Engineering and Greek Life

[Cruise4fun]

I have a mechanial engineering degree. It depends on the campus. Also, more than likely most engineering majors are on the 5-year plan. You will need a great deal of time management and motivation. It worked for me.

I joined my sorority my first semester and had a program that required 5 years. My last three years I also worked at least 25 hours a week (on campus) with any where from 14-19 credit hours. I was able to hold an officer position my 4th year (and yes I lived in the house for 2 years). I usually had at least two chair positions. I did have to take one semester on inactive status (I had calc 2 and thermo the same semester...don't do that). Not every group will allow that. I became very good at using any spare time during the day to study (meaning you will have to avoid those wonderful mid afternoon college naps). My campus job allowed me to study.

You will need to discuss this with other students on your campus. Take a very good look at yourself and your limits.

[Faith4Keep]

Originally Posted by blondebutsmart

when I attended my orientation earlier in the summer, they must have mentioned the amount of hours we would spend in class/studying a minimum of five to seven times. I'm not kidding. Yes, I realize I may just be a naive freshman, but it made me somewhat nervous.

They only do that to make sure that you are prepared. They don't want you to forget that even though you'll only be in classes 15 hours a week, academics (especially engineering) IS a full time job, so you shouldn't slack. During orientation I was told I would be studying 2 times however long I was in the class (so, if I was in class for 3 hours a week I would be studying 6 hours a week for this class). This is not always true.

You will, however, need to set aside some time to do homework. Sometimes it tooks me hours to figure out some problems! But the only weeks I can really think of that I spent nearly 30 hours doing coursework were weeks that I had a big homework due, a lab report, two exams... you get the point!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

A friend of mine was speaking with me at a highschool on a "college panel discussion" (where the highschool kids ge to ask the college people questions about what college is going to be like)...he had some very succinct wise words. STUDY.PARTY.SLEEP - Pick 2, and since your at college to get an education....

Shall we assume, then, that you picked partying and sleeping?

( Sorry. I tried to resist, but I just couldn't.)

[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!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by blondebutsmart

Peppy, you said something about the fact that it's not the major, but how you handle it. Well, when I attended my orientation earlier in the summer, they must have mentioned the amount of hours we would spend in class/studying a minimum of five to seven times. I'm not kidding. Yes, I realize I may just be a naive freshman, but it made me somewhat nervous.

I just meant that for some people, even the hardest majors come easy. For others, it's a struggle that takes up all their free time. I was pre-med for my first two years of college (throughout rush, new member period, and being an officer in a colony), which meant I took four courses PLUS two labs each semester. I was busy, busy, busy, but it was a good thing I had sorority activities to go to, because I would have gone NUTS otherwise. I was so tired of conversations involving chemical formulas, the anatomy of a cat, and the human circulatory system. I suspect you will need something to take your mind off of engineering every once in a while, so a sorority would be good for that. It is my belief that college is NOT just about academics.

(and for the record, I dropped pre-med at the end of my soph. year, but it wasn't because I couldn't cut it...it was because the other experiences I had had at college by that point, and the friends I had in other majors, made me realize that I was not meant to be a doctor after all)

[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.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I just meant that for some people, even the hardest majors come easy. For others, it's a struggle that takes up all their free time.

I agree. I was an engineering major, and the people I saw struggle were the ones who probably shouldn't have chosen engineering. I didn't think my labs and problem sets were tough, but I hated my 100-level GenEds that involved writing papers.

The reason they tell you about the hours is because many engineering students were the best and the brightest in high school. Let me tell you, if you were, college will be a shock. I got by in high school with little to no studying, and could blow off homework assignments as long as I broke the curve on tests. College will NOT be the same, and you will have to study, do assignments, and keep up with your work.

If you've really chosen the right major and both enjoy and excel at engineering, you will be just fine, and it shouldn't destroy your GPA to go Greek.

ETA: Depending on your school and such, you may be able to relax a bit about GPA, as well. I know plenty of people who did quite well for themselves with an engineering degree and a 3.0.

[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.

[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.

[Hopeful_Bubbles]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I was pre-med for my first two years of college

Sorry for the hijack, but I was curious about the time issue and other types of majors. I'm in hard-science (Earth Sci specifically) and it seems uncommon to find them in social glos (Other than Alpha Sigma Kappa).

[mccoyred]

I majored in electrical and computer engineering in college; I pledged my sophomore year. I must confess that my grades suffered. Our chapter was very small so a lot of work was demanded of each and every member. Between working and partying, my GPA suffered because I did not have the time management skills that I have now in grad school. Some of it also had to do with my lack of career direction at the time.

So my advice would be to really ensure that you have a top notch time management system in place and everything will be fine. Good luck!

[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.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by Hopeful_Bubbles

Sorry for the hijack, but I was curious about the time issue and other types of majors. I'm in hard-science (Earth Sci specifically) and it seems uncommon to find them in social glos (Other than Alpha Sigma Kappa).

Well, I think that may totally vary from school to school. My University has a strong science department, and since the school is 60% female, that means many women are found in the science majors (among other majors). And since about 30% of the women at the school are greek, you can assume a fair number of the science majors are also in sororities.

You probably also know that traditionally women have not been encouraged to go into science. That has changed a lot in recent years, but I'd guess at most schools men still far outnumber women in the sciences. So it doesn't surprise me that much if you don't find as many science majors in the sororities on your campus.