Trasfering schools

[HiImBrian]

So I've been thinking and I've decided to switch my major from business management to mechanical engineering. I really want to get into maybe designing engines or working for an automotive company doing something of that nature. Unfortunately, very few credits transfer from business to engineering so I'm a little screwed. If I change majors my first year of school would pretty much count as nothing. I'm currently going to school at Iowa State University which is really great but really big at the same time. I think I might like something a little smaller. If I switch majors I will more than likely have to move to an in-state school for financial reasons. ISU is about $24000 a year. So I am looking for a medium sized school that is well known for its engineering programs. I was thinking about NDSU. Any comments or suggestions would be fannnnntastic! Thanks
-Brian

Also, if you were a mechanical engineer in college what are you doing now?

[Thor06]

Well, I am a MechE undergrad here at the U of M. When it was time to go to college, it was between NDSU and U of M for me, although I didnt think I had any shot at getting into IT here at U of M so I pretty much applied just to see how I would do. Well sure enough, like 3 months later I got accepted into the IT here at the U. That was a difficult decision. Both the U and NDSU have good, reputable engineering programs. Then my brother gave me some advice. As he put it, it would be fairly easy to transfer out of the U into NDSU if I didnt like the U but going the other way would be much harder. He said, and I believe him, that the quality of education you get here and you will probably be a bit better off with a MechE degree from here than from NDSU. Dont get me wrong, NDSU is a great school but I chose to go here. If I were to do it again though, I would have gone to NDSU for sure. Its a tough choice, but dont let the size of the U be one of the deciding factors. Trust me, after you have wandered around a day or two, the size really shrinks. All your engineering classes will be in the mall area, you wont ever have to set foot on like half of the grounds. Either way good luck man, and if you want to start a car company in oh, say, like 3 years let me know!

[Super Bleeder!!]

If physics, calculus and differential equations are your thing, definetly give an ME program a try. But i will tell you this right now, its probably going to be 4 times the workload of a business program. Join the fun! :)

[FattyBoomBatty]

I started in MechE and changed to international business. You will need to like working behind a computer, possibly in a small office. But it would be rewarding because you can see what you are designing.

I couldn't handle all that math, and I hate chemistry with a damn passion, so for me, it was a good choice to switch away from mechE.

I was at NDSU for that though, and NDSU is a sausage festiva. Cold as hell and 30mph wind every day. But if you like country music and lifting weights, you'll be accepted with open arms.

[scheides]

Hope you like math! It is a long, frustrating road you are looking down. I did it, I'd do it again, but be prepared to not give up no matter what!

[HiImBrian]

Yea I won't lie, I'm not a huge math pro or anything like that. But I was really relying on my strong passion for engines to carry me through. I know I will have to study like no tomorrow and it will be really tough, but in the end I know I'll be doing something I enjoy a lot more than management.

[asshanson]

Yea I won't lie, I'm not a huge math pro or anything like that.

Several of my friends at ISU were ME majors. At a bare minimum you take:

Calc 1, 2, 3
Differential Equations
Calculus physics 1, 2
Statics/fluids/etc.
Some others I can't remember.

I love math, so the calc and diff eq were fun, but physics sucked so much, they got into electron tunneling, relativity, just weird advanced physics which I don't care about much, and not relevant to the degree.

If you want to design engines and work for an automotive company, get on a formula 1 team if they have one where you go. It'll take a lot of free time, but my friend is the head engine guy at ISU and he talks to all these design guys from Honda, etc at every meet. Pretty good 'in' if you ask me.

[HiImBrian]

Several of my friends at ISU were ME majors. At a bare minimum you take:

Calc 1, 2, 3
Differential Equations
Calculus physics 1, 2
Statics/fluids/etc.
Some others I can't remember.

I love math, so the calc and diff eq were fun, but physics sucked so much, they got into electron tunneling, relativity, just weird advanced physics which I don't care about much, and not relevant to the degree.

If you want to design engines and work for an automotive company, get on a formula 1 team if they have one where you go. It'll take a lot of free time, but my friend is the head engine guy at ISU and he talks to all these design guys from Honda, etc at every meet. Pretty good 'in' if you ask me.


Yea for sure. But like I said, doing ME I will more than likely need another 4 (possibly 5) years before I graduate. This is something I don't think I could really afford here at ISU. While I know it's a great school especially when it comes to the engineering programs, I think a school like ndsu would fit my budget a little better. I also know a number of people that go to school there. I guess what I'm asking is are there any other schools in mn that would be better to attend for a ME degree than ndsu? Also, for all you ME's out there, what are you currently doing?

[FattyBoomBatty]

But I was really relying on my strong passion for engines to carry me through.

Yeah, I thought I had a strong passion for engines, cars, jets and all that awesome mechanical stuff, BUT, what i've found out is that cars are my hobby, and I already know enough about cars to enjoy my hobby nearly to it's full potential, I don't need a degree for that. I had to take a couple years off to figure out what I might like to do for a career. One way I did that was work at jobs I found to be undesirable in the long run. You could try that too, if you want. There is absolutely no shame in working for a couple years to build some savings, credit and workplace experience.

[HiImBrian]

Yeah, I thought I had a strong passion for engines, cars, jets and all that awesome mechanical stuff, BUT, what i've found out is that cars are my hobby, and I already know enough about cars to enjoy my hobby nearly to it's full potential, I don't need a degree for that. I had to take a couple years off to figure out what I might like to do for a career. One way I did that was work at jobs I found to be undesirable in the long run. You could try that too, if you want. There is absolutely no shame in working for a couple years to build some savings, credit and workplace experience.

Thats really great advice. As you can probably tell, I am trying to learn more about ME and what jobs it has to offer out of school. I am planning on working at a dealership this summer either selling cars or being a lot person. I have worked with sales a lot and it's something I'm really good at. I just don't have a passion for it like I do for mechanics. I try to picture myself 10 or 15 years from now and I don't want to be selling cars or working some crappy job you barley need a diploma for. I want to have some kinda of impact on the production of a certain car.