flunking out of engineering.. dont really know why?

question sounds stupid but its true.. I mean I have a 2.8 and im not on probation so Im not literally flunking out.. but this semster has been the most depressing ever.. im on my 4th year so this is suppose to be my last semester but its looking more like it would take an entire extra year IF i pass to get my degree.. I find most engineering courses to be so dull and boring so I find it difficult to study.. Im going to contradict myself because I find the applications to be very interesting when its put together meaning I actually enjoy the hands on projects but those are rare…. Im a hard worker and I have no problem working.. but for some reason when I try to study it feels like a brick wall reinforced with five meters of steel and fifty of concrete I JUST CANT FOCUnited States AT ALL.. I study and end up on my phone looking at facebook or different custom parts for my Cadillac.. if Im at home I end up on youtube or playing a game.. if not that I end up listening to music.. I cant focus at all and I get so fustrated because Im not use to loosing at all but Im loosing the battle with engineering! I look like a retard when I try to study head up head down every five seconds for hours.. and end up getting nothing done… Does anyone have similar troubles? and I absolutley hate Dynamics that class feels like rocket science I hope I can get a C in summer school with it ( if I can afford summer school)…….. Would the air force be a good alternative?
change major to what? buisness? thats more depressing than flunking in engineering
To knuckles lol Ive taken Thermodynamics and Applied Thermo Thermo isant hard its basic concepts not alot of previous knowledge from the past that your suppose to know. I got an A in both Thermo courses.. Dynamics is killing me because it brings back alot of math stuff I did a while back which I hardly remember or struggled in and I get caught up in that instead of concept

7 Comments on “flunking out of engineering.. dont really know why?

  1. just study the basics.
    relax your mind before studying.

  2. Hey… I actually went through aerospace engineering (rocket science), so I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about! I spent an extra year because of it. I love the applications but the equations and memorization sucks! The class I got a C in (which is too low to take the subsequent course) was aircraft dynamics. Lots of projects and homework… The way I passed it the second time was actually taking interest in the subject. I started to put enough effort into my homework that I took pride in my weekly projects and homework. The teacher will notice your effort and be MUCH more willing to help you out. It is difficult to start this halfway through a course since you already missed a bunch of info, but try to absorb everything the teacher says in class. That makes studying WAY easier. Do not just treat it like equations and numbers, try to comprehend the concepts… That is what you will be applying in the future. Your boss will not ask you to recite equations, but you will need to know how to problem solve.

    Anyway, good luck. Shoot me a mail if you have troubles.

  3. In your fourth year, any advice comes a bit late. So I’ll start with an answer to your last question which is probably valid, Yes, the Air Force would be a good alternative, provided
    1. You think enough of any of our military services to capitalize the name.
    2. You establish before enlisting that you will be in an interesting area.
    3. You set up a self-education program for the term of your enlistment that will give you a satisfactory (subjective term, right?) probability of a worthwhile career.

    Back to your earlier questions, the essential problem you have is you never developed a base you can use to go forward. It’s like most people who have trouble with calculus. Usually they never really developed insight and skill with trig. Maybe not even in algebra. So it is a struggle for them to even get started solving calculus problems because they can’t really get traction enough to build up enough momentum to keep moving. Any very little thing can stop them, and they’ve to fight going off to dreamland. If they succeed, the next very little thing may stop them, and so it goes. Usually their study periods are very inefficient, unsatisfactory, and unproductive. Small wonder, since they never have a decent start, right? To me, it sounds as though you are in the same boat in at least some of your course work now. You probably really are trying to fight through a brick wall, because you never built the gates or ladders or learned to circle around them, way back in your first year or two.

    Sorry, but that’s how it seems to me. If there is any suggestion to ease your challenges at this point, it would be to take the beginning of any problem back to a level where you really comprehend where you are and what tools you need, and progress forward until you feel the same about the start of the problem. It’s the pits, in terms of time required, so you can only do this within your available time frame. But, if anything will work, that will. You sure will not be bored, you’ll be fighting for your sanity.

    .

  4. If you like the hands on aspects of engineering, why not become a technician? I have employed many excellent techs who tell the same story that you do about coursework. You can go to a course at ITT tech or similar that will teach you everything you need to know.

    Be cautious with any vocational school, and ask for references of people that have graduated. Then contact them and ask if they were able to get jobs. The quality control of the coursework in vocational schools is generally not very good.

    Successful technicians make more money than failed engineers! Plus they’ve fun. Plus any engineering knowledge that you DO have will be extremely useful. A tech who can tidy up minor design errors is extremely valuable. Maybe you realize that it needs a pull-up resistor somewhere. You can save weeks if you just install it!

  5. if u’re in the fourth year, u’ll graduate even though u scribble nonesense on the exam. it’s very rare for a fourth year to drop out.

    i have similar experience. just get ready to study for the exam 3 weeks early and repeat a year is not that a disgrace. it reinforces your knowledge.

    when u get the degree, u can catch up whole life learning or change career but most important, u finish the holy grail of education.

  6. I’m and electrical engineer, I graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and have a Masters Degree. If you think Dynamics is hard, wait till you get to Thermodynamics. To survive engineering you have to want it and accept the work. If you can’t focus you’ve got distracting issues you need to deal with or are not motivated. It’s also hard being a Lawyer, Doctor or any other worthwhile professions. Thats why they get paid a lot of money and are valuable – because not everyone who try’s can get through it.