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Re: First year college student
Re: First year college student -- Pliffy	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: inox ® 12/03/2006, 21:45:37 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Matt, I clearly remember my senior year calculus teacher in high school laughing at me after I told her that I intended on becoming a Mechanical Engineer. I'll never forget that. Granted, I never really applied myself at math, and was never really all that enthralled by it, but I could never imagine myself being anything other than a MechE. I made it through though, learned math well enough to pass and actually it all made much more sense when applied in engineering classes and real world problems. I am one of those engineers that as a student was "average" at math. But I overcame my dislike for pure math for the sake of it, just because it was something that had to be accomplished to achieve a greater goal. I've become a pretty decent engineer if I do say so myself and have found that in real world applications math begins to make much more sense. And rarely is it so esoteric that one has to be a whiz at it to succeed professionally. Beyond math, I believe that the best engineers are the ones that have a firm grasp on reality (have common sense) and understand physics intuitively but can support their intuition if need be. That's where math comes in. If I have any sort of advice, it would be: do your homework. Do all the exercises and problems you can... this will ingrain the fundamentals. Then to make it less boring, try to find real world applications to the math you're being taught. If you are really passionate about engineering, and really truly want to be an engineer, try harnessing that drive as the energy to get you through all those algebra, calculus, differential equations, boundary value problems, and statistics classes you will have to endure. Do your homework, all if it...looking back, I know I could have gotten better grades, had I done all the assigned work. Modified by inox at Sun, Dec 03, 2006, 21:59:04

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Re: First year college student
Re: First year college student -- Pliffy	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: randykimball ® 12/02/2006, 11:22:51 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Matt..... Suffer through the math...!!! ..It is the key to the world... I'm fifty nine... here is what I'd do if I started over with hind sight. I'd take a breather form entering A&M [excellent choice .. yea Aggies] and take local community college math classes... nothing but math, work it out with an adviser... be stubborn about it. ... right through calc. ... why?... two things... 1....your studies at A&M will be MUCH easier after that (even if they make you take them again.. so what they just became a blow off). You will be much better equiped. By taking only math you can concentrate on it... IT COUNTS..pun very much intended..... plus, Matt, your confindence level will be sky high.. instead of low because you are concerned about all the math you will be taking... that is a vital advantage in learning.... A&M would then be a more enjoyable step. 2... you will also have a chance to mature just a little more. At your age each year adds huge amounts to your undersanding of the world. While taking these math classes, many new possibilities will open up to you through the math. You may come away with a much better choice for your talents as a career choice. ... give yourself that chance... you have many years ahead and the wiser the choice the better. If you take my advice, you will enter A&M as a math whizz having more wisdom... wow... what an edge to go to college with.. you'd now be a top dog. College students as a rule aren't all that wise yet... That is what I'd do.. and, Matt, I have the perspective of having been through many things, not just high school. Remember, you have only seen a small part of the world through a high schooler's perspective.. If you exit A&M on top, you are going to be offered a choice of fine jobs, if you just exit as a "got it done" the choices are going to be few if any. This is your chance to make it count for many years. The time you spend on math now will very likely be worth well into a 7 digit life time money difference, alone, by itself. There are people all over flipping hamburgers with degrees, make it count! If I had done that... oh, geeeze... there is no telling! ...wink.. now go do the right thing. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Sat, Dec 02, 2006, 11:51:42

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Re: Re: First year college student
Re: Re: First year college student -- randykimball	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: Pliffy ® 12/02/2006, 13:16:45 Author Profile eMail author Edit

I dont quite get your suggestion. Are you suggesting to just take the classes, because they will better prep me for those that follow. Or are you saying to take the classes that i will be taking in the future twice, once just to get a feel for the course, the second to make it count? If you are suggesting the first choice, i completely agree. Though the Introduction to Algebra class is very easy, it has reminded me of countless things in algebra which i have forgotten! I am very happy i took the class, and i'm planning to take College Algebra. In a sense, these classes are a great big session of tutoring . yeah, aggies are the best! Especially if im going to be staying in the Houston, TX area. (Aggies hire aggies) hehe. Thanx for your suggestions, if i misunderstood it, please clarify! Thanx, -Matt

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Re: Re: Re: First year college student
Re: Re: Re: First year college student -- Pliffy	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: randykimball ® 12/02/2006, 16:39:21 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Matt, some of both.. Take the classes as a prep. But don't be afraid to take classes that you will be forced to take again towards your degree plan. The second time can't be all that bad and you will always gain more skills. The more skilled you are in math, and the more at home you are in using your math skills... the greater advantage math is and the more likely you will feel at ease using it in real life applications..... I did not do that.. and wish I had thousands of times over... a word to heed. ..I know.. no one wants to take a math class more than once.. but relax.. if you do.. it will not be a waste.... by no means. ... see, you can't look at classes as how few can I get away with.. you must look at them as how much can I learn. By the time you get a degree it will matter mountains worth. ...what I'm saying is, get to A&M with all the math skills you can achieve already behind you.... you will NOT be sorry. ...cheers... The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Sat, Dec 02, 2006, 16:45:48

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