Why is engineering so hard? Its not what you think

Welcome to my latest video where we'll be exploring the reasons why an engineering degree is notoriously challenging. As someone who has studied engineering myself, I can attest to the fact that it's not for the faint of heart. In this video, we'll be discussing the mental stamina required, the difficult schedule, and the lifestyle changes that come with pursuing an engineering degree.

Whether you're currently studying engineering, considering it as a major, or simply interested in learning more about what it takes to succeed in this field, this video is for you. So sit back, relax, and let's dive into the 3 reasons why an engineering degree is so difficult!

[erics]

As a relatively lazy high school student, I had a rude awakening when I entered engineering. What struck me is that most of the engineering students were groomed in high school and already had good discipline and mental stamina. It took me one wasted semester to get disciplined and I actually made it through. My proudest achievement.

[jeremiahcornell]

as a midlife engineering student, this is spot on, you should expect to vastly rethink your lifestyle for 4-6 years for your degree. think of it like running a marathon. while running, there is nothing else you should be doing or you will never finish. don't expect you can go fishing, working on cars, or start painting while running. train ahead of time, do the run, then move on.

[Davidutul]

Any engineer:"I've become an engineer"
Random people:"What did it cost?"
Any engineer:"Everything"

[jeffm]

Getting a degree in Electrical Engineering was the most difficult thing I ever did. Its also the thing I am the most proud of.

[robertpenoyer]

I discovered that I never really learned how to study until I was studying engineering. The acquired abilities to study effectively, adapt to new ideas quickly, and quickly find information in textbooks and reference books made me a better student and a better engineer.

[maconaguy]

Great video! My non-engineering friends speak fondly of their college days. I do not. It was so hard. Every night (including Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays) studying my butt off. The mental fatigue was off the scales. But the sacrifice will be worth it. I've been an engineer for NASA for over 30 years now. I've had a very rewarding career and I'm so glad I never quit engineering school. So when you're feeling that fatigue and want to give up, take a short break and think about the long term reward. And then get back to it! You won't regret it.

[richardjohnson]

I was fortunate enough to have a 45 year career as an engineer. Everything you've said is 100% accurate. I was not adequately prepared for engineering school... public schools. I went to an extremely good college that demanded a lot from its students, and even more from students on a professional career path. At times, the requirements seemed overwhelming.
To make things more interesting, one of my professors said engineers were horrible business people, so I got a minor in business management. Even though I had extra hours, business was "a piece of cake" compared to engineering. All in all, I managed to graduate. I even eventually got a Masters in Business.
I got lucky, too. I got a job with a heavy equipment manufacturer. Designing machine components and systems was very fulfilling and I learned a lot more on how to apply my knowledge. I liked it a lot. This background got me good jobs and a long career with the best manufacturers making the highest level products. I learned it's a privilege to work on the best stuff.
My son asked me if I'd ever invented anything. As an engineer, someone schooled and trained to think outside the norm, I was able to tell him I'd invented several things. Patents, none. Oh well... projects and people benefited so it's all good.

So, again, everything you said is 100% accurate. The schooling is hard. It takes a lot of discipline and work. And the work itself is hard. But the rewards are fulfilling and can be rewarding. I'm 67, recently retired, and proud to be able to say I was an engineer.

[HyperMario]

I think something that you did not mention is that a lot of students simply don't like engineering. They go into it because they think they have to or that's the obvious career choice. In my opinion you have to be very passionate about it, almost obsessed. I cannot understand how anyone can learn so much complex crap otherwise.

[ericworm]

This applies to all STEM fields. 1) prep as best as you can prior to college. Take as many AP courses as you can. Start living the lifestyle as early as possible. Good study habits help tremendously. 2) When in college, eat well and sleep well. 3) Don't procrastinate. Nothing worse than trying to cram in a month of organic chemistry in less than 24 hours. 4) Find an internship in your field if at all possible. This will pay huge benefits not only in the job market but studying and discipline will improve. 5) Avoid partying. Biggest time killer of all is a 24 hangover.

[karlfimm]

Electrical engineer here. This is all so true. I breezed through high school and my first year of engineering, but then crashed and burned the next year as talent wasn't enough, I really had to put the hours in - and I didn't. Had to repeat a year but finished ok in the end. Absolutely it was schedule and lifestyle issues that screwed me up, not the difficulty of the subject. This was all 40+ years ago, but I never regretted becoming an engineer.

[newhampshirelifestyle]

I started my Engineering education at NorthEastern in 1982. I was 22 at the time and working full-time. I really wanted to get into Computers, Technology and makes some real $$. I ended up on their co-op program and then working full-time and completing my BSEE part-time at night in Boston. This took me 9 years. I lived a Jedi like existence those years. Getting my BSEE is still the single most difficult thing I did in my life and perhaps the most valuable. The mental stamina, time spent studying and discipline were spot on. I was 31 when I finally graduated. 30+ years later as a Sr. Principle Software Engineer in the Defense Industry, I am making the most $$ ever in my life and I have more opportunities than I can count. Many roles I can do remote. I can retire soon, but unlike many people my age in their 60's, my age and experience are a huge asset! I almost wish I had another 30 years to move technology forward. Stick with it! Don't give up and let the force be with you!!

[squirrel]

Really good video:

I was a working EE in industry, biomedical engineer and engineering professor until I retired.

I would like to share some characteristics of people who often succeed in engineering.

1) they really enjoy trying to figure out how and why things work.

2) and going one step further, they like to figure out ways to make it better. In other words, they have creativity

3) they have a thirst for learning and could never imagine a life where they didn't think about new things every day.

4) They want a career that challenges them and don't mind that the career might intrude on their life outside normal working hours. They like having responsibility and the power to make decisions.

5) They have a love for the sciences, especially mathematics

6) Especially if thinking about electrical engineering, they have the capability to grasp abstract ideas and apply them to real world problems.

7) They truly understand that the concepts of engineering are difficult to grasp and will require a lot of time, focus, and work. They understand that they will need to give up some free time. Engineering is not the field for someone who just wants to put in 40 hours of work a week and forget about it for the remaining 128 hours per week.

8) if someone is doing their best, not goofing off, and still can't make good grades in high school, engineering might be too challenging for them. If they still want to try it, reduce the course load and accept that it might take 6 to 7 years.

Now some ideas on how to succeed in your first year of engineering school.

I was one of those annoying people who got straight As in high school without studying.

This continued in engineering calculus and was my saving grace when I started engineering school. Calculus was a "flunk out" class and accounted for 1/3 of first year credits in EE. So having an easy A in calculus gave me the extra time to learn HOW to study. I had no clue. It was a shock to me when I got a C on my first chemistry test. In my entire life, i had never gotten anything but an A. Well, that semester I did learn proper study techniques and ended up doing well. I owe it to a study group I found who taught me all those things I should have learned early in life.

So I will add a few pointers that could have helped me.

1) If you don't need to study much to get acceptable grades in high school, raise your standards. Learn to study well enough that you get As. If an A is easy, take AP classes. If that is easy, take classes at a local college while you are still in high school. If your grades are good enough they will let you do it.

2) Calculus is the most common trouble class for freshman engineering students. Engineering calculus is much more in depth and faster paced than high school calculus. Talk to your math teacher in high school and see if they will help you study engineering level calculus. Get an engineering level calculus text and study that as you are learning high school calculus.

3) Physics is another common difficult class. Physics in college relies on you knowing that engineering level calculus. So if you can manage it, read through an engineering physics text as you are learning that engineering calculus during your high school years. The goal here is not to test out of any calculus or physics in engineering school. Rather, it is just to make your transition from high school pacing and structure to the fast paced and relatively unstructured arena of college engineering.

4) so if you have done all the steps so far, you will have a little time to ease into campus life. Assuming you are starting right out of high school and staying in a dorm, arrive at college early and participate in "welcome week" Hopefully your college has an engineering dorm or an honors dorm you can get into. You don't want to be in the party dorm.

5) During the first few weeks there is typically a "club" day on a weekend. You can wander around and look for clubs for people with similar interests to yours. To stay sane, you need an interest separate from engineering.

6) Look for a study group. Freshman engineering is basically the same for all engineering majors, so you should have a lot of options.

7) Familiarize yourself with the help labs for your courses. Stop in during office hours just to say hi to your professors. You will quickly realize which ones like to teach and which ones would really prefer to just do research. Same thing with your TAs (teaching assistants). I was always surprised at how few students actually came to my office hours. I wanted more. But then again, I far preferred teaching to research.

8) if you are struggling with a concept, immediately ask for help. You will have your study group, the teaching lab, your TA, and possibly your professor. There will be someone, somewhere, who can teach the concept in the manner you need.

9) Most importantly, don't let yourself get behind by even a few days. Engineering school is fast paced and everything builds on what you should have already learned. It takes time for scientific concepts to settle in your brain. Cramming doesn't work with this type of material.

10) Learn how to be efficient at planning your time. Good study groups are fantastic (focused, no talking except when someone is quietly helping another). They keep you focused and provide help. A bad study group is worse than no study group at all. Who needs distractions during your study time.

11) plan your off time. You need some breaks -- but don't party too much. If you don't get exercise, music time, or whatever soothes your brain, you will not study efficiently.

Going to college and living on campus is like a different world. Enjoy that. Real life will come soon enough.

An engineering degree can open a lot of opportunities -- not just engineering. All employers know that if someone made it through engineering school; they are smart, dedicated, able to comprehend a huge amount of material, and able to use what they know to come up with elegant and cost effective solutions. This is what employers look for in most fields. If you also have the ability to communicate well with a wide variety of people, you can pretty much write your own ticket.

[pieterhuman]

I'm a chemical engineer and you are so right. Took me some time to adjust to the rigorous schedule required to get through the workload. It is also the most rewarding feeling when you graduate.

[peterwilson]

The most brutal two courses I ever experienced was the first year stream in engineering mechanics. Oddly enough, I wasn't a student in the class. I was the instructor.

[reubensandwich]

Over 20 years ago I still remember when I first started in engineering college. Dad, an engineer himself, dropped me off, said "do the best you can". It was hard, not fun at all, and for years afterward if I woke up suddenly I'd have moments of panic whether I missed a class or don't have the time to finish the work. Still have memories, one of which was going to computer lab at 9am on a Saturday with roommates, walked past a guy tell his son "there go the engineering majors".

[robertfindley]

Back when I was getting my Electrical Engineering degree, there were a lot of Freshmen with plans to become engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. Most weren't willing to put in the effort and quickly changed majors or dropped out. Evenings and weekends all the classrooms in the Engineering buildings would quickly fill up with study groups, so we would walk over to the Business buildings, which would eventually fill up too. I can't think of a time I saw a business study group there. I studied 2 to 3 hours every evening, then 4 or so each weekend day. More during finals. 2 hours on, 1 hour off worked for me. When I graduated with a good GPA, I received many offers. The vast majority of the posted positions and recruiters in the placement office were for STEM and accounting. I have a PhD now and I'm near the end of my career. I will retire comfortably in my mid-50s. I've never once gone a week without a paycheck since I graduated.

[cpowerdesign]

An engineering degree is very difficult. I am 40 working on getting a mechanical engineering degree. Having a wife, three kids and working full time makes it much harder. There have been many late nights studying after the kids and wife went to bed. I have thought of giving up a few times but haven't yet. Calculus I ate my lunch last fall and I had to drop the class, I plan on taking it this next fall semester. Luckily I work with engineers now that are willing to help me out if I don't understand something.

[trenitalia]

ChemE here. This is spot on. My oldest son wanted to go into engineering. I told him it was 4-5 years of difficult schooling, but it is more than that. It is a lifestyle. You have to be willing to BE an engineer. We are a strange breed, but it is nice to have us around when something breaks around the house. 😆

[chem]

I had family members discourage me from doing engineering myself. I think it was a good thing by them, as it prepared me for how hard things have become.
I do think it is worth it. Despite all the pain, I would do it all again.

[paulchoudhury]

This video is spot on. The trade-off is that once you're completed your degree you'll have much better lifetime earning potential and job opportunities. Another benefit is that you'll be mentally disciplined, patient and capable of grinding out solutions to difficult problems in all aspects of your life. I'm getting ready for retirement and can say that my 40+ year ride has been well worth it.