The usual advice for a student considering an engineering degree is, “check your math scores.” Although an aptitude for math is certainly a plus, it doesn’t guarantee a good fit for engineering. Instead of relying on this old adage, when looking toward a career in engineering, students should ask: “Would I actually like doingthis work?”
Math matters, but not as much as you think
Case in point: A study that followed 908 engineering students at two different universities across their first semesters tracked everything from their math SAT scores to self-confidence to satisfaction with their major. Math ability did matter, but other factors — particularly confidence in their own abilities — were stronger indicators.
What does this mean? Math skill is important, but the stronger signal is how you respond to the actual work of the major. Does it make you feel capable and curious? Or frustrated and exhausted? This is an indicator you can check in with now, not just after you’ve enrolled in your undergraduate program.
Define the problems you like solving
In the 1950s, psychologist John Holland studied what kind of work people found most satisfying and built a theory around six broad vocational interest types. That work has held up over decades of follow-up research.
Two of those types are relevant to this discussion. Some people are drawn to concrete, physical problems. Others prefer attacking abstract, analytical problems. Most people have some combination of both but lean one way or the other.
This matters for engineering majors because the different disciplines solve different kinds of problems. Mechanical and civil engineers lean toward the concrete, physical side. Software engineering leans more on the abstract, analytical side. What students must decide is which kind of problem-solving can hold their attention not only through college but over the course of a career. That’s far more important than a math score.
How to test your engineering enthusiasm right now
Unsure which kind of engineering you’d like to pursue — or whether engineering writ large is a good fit for you at all? Here are a few low stakes tests you can try:
Take apart something that’s already broken: This could be a small appliance, an old bike or a mechanical toy. Try to figure out why it stopped working before you look up the answer. Notice whether you enjoy or get frustrated by the process.
Try to solve a small logic or coding problem: The point isn’t to get to the solution quickly. It’s to find out whether you want to keep going even after you get frustrated, or if you’re relieved when you decide to stop.
Build anything that should function (if you do it right): This could be a simple circuit, a piece of furniture or a model airplane. Think about what you like most about the effort. Is it the planning? The building? The troubleshooting? The moment it finally works? Different engineering disciplines weight those parts differently. Your answer can shed light on which you’re inherently drawn to.
These tests won’t tell you that engineering is definitely the right major and career path for you, but they’re probably a better predictor than your math grades. They help give you a taste of what engineering is really like: Sitting with a hard, concrete problem and not giving up on it before it’s solved.
The good news? Many schools don’t require you to declare an engineering major before you enroll. For example, Stevens’ Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science allows students to classify as undecided for the first three semesters of enrollment (although they are required to declare by the start of the fourth semester). Exploring different engineering courses is a more sophisticated version of the self-tests described in this article. Once you’re doing the real work of engineering, the answers to whether this field — and, more specifically, which type of engineering — is right for you will come into focus.
