Any electrical engineers in the house?

[Ninja Geoff]

So, I've gotten an opportunity to go to college at a greatly reduced cost to me, and I've been trying to think of a damn major. And electrical engineering seems pretty cool. Now, I know it's not as technical as mechanical engineering, or as glamorous as nuclear engineering, but it seems really interesting.

Anyone here ever done anything with electrical engineering or know anyone who has? Anyone offer some information on it?

Oh, I'd probably be taking it at Southern Maine Community College for the first 2 years and transfering to USM for the second two years.

I have a pretty good idea about the Portland, ME scene (I'm there a lot for someone who lives two states away) but anyone happen to go to SMCC or USM?

[RegalSwan]

I'm an Electrical Engineer and I guess my first question would be, why electrical engineering? Like Mechanical Engineering, Electrical is very broad so it's definitely a good choice if you still are not positive on what you'd like to do, but know that you'd like to be an engineer. From communications, digital logic to power plant and transmission system design electrical engineering is probably going to provide an interesting field for you as long as you like the amount of math involved. I will say that of the engineering fields, electrical can get into some pretty fun math so if you don't like the more intensive stuff it might not be for you, but check out the curriculum at your schools to be sure. At my school a lot of the Electrical Engineers got Math Minors because we had already taken so many math courses as part of our program.

Be sure to look into your local IEEE chapter if you do decide on Electrical Engineering, it's a good place to find a mentor or like minded students and could be a good support group.

[poet]

Now, I know it's not as technical as mechanical engineering, or as glamorous as nuclear engineering, but it seems really interesting.

Oh you know this do you? I suppose that depends on your definition of technical. I beg to differ. As Regal said:

Like Mechanical Engineering, Electrical is very broad...

...a lot of the Electrical Engineers got Math Minors because we had already taken so many math courses as part of our program.

[Ninja Geoff]

Now, I know it's not as technical as mechanical engineering, or as glamorous as nuclear engineering, but it seems really interesting.

Oh you know this do you? I suppose that depends on your definition of technical. I beg to differ. As Regal said:

Like Mechanical Engineering, Electrical is very broad...

...a lot of the Electrical Engineers got Math Minors because we had already taken so many math courses as part of our program.

back off, I've always seen mechanical stuff as more technical than electrical stuff. I know he made good points.

And RegalSwan, communications is the direction I'm thinking of heading. Telecom and network stuff has always been interesting to me. So maybe electronics. One of those two.

[Wrider]

I've got lots of engineers in the family... Heck, I started off at Colorado State as a mechanical engineering major.
I've got three uncles that are engineers, two mechanical and one electrical.
They all live fairly well. The electrical is part owner of his company. He helped design/build/test this thing.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news ... 14_pf.html
Currently in deployment in Alaska and China as far as I know. He's gotta keep it relatively hush-hush... lol
If you've got any questions feel free to send em my way and I'll forward em on!
Wrider