutely necessary if an employee has attained a similar level of advanced education through other means (and perform essentially the same kind of work as similar employees who do have advanced degrees)

>> No.11030139

>>11029954
>>11029977
and what bullshit (((excuse))) is the justification here to gyp people out of their overtime pay

>> No.11030314

>president of company I interviewed with said hes going to "put together a offer for me" last Friday
>no response since

How long does it take for someone to make a formal offer.

>> No.11030318

>>11026762
Is the FE something you can get a good book or study guide for and just use that to pass the test?

>> No.11030446

>>11029954
the whole point of doing field work like that is so you can get a fuck ton of OT. if its straight time or salary, you are getting hosed.

>> No.11030449

>>11030318
yes. you still need the degree or be close to getting the degree in order to sit for it.

>> No.11030482

>>11018712
>just started working
>3 years studies
>don't have a single fucking clue about anything anyone is talking about

I've seriously learnt more this month of working than the past like 5 years of studies. The only saving grace is my own programming interest and like 1 database course

>> No.11031250

>>11018947
This is the hottest load of shit I have ever read. My school just had a career fair and I was talking to recruiters from my company and they were bitching about kids with near 4.0 GPAs that were technically weak as hell because they had no project experience.

>> No.11031261

>>11019216
>ATS
Pro tip. Change your resume to use as many words from the job description as possible. Apply this to elevator pitches at at career fairs too.

>> No.11031277

>>11020805
employees are assets, so sell yourself: huge demand / low offer

>> No.11031768

>day 327 of no job
Halp, I've had an internship in school. I've applied to everywhere in a 50 miles radius and I just don't know what to do.

>> No.11031803

>>11031768
>50 mile radius
Afraid to move out of your parents' place, fag?

>> No.11031828

>>11031803
Maybe, I just don't want to live in a city or spend 6k to move my cnc lathe again.

>> No.11031944

>4th year engineering undergrad
>can't into dynamics or mechanics of deformable solids
>both classes are prerequisites for the senior seminars and design classes
>no valuable internship or work experience
>GPA slightly above 3.0
>quickly losing motivation to finish my major

How fucked am I boys? I'm also on academic probation because my summer semester went pretty poorly. I don't even know what I'd switch to in all honesty

>> No.11032275

>>11031944
No matter where you switch its futile. You are unmotivated, directionless, without passion, dedication for hardwork, goals, ultimate dreams, etc. Probably put in the field by your parents - likely an immigrant.

>> No.11032411
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11032411

why the fuck did I choose this major, I want to kms every day.

>> No.11032427

>>11019185
I have 3 consecutive midterms two weeks from now, on top of my design project and 2 other labs. Only art students can afford mental health.

>> No.11032472

>>11022284
Which major were you?

>> No.11032513

>>11031944
I felt like that on my last year as well, I surprisingly made deans list my final semester of university, even though I felt so burnt out and like I couldn't be arsed anymore. You have to push dude. The way I found motivation to finish my work was by telling myself that I already invested all this time into trying to get this degree and to crumble when the finish line is so close? If you're struggling to understand stuff, I think you should join a study group in your class. I just did study groups with friends, but I always noticed larger study groups from people in my classes.

>> No.11032536

I've sent hundreds of resumes and haven't heard back from any. Don't they contact you pretty soon after you apply if they want to interview you? Last interviews I had were maybe 2 days after submitting application that I was called for the initial phone-screen. Feels bad man.

>> No.11032541

>>11032411
you're not alone, anon, I want to kiss my sister every day too

>> No.11032543

im an undergraduate ee (3rd year) looking into graduate school
what are some things that can help a retard with a likewise gpa? undergraduate research?

>> No.11032612

I am completely out of touch with the current demand but it feels that everything that has to do with electronics, especially low level, is dying.
Is digital signal processing worth looking into?

>> No.11032646

>>11019185
Welcome to hell, lad. Mental health is optional. You get used to it.

>> No.11032731

>>11019185
Everyday I want to off myself
I can't handle this, bros

>> No.11032743

>got 4 exams back from last week
>99.8% average
we're all gonna make it bros, now for hondajet to call me...

>> No.11032819

>>11031768
>50 miles radius
there's your problem

>> No.11032930
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11032930

Lads,

I have a bs in mechanical eng. I've worked for 3 years, and I really don't enjoy it. Work is almost always easy/boring.

Any advice? I love programming.

Right now, I see a few options:

a. Go back to school for a master's in ME or maybe a BS in CS (both?)

b. Find a better job

>> No.11032939

>>11029011
it doesn't fucking matter. The first half of the exam is basically your AA and the second half is your EE stuff. And even then it's all about looking shit up in the reference manual

>> No.11032940

>>11018712
Explain stress strain to me. I'm a brainlet

>> No.11032945

>>11032930
>not enjoying easy work
what the fuck is your problem

>> No.11033253

is getting a masters before a phd typical, or do most people go straight to phd?

>> No.11033276

>>11033253
I always though most people got their masters 1st, bc then PhD could be approached much easier, going raw no rubber is too daunting for most

>> No.11033293

>>11033276
i read that in burgerstan most people go straight to phd, i was just wondering if thats mostly for non-stem or something like that, and a masters is more or less required for engineering phds

>> No.11033488

>>11032940
stretch thing soft it changes a bit
stretch thing hard it changes more

>> No.11033490

>>11030139
In my company, unlimited vacation (i.e. you don't have to accumulate days of vacation before being able to take it)

>> No.11033581

Opinions in
a) DSP?
b) Power electronics?

>> No.11033649

>>11033253
What the hell, people can get a PhD without having a masters?

>> No.11033700

>>11033649
>people can get a PhD without having a masters?
Yes, in some cases it's possible. You need a good degree (a 1st) and a top tier final year project.

>> No.11033702

What are the most important components for understand fluid mechanics and thermodynamics at the undergraduate level?

>> No.11033704

>>11018712
>if i graduate college with a sub 3.0 would it even be possible for me to enter a graduate school?
Not possible

>> No.11033720

>>11018951
Honestly this depends on the job. I work in a test lab for a semiconductor company, and some days it'll be a shitton of work for 10 hours a day, and others I'll just goof off with my coworkers and fuck around with equipment in my downtime. I find that very few scientific jobs are just "punch in for 9 hours, work, then go home and forget about work"

>> No.11033723

>>11032543
Important factors for graduate school are as follows: Research-> Letters of Rec-> GPA.
I got into grad school (physics) with a shit GPA, but I did research with 3 different professors and advanced their work a good bit for being an undergrad, and they all wrote me great letters of rec. You need to meet a minimum GPA for most grad schools, but after that it's meaningless.

>> No.11033724

>>11033253
>>11033276
>>11033649
In the US, the vast majority of Physics/Engineers get accepted into a PhD program from undergrad. You can generally pick up your MS along the way, but very few get an MS, stop, then go for a PhD. Most MS programs aren't funded, but practically every PhD program in STEM will have TA or RA positions that pay for the degree.

>> No.11034167

>>11033723
>>11033724
tyvm for the helpful advice, anons

>> No.11034308

>>11033702
its all continuum mechanics

>> No.11034620

>>11025858
same here commuting by train
do you commute? how many miles?

>> No.11034630

>>11029923
do some research to see how the nuclear sector is going to pan out in the future
i'm personally going to study nuclear engineering and already all the extra money they are pumping into advanced nuclear (Gen IV reactors, MSRs, etc.) look promising, but you never know. worst case you just spent 40 years decommissioning old shit

>> No.11034676

>>11034620
Around 20 miles, some of the time comes from waiting between the buses since i need to catch 2 different ones, some of it comes from it not driving directly to my uni plus there's the walk

>> No.11034690

So I had a follow up interview with the president of the company last friday. He said he was going to "put an offer together for me". Its now been a week and I still haven't heard back. How long does it usually take for an offer to be presented. Is their a way I can ask about the current status?

>> No.11034711

>>11022363
cry, study, cry again, study more, pass tests

>> No.11034752

How bad of a choice for subject is civil engineering for a diagnosed sperg?
I'm curios, because my dad (who works as a civil engineer for the local state department of highway maintenance here in krautland proofing bridges) said that I as a sperg would most likely helplessly perish if I were supposed to do stuff like overseeing construction sites.

>> No.11034792

>>11034752
There's no place for a sperg in society, pretty much the definition. You either overcome your affliction or succumb to it and live a life of seclusion from your fellow man.

>> No.11034914

>>11034690
if he outright told you he was putting an offer, you should follow up right about now thanking for their time and opportunity and ask them to update you. They could have gotten more work or got sick, hard to say m8.