Want to explore engineering and your own interests but feeling overwhelmed? Here are some strategies to get you started!
Talk to people. Chat with neighbors, family members, representatives at job fairs. Ask older siblings of friends. Listen to technology podcasts. Watch television shows and online videos about different industries. The more you ask questions and seek out information, the larger your frame of reference grows. Plus, most people love to talk about their story! If you show genuine interest in learning from their experiences, you'll be amazed at how generous others will be with their time. If you're interested in talking with a current student in a specific major or pre-major, check out our Academic Path Peer program!
- Explore online resources. These resources won't tell you the whole story about engineering but they can give you a good start and help you see what opportunities are out there. Here are some to get you started:
- Check out engineering professional associations. These robust organizations are filled with professionals in each discipline excited to share their passion for new ideas in their field
- Take foundational coursework. While a career as an engineer is different than a career as a mathemetician, physicist, or chemist, each of these disciplines is rooted in foundational calculus, physics, and chemistry principles. Enroll in calculus courses or a foundational science, such as calculus-based physics or general chemistry, to strengthen your analytical skills and understanding of the scientific world. You can also enroll the Fundamentals of Engineering (ENGR 1181.01) course at Ohio State. This course focuses on critical engineering competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving, design and testing in application-focused scenarios.