Am I Able to Get into Engineering, I Didn't Do too well @ Physics in H.S.?
1) Am I doomed for college level physics?
2) The concepts are really challenging for me, is it supposed to be challenging, or can anyone just pick it up with effort?
3) I'm interested in pursuing a degree in engineering (Civil/Mechanical) how can I become better at physics, and approach it with confidence?
Answer:
You are doomed!
Unless you start working harder.
AND
Stop complaining and making excuses why you did so poorly.
I did worse than you did in school and I am currently the Director Of Product Engineering (DOPE) for a large multi-national Corporation a job I have held for 15 years!
My income now exceeds 6 figures (that's a lot) and I flunked high school algebra. I was also lazy and unmotivated, that is until I wound up homeless!
Just shup-up and get to work. You might want to consider growing up a little while you're at it.
Helped me a bunch!
];-)
.
I got D's in physics in college. I do use the theory I learned in college and have a better understanding of the concepts than many of the book smart engineers I know. Don't let HS performance stop you.
1) You are not doomed
2)Effort is important in everything you do
3) Civil and Mechanical Engineers BLAH, you should go for Electrical
Well you said it yourself, that your teacher was boring and you didn't try as much as you could have. Colleges have more resources like friends that are in your classes, tutors, and TA's if you go to a bigger school. I wouldn't let poor performance in high school physics deter you from pursuing physics. I'm in engineering myself (environmental) and physics is on of my least favorite topics, but I still made it our through first year calc-physics. Just stick it out and don't be afraid to ask for help from teachers and tutors. Good luck!
I didn't take physics in high school - and was intimidated by it. The idea of feet per second per second freaked me out. I took mechanical engineer - thermodynamics -(rocket engines, jet engines, etc) at a top university and graduated in the top 5 percent of my class.
You can certainly be an engineer no matter how well you did in high school physics. However, in fact, certain types of engineering are pretty abstract, and if you really have trouble understanding abstract ideas, you might stay from electronics or thermodynamics, for example. Civil engineering is much more concrete (pun) except for advanced stress analysis , mechanical engineering - machine design also.
Hope this helps - finally you can change majors. My son thought he wanted to be a microbiologist - found organic chemistry too hard (it is really hard) and switched majors.
Try it and find out.
Good luck
Dick
Your marginal interest in physics is a red flag. If you were more interested in the subject, you wouldn't mind so much putting in the necessary work and your teacher's approach wouldn't bother you so much. You must also learn a lot of math, particularly calculus and the prerequisites for it. Lack of interest or poor performance in algebra is another red flag.
The presence of these red flags doesn't necessarily mean that you won't make it as an engineer but it is a warning. Time to do some serious thinking about what you really want to do with your life, perhaps even see a guidance counselor. What about engineering appeals to you? If it is mainly the money or what others expect of you, perhaps you should rethink your career path, choosing something more to your liking.
Don't think that you will be doomed in college physics what you need when you get there is to study hard and focus. Physics is a very interesting subject and it is not that hard because everything is already written in the textbook so you don't have to worry. Sometimes other students excel in Physics merely because they prepared for it, attend tutorial sessions or they are just too interested in the subject. You can be better at physics if you are really interested to it so try to find interest in the subject. Just remember when you study don't let any stones unturned it means don't skip anything try to cover up all the topics. Your confidence will follow afterwards.
Dear asker
You have done well in asking this question at the right time, for many people who dont do it realize the consequences much later - when it is too late.
I would like to advise that you have to make serious introspection before choosing engineering itself, because you havent proved yourselves suitable for it so far, even when you had had a chance.
Choosing engineering without a real inclination for it is not advisable. Your talent may lie somewhere else. For example if you are good with ideas and language, and still want to choose a professional course, you can go for Law. If that is not the case finance or commerce-related careers are also worth looking into. Remember that the people that people who the world recognizes are not engineers - but writers, political leaders and economists.
However if you are insistent on choosing engineering you can choose to go for Civil engineering (especially if you are good at drawing) or computer science/IT engineering, due to the intuitive nature of these subjects and large number of job opportunities - hence you can at least survive if not excel. From your profile I think you may be least suited for abstract sciences like electrical, electronic, or even mechanical engineering.
All the best.
your science subjects in H.S are the basics of ENGINEERING. if you are not interested in physics & mathematics, then it will be quite impossible for you to get engineering degree. and you may ruin your career. so i suggest you to get interest in Physics & mathematics, otherwise do not select field of engineering as primary career.
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