OT: Son just accepted into UM School of Engineering!

Submitted by M go Bru on

Was previously deferred in Dec.

FYI, He was my source when Harbaugh was visiting Detroit Catholic Central.

Signing day, Part II.

Bocheezu

February 6th, 2015 at 7:54 PM ^

I wish him good luck -- any engineering is a demanding degree.  Tell him he should try to be social and don't brute force it by himself like I did.  Meeting study partners is key and he shouldn't feel like office hours are a crutch for stupid people.  I met very few people, never went to office hours, and it made homework and studying take forever.  It took me so long that I started to run out of hours in the day to finish things.  I would pull all-nighters on Friday.  I should have swallowed my pride and realized I couldn't (and shouldn't) do everything by myself.

gwkrlghl

February 6th, 2015 at 9:31 PM ^

Solutions manuals are your friends. Buy them whenever possible. Worth every penny. You'll actually learn it better by seeing how it's done rather than pulling your hair out for 6 hours.

Make friends in your major if you can and do homework with them. It'll make your life way easier and you'll have friends.

If you can do it, try to schedule a day where you have no classes or just one class. Having a 'work day' is really nice to have.

Bocheezu

February 6th, 2015 at 11:23 PM ^

http://www.engin.umich.edu/college/academics/bulletin/depts/che/chem-sa…

The classes are pretty similar to how it was when I went there (undergrad was '99).  Many of the ol' professors are either retired or getting close to it, so there's a lot of new blood there.  Fogler is still there from my understanding -- teaches 344 and his book is used by most schools.  Good guy, very demanding class.  He's getting up there in years, though, so I don't know if he'll teach it much anymore.  The term with 344 and 360 at the same time was the hardest for me and you'll want to have the other two courses be fluff if you can.

Take MSE 250 for the material science requirement.  Great course.  Not hard and you learn a lot.  It's good to see they made a mat sci requirement because pretty much everybody took MSE 250 for engineering elective anyway.

The schedule also looks really light on chemistry.  We were required to take Chem 302.  Think about taking 302 or p-chem.  They're not easy courses, but it's your money and you might as well use it on a useful course instead of some weird thing (I took astro 101 and accounting for free electives, for instance).  If you have any thoughts of grad school, I would definitely consider more chemistry.

Bocheezu

February 7th, 2015 at 9:58 AM ^

At the time, I thought the people that badgered the TAs during office hours were just looking to get their hands held so they didn't have to put in any effort (I was very stubborn then).  But there are going to be homework problems that you simply cannot do.  I think it's a sick joke by the professors -- "hey, let's throw this stupid problem at them and see how long they bang their heads against a wall before they give up."  It's just not worth the frustration.

M go Bru

February 7th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^

about 2 weeks ago explaining that he was disappointed, that he has always wished to attend UM, and that it had been a goal from a very early age.

His semester ended before Christmas. His school year starts in mid August. He did not specifically submit his grades, but they were available.

He was not expecting to hear back until March. I understand it could be as late as May.

Good luck to both of you and Go Blue!

KO Stradivarius

February 6th, 2015 at 8:38 PM ^

Definitely one of the more difficult degrees to obtain, and it usually pays off with a well-paying and interesting career.   But it's too bad that engineers in the US don't get the respect like other countries.  In Europe, Japan, etc, engineers are respected right up there with doctors, but here the term "Engineer" is thrown around very liberally, and it is cheapened.  

Doctor Wolverine

February 6th, 2015 at 8:52 PM ^

Just make sure he enjoys it! My wife put in all of the work and graduated with a UofM MSE degree, but hated it and never worked a day as an engineer!! Now she has her own personal training business and loves it, but she regrets putting herself through all of that mental torture for four years. Figure out what you are passionate about, and then figure out how to make money doing it.

gwkrlghl

February 6th, 2015 at 9:33 PM ^

Your son will work his freakin tail off but it'll be worth it if he can make it through

The day I stood at graduation and it really sunk in that I actually made it was one of the happiest days of my life.

barneythesailor

February 6th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^

Congrats to all newly accepted students and their parents!g My son just graduated Michigan with undergrad aerospace engineering degree in December and has just started Masters program at Michigan in Space Engineering. He loved the opportunities and challenges Michigan provided. Best to live on main campus. That way you really feel connected to all the university has to offer. Easy walk to football, basketball, hockey games. Close to all things on State Street and S. university. Shuttle buses make the trip to North Campus really easy. My son lived in West Quad first two years ..... He could actually go to union without having to go outside. He would often go there to get food or coffee in his robe and slippers. Cool story, his first year he lived in the same room Tom Brady lived in. Take in all Michigan has to offer.

SGBlue

February 6th, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^

Though, the only thing better than getting into the College of Engineering is getting one of your kids into U of M (regardless of the college). Having done both, I have to say that the latter is far more fulfilling. So again...Congratulations M Dad!!!

The Uke

February 6th, 2015 at 10:39 PM ^

My son told me about this site during the coaching search and I've been reading it ever since. Your great news has given me a real reason to make my first post here. I know your happiness and pride as I felt it actually twice, as my son just got his Master of Science in Engineering in December. tell your son to get his masters as he may get a really great fringe benefit like my son, row A, around the 10 yard line this past season

The Uke

February 7th, 2015 at 1:33 PM ^

Sure would not have negged someone who reported a great event. Not sure I could even do that as I have read about up/down arrows and don't have those maybe because it was my first post

 

Honest I have not been drinking! This reply was supposed to be to #86 not #91 I'm so confused

WolverineLake

February 6th, 2015 at 11:29 PM ^

  It's a hell of an experience, a boatload of work, and he won't see many ladies on North Campus.  However, it's pretty speical.  Welcome!

  Also... tell him to get plenty of rest now.  He won't sleep for a few years.  Seriously.  Get some sleep.

 

-Aero '99

JamieH

February 7th, 2015 at 1:22 AM ^

I slept plenty getting my EE degree.  Yeah there were occasional crazy times, like I DID twice stay up 54-hours straight to finish giant projects that I had procrasinated on (both times right before Michigan played in the NCAA Basketball Title game--go figure), and there were a few other all-nighters scattered in there, but you don't have to kill yourself to get your degree.  You just have to be smart about where you spend your time. 

 

A lot of times, IMO the key to getting good grades on the exams (at least in EE)  was being well-rested so that you could actually THINK.   

 

BSEE '94

caliblue

February 7th, 2015 at 3:26 AM ^

BS in chem and all of my roomates were engineers ( who else works like a pre-med BS Chem ? ) . I agree to get thee to central campus. It all happens there. In my day the buses stopped running midnight week days and 2am of weekends. Lots of late night January walks home from central campus. Not alone, lots of company then as half of Bursley was waking back. Very jealous of my central campus friends. 

PrincetonBlue

February 7th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^

I was just at Campus Day yesterday, which is the visit program they offer to new admittees.  I went on the engineering tour, and the facilities at Michigan are top-end.

We also ate lunch there, and the food is great.  It's on different level from what high school cafeterias serve (which is why I bring lunch every day).  Between the tour and the lunch we had, it was a great time.  You should definitely think about going to Campus Day.

bluebyyou

February 7th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^

Congrats to your son!!  It is a big accomplishment.  Both my sons are recent graduates of Michigan engineering.

Engineering school is not an easy thing for most of us, but at the end of the day, when you get that little piece of paper, you have something that will serve you well for life, not only in engineering but in virtually any field you ultimate decide is your calling.

Kilgore Trout

February 7th, 2015 at 11:42 AM ^

My advice...

Get a job in someone's lab. Good experience and references. Look for summer intensive programs at other universities. Take advantage of career services (resume writing and interview practice). The UM degree is worth a ton, but you still have to learn to present yourself. 

Zoltanrules

February 7th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^

Much easier, good jobs await, used to have cute girls/more socially adept people, and very combinable with business/natural science classes for a VERY marketable combination.

I killed myself in ChemE and wished I had taken more electives outside ChemE to be more well rounded (history,literature, business, etc). I managed to do football road trips, explore A2, join a club or two, but it is hard when you are studying tons of hours necessary to get "decent" grades against classmates who "just study".

Most kids come in never not acing anything in HS and/ or are used to being the smartest kid in the room. Some of the harder Engin disciplines are a real wake up call once you get beyond the intro classes.

Just one man's perspective...