Prospective Students
Engineering Professionals Turn Ideas Into Reality
Engineering is the art of applying scientific and mathematical principles, experience, judgment, and common sense to make things that benefit people. Engineering professionals are problem-solver people who make things work better, more efficiently, quicker and less expensively. They use skills and dedication to search for better ways to solve problems.
An engineering profession offers:
Challenging jobs
Good pay and benefits
Lasting and tangible products
Help to humankind
Prestige and status
Teaming Up for Success
Engineers often work with other people on projects. When engineers, scientists, technologists, and technicians work together it is called an engineering team. The engineer has a strong science, mathematics, and technology background and is a team leader. Engineers plan, design, and supervise engineering projects from concept to completion. An engineering technologist translates the engineer's designs into systems and projects while the engineering technician collects and analyzes data, develops design layouts, inspects work, checks and repairs equipment and prepares reports for the engineering team.
For further descriptions of the engineering professionals see the web page of the American Society of Engineering Educators.
Preparing for the Challenge
Engineers and Engineering Technologists solve problems by relying on their creative and academic skills. You should enjoy problem solving and be challenged by the effort it requires!
While in high school you should take:
Algebra I & II
Trigonometry
Biology
Physics
Social Studies (3 units)
Geometry
Calculus
Chemistry
English (4 units)
Foreign Languages (2-3 units)
Fine Arts/Humanities (1-2 units)
Computer Programming or Computer Applications
For engineers, Advanced Placement or Honors level courses are recommended. Combined scores of 1000 (SAT) or 24 (ACT) should be your goal. Engineering technologists need to meet the same general high school requirements, but Advanced Placement and Honors courses are not necessary. The engineering technician should have algebra and geometry and two years of science. Drafting or computer applications or similar technical courses are also recommended for the potential engineering technician. Colleges seek "well rounded" students. Extracurricular activities, such as MATHCOUNTS at the junior high school level or JETS activities at the high school level, and part-time or summer jobs/internships, all help.
After High School
Engineering and Engineering Technology are difficult majors. They require a considerable amount of time and energy but the rewards are worth it
A bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering technology is available through:
To begin their careers, engineers receive a bachelor's degree in engineering. The engineering technologist's bachelor's degree is in engineering technology, and the engineering technician usually completes two years of study to earn an associate's degree after high school.
How Do I Pay for College?
...through a combination of:
Part-time employment and summer jobs
Scholarships and grants
Loans from the school, a bank, or family
Special programs such as ROTC or veteran's benefits
Co-op and work-study program.
After College - Careers with a Future
A bachelor's degree in engineering technology will offer you a wide variety of job options in:
Your Career and the Future
There will be many jobs for engineering professionals during the next decade. However, your engineering specialization may determine such things as the geographic area where work may be found, salaries, job conditions, and tasks that will challenge you.
Engineers and engineering technologists earn considerably more than other people who enter a career path with just a bachelor's degree. Sometimes this can be as much as 75%-100% more per month, depending on geographic location and engineering specialty.
Engineering professions offer rewarding career options that will make you feel good about contributing to a healthier, safer, and more enjoyable life for all citizens. As you plan your future, consider becoming a member of the engineering profession, a shaper of the 21st century.