You’ve always been good at math and dreamt of being an engineer and now, all you need is to get into the right engineering school. In order to succeed, you’ll have to work hard and devote your 100% attention to your goal.
Here are some tips to help you survive engineering school.
Prepare yourself
You should mentally prepare yourself for what lies ahead. Engineering is fun once you get the hang of it, but in most cases, you need to be serious if you want to ace or even pass your exams. Start by getting organized: take note of the important dates; set alarms and schedules for review time and make sure that you have a clean and organized environment to make your studying habit better.
Commitment
Engineering needs your full attention and commitment. In order to fully understand your lessons, you need to take everything seriously. Working hard, determination, passion and focus are main key points to achieve success in the engineering field.
Tip: When studying, make sure to avoid any distractions possible. Put away your phone and find a good place to study like your school’s library.
Find the right engineering school
Your choice of school can also affect your studies. Choose the best school that offers engineering courses and provides you with quality education, the best facilities, modern equipment, and produces board top notchers and outstanding graduates in the field.
Read and digest
Don’t get tired of reading. Physical applications are a nice way to learn but reading is the foundation of your understanding. If you can’t understand the topic in your book, find another textbook with the same topic. Just reading the same topic in two different perspectives/places/books can make a big difference in learning more about the subject. When you read, don’t try so hard to memorize everything. Just read it, like you’re reading a story. Relax and try to understand it with less pressure and you’ll get it in your head in soon.
Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, keep in mind that a lot of your classmates are probably wondering the same things as you are. Clarity plays a big role in engineering to avoid mistakes and miscalculations so if you have any doubt in mind, just approach your professor or ask some help with a classmate.
Learn to operate without your calculator
Applied Mathematics is basically what engineering school is. It can be very complex so it’s natural for students to depend on their calculators, in some cases, a calculator is a must. However, it’s also important for you to be comfortable doing mathematical equations (calculus etc.) by hand because there are some cases where a calculator won’t be allowed in an exam. It’s better if you understand the equations without having to rely on your calculator all the time.
Study with other students
Studying engineering doesn’t have to be a single journey, in fact, finding a study group makes easier for everyone to understand. There’ll be some topics which you’ll find easy and there are some you consider hard and complicated. Chances are, some people in your group will grasp certain topics that you’re having a hard time with. You can then help each other by explaining topics that are easier to you but complicated to them; therefore, making the work much easier and faster.
Even though engineering requires your full commitment, don’t forget to enjoy a little break once in awhile. Learn to reward yourself in every little steps you make, like having a little chocolate after studying one chapter.
Good luck!