Engineering and Greek Life

[cutie_cat_4ever]

I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and I can attest to that with a good schedule you should be able to split your time between your sorority and your major (also depending what you major is and how well you can handle that major, like I personally think Civil is easier to grasp than Mechanical, which allows me to study a bit less than some others).

I'm not in a sorority but held positions in different societies and orgs, as well as having 2 part time jobs. If you only have your study and your sorority, chances are you should be able to make it. I have friends who are also in Fraternities/Sororities. A lot graduated with flying colors, but a few don't and those are the ones who can't discipline themselves well.

As you get into your Junior year, you will have to spend more time on homework and labs. Lab reports can take almost 5-6 hours to complete, homework problems can take up to an hour to 2 per problem. So time management IS important.

Also one more piece of advice is to keep in contact with your fellow engineer students. We always do group studies together and it helps a lot. Also it helps that when you need to form groups with people, you'll know right away who you would like to be with.

And another thing if you're considering about Tau Beta Pi, is that they don't accept students until your junior year. You would have to be in top 1/8 of your junior class or top 1/5 in your senior year to be invited into TBP and it's invitation based. If you have a chance to be invited into TBP, please remember not to ignore it since it could help you in your career as well as your sorority membership. Good luck!

[AngieWashU]

Originally Posted by cutie_cat_4ever

And another thing if you're considering about Tau Beta Pi, is that they don't accept students until your junior year. You would have to be in top 1/8 of your junior class or top 1/5 in your senior year to be invited into TBP and it's invitation based. If you have a chance to be invited into TBP, please remember not to ignore it since it could help you in your career as well as your sorority membership. Good luck!

I know the Delta Gamma Foundation will reimburse Tau Beta Pi membership fees and some other sorority foundations may as well.

I was a civil engineering major (didn't make it into TBP unfortunately ) and didn't find it too difficult to manage my sorority membership and engineering coursework. I chose not to hold any major leadership positions in my sorority, but I believe I could've if I had chosen it over my involvement in the Society of Women Engineers--which I held both section president and regional positions in. SWE was a great group for me in college and my DG alumnae membership fulfills my needs now.

[aephi alum]

I completed a very demanding computer science program while being very active in my sorority (including an exec board office) and being active in other groups on campus.

You'll need good time management skills, but it's definitely doable.

[alum]

I went to a university that has one of the top engineering schools and computer schools in the country. There were engineers as active members of Greek Life from all 5 sororities and the then-12 fraternities (13 now). Our campus was very quiet on Sunday aft. until about 4 pm on Fridays. Our chapter meeting was on Sunday night. We never scheduled mandatory routine entire-chapter events M-F because it interfered with sisters' labs and other academic commitments.

[alum]

Originally Posted by rbethea

Yes it is completely doable. Alum, did you go to CMU? I'll be a senior next year in chemical engineering and have served in two terms on our executive council. CMU is EXTREMELY heavy in engineering and very difficult to do well in and I would say that we have a more traditional greek system than most engineering schools. It is totally doable - where less academically tough schools have harder pledge programs, easier pledge programs are built to accomodate the tougher academic life. It all evens out in the end so I really don't think that where you go matters.

And that's why you PLEDGE!! See if you can do it and if you don't, depledge. Not trying it is one mistake you could regret the rest if your life.

Nice to see a fellow Tartan aboard! I'm glad to see the CMU GLOs are keeping the same priorities. What rbethea says also reflects my brother's experience at MIT.

[ChildoftheHorn]

I am the only girl in my major ( Computer Engineering ). It really only takes discipline.

That means during the terms of non-recruitment you take a heavier load then you do during recruitment. You will take the same amount of classes, but keep the really hardcore at a different time. Also, this may be harse, but the term(s) before recruitment you should take the lighter courses that you can.
You need to get your GPA high so that you are seen just the same as any other PNM instead of a potential problem. SOCIALIZE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE!!! That means spending less time at the parties and more at meetings and in the library with study groups. You will likely meet the members that you would get along with because you are going to be a more serious student. If you know more serious students, there is less likely to be any sort of percieved problems and you can ask them about how it is at your school being an engineer.

Truth be told, at many universities, there are houses that are going to be more science friendly than others. Its not anyone's fault, but people tend towards others like themselves. Thats why some houses draw heavily from certain majors. Don't feel threatened by this.

Just show them that you are a wonderful and social individual, so much so that they don't simply see you as an engineering major.

Hey, as said before, you could even b an officer! *wink* wink*

[Thetagirl218]

I know several engineering majors who were members of fraternities and sororities. They have told me that their experience in Greek life has not hindered their careers, but actually helped them. One person I knew was actually an officer in their GLO and president of his engineering club.

[Faith4Keep]

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

That means during the terms of non-recruitment you take a heavier load then you do during recruitment. You will take the same amount of classes, but keep the really hardcore at a different time. Also, this may be harse, but the term(s) before recruitment you should take the lighter courses that you can.
You need to get your GPA high so that you are seen just the same as any other PNM instead of a potential problem.

Oh wow, I would never recommend that. Maybe I come from a different school or different opinion, but it has ALWAYS been recommended that we spread out or general education classes, so that you take one or two a semester instead of a full year or two of them. In fact, if you only took general eds your first year in engineering at my university, you would graduate a year later that scheduled. It's impossible.

Not to mention that, as much as I hate writing papers for my GED classes, it's a relief to take 4 engineering and 1 GED- one time I took 5 engineering and it nearly killed me. I think that most groups (scholarships, special awards on your campus, and even greeks) DO take into account that you are in a more demanding major when they look at your GPA. At my school, a *stellar* GPA for an engineering student is a 3.5; a good GPA is a 3.3 or above. This is common knowledge here.

Either way, it sounds like you are going to rush as a freshman, so I don't think it will matter....!

[cutie_cat_4ever]

Originally Posted by Faith4Keep

Oh wow, I would never recommend that. Maybe I come from a different school or different opinion, but it has ALWAYS been recommended that we spread out or general education classes, so that you take one or two a semester instead of a full year or two of them. In fact, if you only took general eds your first year in engineering at my university, you would graduate a year later that scheduled. It's impossible.

Not to mention that, as much as I hate writing papers for my GED classes, it's a relief to take 4 engineering and 1 GED- one time I took 5 engineering and it nearly killed me. I think that most groups (scholarships, special awards on your campus, and even greeks) DO take into account that you are in a more demanding major when they look at your GPA. At my school, a *stellar* GPA for an engineering student is a 3.5; a good GPA is a 3.3 or above. This is common knowledge here.

Either way, it sounds like you are going to rush as a freshman, so I don't think it will matter....!

Ditto to that! Unless you're a transfer student like me who's force to take my gen eds the first two years in a community college. I've seen seniors have a really light load because they know how to spread out gen eds so they can end up taking 3 engineering courses and 1 gen ed the 2 sememsters before they graduate.

Also depending what your major is, some majors may require you to take the Fundenmental (sp? too early in the morning) Exam before you graduate, which is a 8 hour long exam that covers all the things you learn during your 4 year college career. It is required if your career requires a Professional Engineering license. And that test itself can take TONS of time to prepare during your senior year.

So do spread our your gen eds, it'll benefit you in the long run. Also depending what you do in summer, the first 2 summers would be the best time to take summer school at your local community college. They offer gen physics/chemistry/ general classes, or excel courses that cramp an entire year of material into one summer. So for a summer, you can get 2 semester courses out of the way. It is intense, but if you have the strength, you can definitely do it. In that way, it also lightens your load quite a lot during your normal school years so you can participate in more Sorority Activities. Also it can allow you to graduate in 4 years instead of 5 years

[adrie435]

I love seeing all the sorority members/ women engineers on here!!! We are all testaments to the fact that it can be done (and done well! ). I was an engineering major in school and chapter President during the two semesters that are typically the most difficult for my field. You will definately have to make sacrifices in terms of social events and relaxation time but you will find it is one of the most rewarding decisions you will ever make. During recruitment, make sure you stress your commitment to both your major (academics and good grades are key for sorority membership) and to being an involved member of a sorority. If it sounds like an active is concerned about your grades or time to be involved with the sorority.. tell her about your time management skills or how you plan to do both.

It's great that you are interested in Greek Life! While there are many women in engineering and sororities, I always run into people who are surprised and impressed that I could do it and I have to say, it helped me immensely during job interviews that I could show I had a personality to go along with brains...

[AngieWashU]

Originally Posted by cutie_cat_4ever

Also depending what your major is, some majors may require you to take the Fundamental of Engineering (F.E.) Exam before you graduate, which is a 8 hour long exam that covers all the things you learn during your 4 year college career. It is required if your career requires a Professional Engineering license. And that test itself can take TONS of time to prepare during your senior year.

I didn't take my FE during spring of my senior year (we were encouraged but not required) so I didn't take it until I'd been out of school a year and a half. Even with that distance from school, other than reviewing some math problems, I passed on the first try... and trust me, I was not the best student, so don't get too freaked about it!