I am entering my sophomore year at a small college that offers an ABET accredited Engineering Program. I honestly have been struggling academically particularly in my math and science courses. I only took hard math and science courses in college and was not challenged at all in math and science at my high school. Because I did not place in the top 30% in math and science section in the entrance exam to attend my high school, I was placed in the regular math and science track and could not take any honors math and science courses (In high school, I took regular Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Half-Semester Pre-Calculus, Half-Semester Statistics). I am not saying that my academic preparation was an excuse to my sub-par performance first year, but it could be explanation.
Recently, I have interned at my city Department of Transportation and shadowed at my regional State Department of Transportation and have been extremely interested in the work that they do - particularly, project development, planning, and permit/zoning (only on roads and highways, the offices I worked with did not deal with air or any intermodal transport). There are currently more opportunities for engineers in the DOT and the transportation industry compared to planners, analysts, MPAs, etc. About 70% of the DOT office hires people from the Junior Engineering Civil Service Exam - which requires a bachelor's in engineering. Even the work those with MPAs, MBAs, Environment Science, Computer Science, etc. degrees can be qualified for, the DOT hires engineers to complete them.
I am not sure if I should continue with engineering especially if I continue to struggle (and put my academic scholarship in jeopardy). My adviser has discouraged me from continuing engineering - and suggests that I look into majoring in the social sciences, but that would honestly hurt my chances working with the DOT and/or the transportation industry.
Here's a breakdown of my academic performance. What do you think I should do? Should I continue with the engineering major or switch to another major?
Overall GPA (at school where I am a full-time student, does not count summer classes or additional classes at other institutions): 3.30
Overall Engineering Major GPA (without summer classes): 2.55
Classes Towards Engineering Degree:
First-Year Fall Semester:
Calculus I (Grade: B)
Calculus-Based Physics I (Grade: C)
First-Year Spring Semester (Adviser discouraged me from pursuing Engineering degree):
Introduction to Programming [Grade: B-]
This Summer at Community College:
Calculus II (Grade: A)
Sophomore Fall Semester:
Calculus III
Introduction to Chemistry
Mechanics I
Sophomore Spring Semester:
Calculus Based Physics II
Mechanics II
Linear Circuit Theory
Linear Algebra OR Differential Equations
I have completed all of my General Education requirements already so if I could focus more on Engineering/Math/Science from this semester on (still on track to complete BS in Engineering). Not sure if it's recommended that I take only Math/Science.
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