/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.3611984]

Going to be a freshmen at college this year, I'm going to an engineering school, RPI, majoring in ME.

I had a pretty easy high-school run, kinda feel I might be in over my head and that I have just fooled everyone into thinking that I am capable of this but I really want to do it.


Anything I should expect?

[Anonymous No.3611987]

that is what every kid feels like on the first day unless they are a complete ass hole

[Anonymous No.3611993]

>>3611984
You'll find that college isn't all that bad as you think it is. Just take interest in what you're studying, study as much as you need to (or as much as you want, so long as it's more!) and never stop dreaming.

Also smoking pot -- once in a while though, not like every day.

[Anonymous No.3611995]

it's not that bad. learn to study and make friends. make sure you actually enjoy what you're studying or else you're bound to end up miserable.

[Anonymous No.3611997]

>>3611993
>Also smoking pot -- once in a while though, not like every day.
Unless you're the next Carl Sagan. Then go forth and smoke, good sir.

[Anonymous No.3612000]

You'll find that first year probably isn't gonna be very tough. It depends on how you schedule things. If you're taking a bunch of intro classes with heavy focus on finishing your gen ed shit, I think you'll find it fairly easy after you adjust. If you're taking a bunch of major classes straight out of the gate, well, prepare your anus. The first part will be VERY difficult, but depending on your capability you may end up doing well.

[Inurdaes !V1sPhobos. No.3612002]

>>3611997

[Anonymous No.3612007]

Oh, boy, I miss first year! Back when I could study like just one or two hour after lessons and ace every exam.

Good times, good times.

[Anonymous No.3612018]

>>3612000

Circuit Theory I
Project Based Calculus
Solid Modeling and Design
Discovery (dunno)

;_;

[Anonymous No.3612027]

>>3612018


What is project based calculus? Is it just like normal calc with a special emphasis on applications? Because that doesn't sound too bad. Solid modelling and design looks like it's learning to use CAD, which, again, no biggie. I don't think it will be TOO bad. But you will have a harder of time of it than the people who start off taking something like

SOC 102: Failing at Rigor
REL 202: Comfort in Cognitive Dissonance
ENGL 303: Advanced Navel Gazing
ART 101: Finger Painting

[Anonymous No.3612036]

>>3612027

I think so, I think it may have a bit of Physics? I'm not too sure.

And yeah you are write, also @ Comfort in Cognitive Dissonance, lmao.

[Anonymous No.3612038]

>>3612027
>learning to use CAD

Basically the sole reason I didn't go into engineering.

Well, that and the fact that there are way too many people in engineering, and I'm not comfortable being shut in a classroom with hundreds of people.

[Anonymous No.3612050]

>>3612018

General tips:

If you aren't good at managing your time, try not to cluster all your classes on 2 days. You invariably start and finish all your homework and studying the night before class, even though you had 5 other days to work on it.

If you are just starting calculus, try to remember the trig parts as much as possible, as they will come back to bite you in the ass in calc 2, 3, and differential equations. Half/double angle shit, sin(x+y) shit, general identities, integrals of each trig function, (later on) trig sub, I'm looking at you. Also log functions and how they work. Also completing the square and working with rational functions.

If you were the kid who felt he never really benefited from homework, start now. I felt like that coming into college, and truly you could get A's in highschool (IB for me) without working hard, but in college, it really really really really makes everything easier (and sometimes, just possible) to do problems. This applies not only to math, but all your engineering classes. You need to have done many problems to even see what course of action you need to take for some test questions. Knowing the general rules wont help you.

Try to take classes with your friends, not only because you'll have a study group right off the bat, but because you'll have people to compete against. If you are broless, make a bro; if only for the ability to find out what you missed if you are absent.

Um, don't forget to have a good time, and remember that what you study is not necessarily what you will do, even if you go on to work in the engineering field. Engineering degrees (electrical is what I hear this about, but I'm sure ME to a large degree also) are versatile and let you enter many sectors of the economy.

Don't be afraid to fail.

[Anonymous No.3612051]

>>3612036

I'd be surprised if it didn't, as that is the main practical use of calculus. Still, I REALLY wouldn't worry too much about it. Calc gets such a bad rap for being hard but it's not at all. It just requires practice, like fucking everything else on the planet.

[Anonymous No.3612060]

>>3612050

This is good advice. Particularly the part about clustering classes. It takes an absurd amount of willpower to successfully spread studying and homework out over several days if you have them completely free. It's way too easy to get sidetracked.

[Anonymous No.3612073]

>>3612050

by working with rational functions, I also mean partial fraction decomposition. Also being good at solving for 3 variables given 3 equations helps in several classes.

[Anonymous No.3612088]

>>3612027

Fucking lol'd

[Anonymous No.3612105]

>>3612088

The list is inspired by my former roommates and gen ed classes I've had to take.