What was the most challanging?

Question

I'm currently in the school of Civil Engineering at a local University. This semester I'm taking Calculus 2, Physics 1, and a few other classes not worth mentioning. I have to take Calculus 3 and Differential Equations, as well as Physics 2.

My question is, for the engineers out there, specifically civil, what was the most challenging subject you encountered on your way to getting your degree?

I ask because right now I'm struggling in Physics and Cal 2. I know people aren't born engineers and I keep telling myself "Every other engineer had to do this too..." Next semester, provided I pass phyiscs 1 and cal 2, I'm lined up to take cal 3 and physics 2. I'm excited to move forward, but a little apprehensive.

To answerer # 4. I spelled nothing incorrectly. Perhaps you should just read it again.

Also, I feel it necessary to point out that my question was not, "If you're a moron, and have nothing else better to do than show off your ignorance, drop me a line!"

Thanks.

Answer 1

I am a seasoned mechanical engineer. Where I went to school, calculus and physics were used as washout classes. If you can merely survive them then you have what it takes to get a bachelors degree in whatever flavor of engineering that you want.

Answer 2

Just hang in there. It seems like everyone has a class or two that just doesn't make sense. My issue was with the environmental engineering classes that you should have coming up...I really didn't care and it just didn't make sense the way they were teaching it. Ended up failing that damn class. Took it again and aced it. The teaching format changed and I actually took it seriously.

Statistics should have been easy, but getting a teacher that couldn't speak English was an issue. Had a tough time with that one and that has come back to haunt me.

Diffy-Q is wasn't as bad as everyone makes it sound. Once you get over the fact that calculus is "new math" it isn't that bad. People get in trouble with calc because they think it should make sense from what they already learned. Instead you just have to start over and learn something new for a change.

Take your physics classes seriously. If you understand the basic concepts taught in these classes, you will be able to piece together subjects on the FE that civils just aren't taught.

I hope your are at a university that gives you full exposure to the entire breath of civil engineering. Just remember that even though the coming classes may not seem all that important, you will be thankful when you take the FE and PE.

Again, just hang in there. Once you get past the basics the classes get much more interesting. Everyone has to put in their time, otherwise anyone could be an engineer. ;)

Answer 3

Hard is a relative term because some of my hardest classes where the best. I studied electrical engineering so we get into some abstract stuff but I will stay away from those classes because you will not take anything like that. But as for the standard Math and science courses it all depends on the teacher really. A class can be hard and rewarding or hard and useless. Like my differential equations teacher was useless. He could answer questions and had 10 steps to each problem if you missed a step you got points taken off. However he never did tell us what those 10 steps where. The class was really hard and I learned nothing. I learned diffy Q in linear systems and communications with another instructor and it slowed me down in those classes because of it. However my cal 3 teacher was amazing I still got a D+ in the class but I learned so much and she cemented a lot of my knowledge from other courses. I never had trig in high school but tested into calc (still havn't figured that one out) I learned trig through calc 2 and she helped me to understand the concepts a lot better when I took calc 3. So yes the classes are hard and some of the stuff you will never use again but it is training your mind to solve problems and think logically which will help you in the future in other classes. So stick with it the fun stuff comes later :)

Answer 4

In many schools, the first semester of calculus, physics and chemistry are the flunk out courses, then things get easier - except in calc and diffy-q.

My experience was a bit different because I had AP credit for the first two semesters of calculus and two semesters of chemistry. That caused an issue with calc 3 and diffy-q. For me, they were difficult because I was not taking the matching engineering courses at the same time. The material made much more sense a couple of semesters later when I was working with practical applications.

Another issue with the calc & diffy-q is the native language and culture of the instructors. Many are not Americans, and it is difficult to communicate with them.

Answer 5

I thought calc 2 was the hardest and calc 3 the easiest. Physics 2 is about the same as 1 as far as difficulty. The hardest class for me was Structural Analysis and Concrete 2. Concrete 2 is a upper level course if you want to be a Structural Civil eng. I work in land development and the hardest math I have to do is calculating slopes so all those math courses were a waste of my time but unfortunately required.

Answer 6

The curriculum gets a lot more interesting when you complete your "theory" classes and move on to real engineering classes. Also for your information, I don't think a lot of practicing engineers do integration and solve diff eqs on a daily basis. This information is reduced to tables, formulas, or can be solved using computer programs.

If it is what you like, stick with it. It will get better. By the way I am a civil engineer, with decades of experience and I don't think I have ever used calc II or III in my career.

All the best

From a Civil PE

Answer 7

I hate when people point out misspellings, WTF.

But anyways, engineering is not meant to be easy and the subject material just gets more complicated as you get further along in your studies. But, I have noticed that proffessors are easier graders as you take harder classes. Be careful with differential equations, Mechanics of Materials and Fluid Mechanics. Just take it easy, at a pace you can handle, and you will find that before you know it, you will all be done and you won't remember a third of it.

Answer 8

I took Mechanical Engineering but I have to go trough chemistry. Chemistry to me is way beyond Calculus and Physics.

Answer 9

Spelling seems to the most challenging area for you
if you can't get that right, think about your next career change very carefully