Interested in studying engineering? Ask questions here.

[Emmi]

I just have a question. Is engineering really THAT hard? i hear everyone talking about how engineering will kick your butt and most people flunk out. I dont see myself anywhere else other than studying aerospace, or at least engineering. And all the people saying that it is hard are scaring me.

 

Is it also true that coming from the IB college doesnt seem that hard?

 

It's tough, but it's not impossible. Engineering's very manageable if you have decent time management skills and the discipline to say to yourself "I need to do my math homework tonight instead of playing video games for three hours." This semester I finally hit my stride in terms of time management: I get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, all my homework gets done at a reasonable hour, and I can balance extracurricular activities and a part time job while getting a decent GPA. I get my butt kicked only occasionally in engineering, but to me it's worth it.

 

A lot of people that say "Engineering's hard! You'll fail!" are the people who shouldn't be doing engineering anyways, or have terrible time-management skills and stay up all night doing homework the night before it's due when they had a week to do it (sounds like IB students ). Is engineering hard? Yeah. It's not easy, and there are ways to make more money doing less work (like studying management or finance). But if you really want to do it, you'll make an effort to study when you don't really want to, and make an effort to get good grades.

 

The transition to college from the IB workload-wise wasn't that hard for me because I was already used to doing lots of work. Some of the introductory classes I took my first year were similar in difficulty to IB classes I took, but after about a semester or two you've moved on to new material that IB doesn't cover and it's all on you. I guess it really varies on the person and what you study. Some people I went to high school with moved on to study really easy things so obviously it wouldn't be as hard as the IB, whereas some people went into really difficult areas of study and probably found it a bit tougher, but manageable.

[Stacy]

Right now I'm a 1st year student in DP and planning to study about computer science or like software development later in the university. At least something that is related to computer. 

 

My courses are...

English b hl

Korean A sl 

Math SL

Econ HL

physics HL

Chinese ab sl 

 

Would this be ok?? I am so worried about my courses and other EC...

Do you  have any EC you want to recommend??

[Emmi]

Right now I'm a 1st year student in DP and planning to study about computer science or like software development later in the university. At least something that is related to computer. 

 

My courses are...

English b hl

Korean A sl 

Math SL

Econ HL

physics HL

Chinese ab sl 

 

Would this be ok?? I am so worried about my courses and other EC...

Do you  have any EC you want to recommend??

 

You should take HL math instead of HL economics. Computer science or computer engineering is heavily math-based and focuses a lot on things like discrete math, graph theory, logic, and combinatorics. It's not just programming. All of your other courses should be fine.

 

Good extracurriculars are things that you enjoy. Sports, clubs, volunteering work, all that is good. Though for engineering-specific things, you could look into seeing if your school has a robotics team. If you're familiar with programming and robotics, you could also mentor a kid robotics team (I do that currently).

[Emilia1320]

Hi

I would like to ask if it's more economically benefical to study engineering on university or lower third degree level (polytechinc, not sure about English term)

I guess uni would fit me better as I'm interssted in sciences and I want to study something related to more theoretical side of process.

Unis however are expensive :/ I'm not sure if I can afford it. I can't work besides IB due quite tight schedules to gain money either. Uni level is my dream thou.

Another question is could you recommend some universities (preferably English-speaking countries/English programmes)

And last question, are my subject choices optimal?

HL: Math, physics, chem, English

SL: Finnihs, biology

Thank you and merry christmas

[Emmi]

Hi

I would like to ask if it's more economically benefical to study engineering on university or lower third degree level (polytechinc, not sure about English term)

I guess uni would fit me better as I'm interssted in sciences and I want to study something related to more theoretical side of process.

Unis however are expensive :/ I'm not sure if I can afford it. I can't work besides IB due quite tight schedules to gain money either. Uni level is my dream thou.

Another question is could you recommend some universities (preferably English-speaking countries/English programmes)

And last question, are my subject choices optimal?

HL: Math, physics, chem, English

SL: Finnihs, biology

Thank you and merry christmas

 

Well if you want to study engineering, you have to go to a university. There's no way around it. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a third level degree, but in the US there's sometimes an engineering technology degree you can earn. It's not an engineering degree, but it's similar. It's more hands-on and less theory-based, and designed for people who would rather do field engineering work rather than traditional design work.

 

Where did you want to study? I know in some places uni is free or very cheap, and some places it's not. You can always try to get a scholarship or sponsorship to attend somewhere.

 

What type of engineering did you want to study? For most you won't need HL chemistry, so if you're not planning on going into chemical/process engineering, materials science, or biomedical engineering you're not going to need it, unless some school requires HL chemistry regardless of the field you want to study. Other than that your subjects look fine (HL math and physics, you're good).

 

I can't really recommend a particular university because there's a ton of other factors that go into it, so I'll leave that to you.

[xaviergoby]

Hey

 

Well, I am facing the same dilemma however not whether I should go to university or not. I am definitely going to university and I have applied to the UK, The Netherlands and Canada! My dilemma is one that is financial. My mother has been a single parent ever since I was born and she was to pay for both my sister and me as my sister graduates next year. However, what I will do is, and what many of my class-mates will do and even my Physics teacher did is take out a loan . We EU citizens are VERY lucky to live in a union of countries which offers us some very good benefits! There are PLENTY of universities out there which are relatively cheap! I suggest you do extensive research! Plus, forget taking a part time job! Instead, dedicate yourself to your studies and try your best to score a scholarship Apply to as many universities as possible to maximize your chances! The UK is a is a country I believe  one must apply to (In the UK you don't have to start paying a student loan until you have started working).

I applied to Canada because they have better opportunities for IB students in terms of scholarships (Top Eng uni's there are U of T, Waterloo, UBC and McGill all to which I have applied). 

I applied to the Aerospace Engineering program in TU Delft because it is a fascinating program and is in English and only 1500 Euros a year !

If you want to talk about this anymore fell free to email me or pm me [email protected]

Subjects and predicted scores:

HL Chem 7

HL Physics 7

HL French 7

SL Maths 7

SL Eco 6

SL English 5

TOK C

EE A

 

[Mac1]

Hello all. I am interested in studying engineering (likely mechanical engineering) and have some questions on IB subject options..

1) Are my subject choices best suited for mechanical engineering applications? HL Maths, HL Physics, HL Economics, SL Chemistry, SL English Language/Literature, SL Ab Initio Italian.

2) How beneficial would it be to take Chemistry at HL, so I have 4 HLs? I have this option so I could do either..

3) I am extremely interested in the theory of Maths and Physics in engineering, less so actual construction. Is mechanical engineering the best discipline for this? As in is mechanical engineering a lot of calculations and written work?

Thank you in advance for any guidance, and I know this may have been answered a bit already here but I was still not sure..

Happy New Year!!

[Emmi]

Hello all. I am interested in studying engineering (likely mechanical engineering) and have some questions on IB subject options..

1) Are my subject choices best suited for mechanical engineering applications? HL Maths, HL Physics, HL Economics, SL Chemistry, SL English Language/Literature, SL Ab Initio Italian.

2) How beneficial would it be to take Chemistry at HL, so I have 4 HLs? I have this option so I could do either..

3) I am extremely interested in the theory of Maths and Physics in engineering, less so actual construction. Is mechanical engineering the best discipline for this? As in is mechanical engineering a lot of calculations and written work?

Thank you in advance for any guidance, and I know this may have been answered a bit already here but I was still not sure..

Happy New Year!!

 

Hello and happy new year! I'll answer your questions as they were presented:

 

1. Yes, this is fine. Having HL math and physics is essential. The rest doesn't really matter all too much.

 

2. It's only going to be beneficial to you as a mechanical engineering applicant unless you are going to study something like chemical engineering or materials science, your prospective university requires it for engineering in general, or you really like it and know you'll score well. Otherwise it's a big time commitment and pretty difficult as far as IB subjects go and if you don't need it, make your life just a little bit easier and take it at SL (or not at all! ) People usually choose it because it's a science-y subject that requires some math skills (but not too many, just basic algebra) and uses some problem solving skills, which looks good for engineering. But if your desired engineering discipline doesn't outright require it, it's not necessary at HL.

 

So short answer, unless it's something like chemical engineering or materials science or your university requires it for all applicants, HL chemistry isn't needed. But feel free to take it if you want.

 

I wouldn't take 4 HLs regardless of whether or not you have it at HL or not, because having four HLs doesn't give your application any special attention or designation. Give yourself a break, because HL math and physics will consume a lot of your time.

 

3. All engineering disciplines are going to use some sort of mathematical and physical theory, it's what distinguishes engineering from other technology-based careers. The specific types of physical theory you'll focus on will depend on your specific discipline. Mechanical engineering's broadness will expose you to a lot of different areas of physics, with slightly more being given to classical mechanics.

 

Depending on where you want to study, the answer to this question can change. In the US at least, there exists a degree at certain, but not all universities, that have a degree known as engineering physics. This is still part of the engineering school, but you'll be taking additional higher level physics (and math classes because you can't understand all those physics topics without a good math background) in addition to your engineering ones. It's quite similar to a physics major, but some of your physics classes would be replaced with engineering courses. My school is one that offers this, and it states:

 

Students who complete the Engineering Physics program will earn a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the College of Engineering. The physics and math requirements for this program are similar to those of the B.S. in Physics, but in addition to those requirements, students take 27 credit hours of engineering courses. The engineering courses a student takes will come from one area of engineering, known as the Engineering Physics concentration. Students who complete this program have the opportunity to enter full-time employment as a scientist or engineer or pursue an advanced degree in physics, engineering, or math.

 

In addition, you could also complete a minor in either mathematics or physics. I am doing a mathematics minor because I developed a big appreciation for mathematics after taking multivariable calculus and wanted to take a few extra courses in it.

 

I am not sure how all of the above works in other countries, such as the UK or Canada.

 

All engineering disciplines will be a lot of calculations and written work (lab reports and projects and things such as that). It's more along the lines of would you rather write a 40 page report about a bridge, a report about which chemical reactor is best to optimize a process, a report about circuitry and wiring, or a report about which motor would best work in a small appliance.

[KTaiga]

What subjects and at what level do i need to do in order to do biomedical engineering in any university anywhere in the world?

 

[Emmi]

What subjects and at what level do i need to do in order to do biomedical engineering in any university anywhere in the world?

 

This is a very hard question to answer because every university is going to have different requirements. Some unis let you get away with SL math, others require it, some don't care if you have chemistry, others require you to have it, some will accept candidates without a physics course, etc. You're going to have to do some research here and see what particular universities YOU want to go to have as requirements for biomedical engineering.

 

Most people applying for biomedical engineering will have HL math and HL physics, and either HL or SL chemistry or HL or SL biology. SL subjects don't really matter as long as you fill out the rest of your diploma (literature class, a foreign language, and a humanity/social science).

[zekes]

Hello everyone, I plan to study aerospace engineering, and I was just wondering if anyone's heard anything about Embry-Riddle (http://www.erau.edu/). I visited, and thought it was really nice, but my parents are worried it is just a degree mill, and reviews say food and internet are pretty bad. Also, the drop out rate is pretty high (only like 33% of incoming freshmen actually graduate), but wether that's because they have such a high acceptance rate or because it's actually hard, I don't know. 

 

 

Anyone go there, and can tell me straight how it is, specifically if it is harder or easier than the IB program?

Thanks,

~Zekes

[Emmi]

Hello everyone, I plan to study aerospace engineering, and I was just wondering if anyone's heard anything about Embry-Riddle (http://www.erau.edu/). I visited, and thought it was really nice, but my parents are worried it is just a degree mill, and reviews say food and internet are pretty bad. Also, the drop out rate is pretty high (only like 33% of incoming freshmen actually graduate), but wether that's because they have such a high acceptance rate or because it's actually hard, I don't know. 

 

 

Anyone go there, and can tell me straight how it is, specifically if it is harder or easier than the IB program?

Thanks,

~Zekes

 

While I don't go there (your best bet would be to contact current and past students, either through the school or online on something like Reddit) I can say for certain any engineering program you do that's actually somewhat decent will be way harder than the IB program.

 

The high drop out rate is most likely a combination of engineering there being challenging, and from students who liked the idea of engineering, didn't want to do the work required and/or failed their classes, and then switched their major.

[KTaiga]

 

What subjects and at what level do i need to do in order to do biomedical engineering in any university anywhere in the world?

 

This is a very hard question to answer because every university is going to have different requirements. Some unis let you get away with SL math, others require it, some don't care if you have chemistry, others require you to have it, some will accept candidates without a physics course, etc. You're going to have to do some research here and see what particular universities YOU want to go to have as requirements for biomedical engineering.

 

Most people applying for biomedical engineering will have HL math and HL physics, and either HL or SL chemistry or HL or SL biology. SL subjects don't really matter as long as you fill out the rest of your diploma (literature class, a foreign language, and a humanity/social science).

 

Thank you for the response. right now i am doing HL Math HL physics HL biology and SL chemistry. so this means that i am in the clear right?

[Emmi]

 

 

What subjects and at what level do i need to do in order to do biomedical engineering in any university anywhere in the world?

 

This is a very hard question to answer because every university is going to have different requirements. Some unis let you get away with SL math, others require it, some don't care if you have chemistry, others require you to have it, some will accept candidates without a physics course, etc. You're going to have to do some research here and see what particular universities YOU want to go to have as requirements for biomedical engineering.

 

Most people applying for biomedical engineering will have HL math and HL physics, and either HL or SL chemistry or HL or SL biology. SL subjects don't really matter as long as you fill out the rest of your diploma (literature class, a foreign language, and a humanity/social science).

 

Thank you for the response. right now i am doing HL Math HL physics HL biology and SL chemistry. so this means that i am in the clear right?

 

 

You're in the clear if that meets a certain entry requirement! In general, you should be fine.

 

As a side note, unless you've gotten special permission to do an irregular diploma from the IBO, you can't have three science subjects. I'm assuming you've already handled this with your school.

[KTaiga]

 

 

 

What subjects and at what level do i need to do in order to do biomedical engineering in any university anywhere in the world?

 

This is a very hard question to answer because every university is going to have different requirements. Some unis let you get away with SL math, others require it, some don't care if you have chemistry, others require you to have it, some will accept candidates without a physics course, etc. You're going to have to do some research here and see what particular universities YOU want to go to have as requirements for biomedical engineering.

 

Most people applying for biomedical engineering will have HL math and HL physics, and either HL or SL chemistry or HL or SL biology. SL subjects don't really matter as long as you fill out the rest of your diploma (literature class, a foreign language, and a humanity/social science).

 

Thank you for the response. right now i am doing HL Math HL physics HL biology and SL chemistry. so this means that i am in the clear right?

 

 

You're in the clear if that meets a certain entry requirement! In general, you should be fine.

 

As a side note, unless you've gotten special permission to do an irregular diploma from the IBO, you can't have three science subjects. I'm assuming you've already handled this with your school.

 

Okay thank you for the clarification. Yes i have gotten the special permission and I am good to go.

Thank you very much for the information...

[mariah]

 hi 

i am doing IGCSE right now and I am planning to do IB.

I want to pursue my carrier in robotics (its somewhat related to engineering).

I think Physics and Computer Science are important, but is chemistry important too?

 

What subjects do I need exactly for robotics and at what level?

 

[Emmi]

 hi 

i am doing IGCSE right now and I am planning to do IB.

I want to pursue my carrier in robotics (its somewhat related to engineering).

I think Physics and Computer Science are important, but is chemistry important too?

 

What subjects do I need exactly for robotics and at what level?

 

Chemistry probably isn't too important for robotics. Aside from designing robot components down to the materials themselves, it's probably not going to play a major role in it. It's nice to know if that's what you're interested in, but isn't vital.

 

What would be extremely helpful would be to have math to the highest level possible. You'll use math to design the robot (such as in its circuitry, how fast you want it to go, what you want it to do), and you'll use math in programming the robot (developing an algorithm, procedure, or task for the robot to do while making it efficient and accurate uses programming, but the theory behind them relies on math). 

[anb2016]

Is Math SL good enough for biomedical engineering?

[Emmi]

Is Math SL good enough for biomedical engineering?

 

Generally HL math is recommended if at all possible. HL math barely scratches the surface of what you'll cover in engineering school. It's possible to get in with SL math though, you'll just take an extra semester or two of math. What schools were you thinking of applying to?

[flyingturducken]

Hi, I'm pre-IB right now and I'm kinda interested in taking aerospace engineering as a major. I have English Lang. and Lit., Physics, and Maths drafted as my HL with Chemistry and French as SL. Would my subject choice match with university requirements?

Also, I'm in between Psychology and Economics as my last SL. I reckon that Psychology is better because research methods is a part of the syllabus and you get to do a study for IA, and it is overall more interesting to me than Economics. However, my parents are pretty much convinced that Economics is a better choice because it teaches you skills you'll use for the rest of your life (which in my opinion is present in all IB subjects) and because they had to take it as a social study course when they were in university. 

Any help would be much appreciated, Thanks