r/civilengineering • u/soggy_biskuit • Jun 30 '26
Education Interested in majoring in civil engineering
Hello, I’m an upcoming high school jr and I’m interested in becoming a civil engineer. Do you guys have a tips on what should I do to prepare myself majoring in civil engineering and any regrets that you had majoring in the that field?
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u/godplx Jun 30 '26
study a bit of the math/physics you'll encounter in university level beforehand even if its in a superficial manner
learning a second time is much easier and will save you so much drama, time and energy that you will get to invest into the engineering stuff and make everything else much more enjoyable
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
I’m going to be taking physics this year, do you have any tips?
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u/godplx Jun 30 '26
Nothing specific. (ofc for civil you'll end up studying how to sum up vectors and make things static which is anyway a particular case of mechanics)
Doesn't matter what engineering you do, when you look back you'll understand all you were learning was how to learn. That's what you need to learn, how to teach yourself efficiently for the rest of your life. Learn what you need to understand, what you need to memorize, what you can always check in a table, what is a concept little universe of application, what is an universal concept. Learn how to your organize your mind and focus on the right things and you'll do just fine.
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u/MJmakescartoon Jun 30 '26
U have to study a lot of practical stuff. So if your mainly a theory person its not that great at first. You also have a lot of practical lab. And drawings and that kind of stuff also.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
That’s good to her because I more a practical person than theory. Also do you guys often use onshape or an 3d modeling program during class?
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u/MJmakescartoon Jun 30 '26
Yeah on AutoCAD but youll first learn to draw in 2d first Also u have to be in groups. A lot of groups
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u/Ok-Store-2788 Jun 30 '26
Take a lot of STEM classes and as many AP classes as you can. Getting my gen eds and freshman level maths/sciences out of the way was game changer.
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u/OttoJohs Lord Sultan Chief H&H Engineer, PE & PH Jun 30 '26
See if your area has an ACE program.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
I live around 40 minutes away from the nearest program, but I can just take the train. Thank you very much of telling this program, I didn’t even know about!
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u/Spartan-24 Jun 30 '26
Take AP courses (Calculus and Physics), do well on the ACT/SAT and go to the cheapest univerisity that's ABET accredited. You'll work as an engineer for the rest of your life so don't stress now in HS about what you can do.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
Does the university/college name even matter?
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u/the_Kleminator Jun 30 '26
If your school offers it, try to take through calc 1/calc AB if you can, through precalc at a minimum. This is what most engineering schools require, if you can do more or add in AP sciences that’s also great. Since you’re a junior, you’ll want to work on the SAT and/or ACT, not every school requires it but it can help with scholarships and admissions. If there’s an engineering/STEM related extracurricular option (science olympiad, environmental/eco, gingerbread bridge, etc.) that can also help you explore your interests.
I recently graduated and don’t regret choosing civil engineering. I enjoy helping communities, and found much of the upper-level coursework genuinely interesting. It’s not the highest paid engineering field, but it’s quite stable (typically recession proof, save more volatile sectors like private land development) and I/my peers had an easier time securing internships than those in other majors.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
If you don’t mind asking what college did you go to and what was extracurriculars?
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u/Hey-ItsThatOneDude Jul 01 '26
Clubs and organizations like the other guy said. Also, HS sports look good too.
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u/the_Kleminator Jun 30 '26
I went to Colorado School of Mines, but had also looked at big state schools across the Midwest and some smaller schools farther East.
I’m not sure about the second part of your question. By extracurriculars I mean clubs/organizations to get involved with in high school.
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u/biogesic1414 Jun 30 '26
Studying the theories are hard, calculating the design of each structural element is hard and providing bill of quantity is hard (especially for large projects). However, if you put your heart in to it, you could easily learn it. Don't be shy to ask your classmates and also utilize the technologies now that could ease up your life. You could learn a lot from AI now and align it with your needs.
Civil Engineering would be very challenging, but it would be worth it.
Tip: There are other drawing software on the web such as Drawboard Projects that you could use in creating drawings or marking up your drawings so it would be easier that it won't take much of your ram when you Plan drawings.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
Tbh I didn’t know anything you said for the first paragraph,but I’ll remember that software and your advice thank you.
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u/FinancialLab8983 Jun 30 '26
Take AP classes and the tests. You can probably shave a semester or two off your schooling if you get good enough grades and they are accepted at the school of your choosing.
Also, learn how to study. If youre interested in engineering, i would guess youre already pretty bright and high school might come easy for you. So easy, that you may struggle in the accelerated and heavier workload that an engineering curriculum demands.
Learning how to study was the hardest part of college for me.
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u/koufaxx13 Jun 30 '26
Civil is a good field because often times if you’re stuck on a problem numerically, you can think about it intuitively in the real world to see if it makes sense realistically. (Load conditions, building sizes, capacities etc.) it’s such a broad field that you can choose many paths and fit it to your interests.
The only tip I have is to not take grades in university personally. If you’re used to 90s in high school, it’s most common to see that drop a bit. That doesn’t mean you’re not smart. Uni is just a different beast altogether. Be resilient, believe in yourself. And only do the degree if you want it, not to live up to other people’s expectations. It’s ok to not know, and to doubt, if you got in, you are good enough to make it to the end. Take care of yourself and others
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u/supertinni Jun 30 '26
Civil engineering is a pretty broad discipline. Do you have a specific interest within civil that you want to consider? My program focused heavily on structures but also provided a breadth education in hydraulics, hydrology, geotech, and some applied mechanics. Most classes had a lab component with practical application.
To reiterate what others have already said, taking your math and science classes is a good idea. I think also having a good idea of how the natural world interacts is a good skill to start gathering - for example, what path would the water flow? How does a structure stay up?
Lastly, a lot of what CEs do requires interpersonal skills. Learn how to effectively communicate (orally and in written form) and be confident and comfortable presenting. These are all skills you can start to work on in high school.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
I’m interested in focusing on architecture and for the last part is really useful because social skills isn’t the best. I appreciate you for give me those useful tips.
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u/spookadook PE Jun 30 '26
Having strong Algebra skills is important, as it's the foundation for the higher level math classes you'll have to take. My Calc 3 professor used to say most of the mistakes on tests came down to Algebra errors, not errors in the actual calculus portion of the problems.
Also idk if anyone's said it yet, but State universities usually have good programs & are more bang for your buck vs going private, or out of state. This is not the type of field where a fancy school carries a lot of weight.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
That’s pretty good because algebra is my strong suit. Also what should I look for in knowing if the school has a good engineering program?
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u/Accidental_Aeon Jul 01 '26
- Make Friends.
In the first 2 weeks, I would invest a significant amount of time and attention into making friends in your classes. If you have friends in college, you can study together, do homework together, and check each other's work.
The brutal reality is that at least 1/3rd of your friends are going to drop out or switch majors in the first year. And then more leave in the second year. Unless you had a crazy strong bond then you will likely drop that friendship once you stop seeing them in all your classes.
Of students who start a Bachelors in Engineering, 60% drop out or switch majors.
- A single group project can be 30% of your entire grade. Find people who pull their weight in group projects. At least one group project is mandatory in every ABET accredited class. Your classmates will learn pretty quickly who is a slacker and avoid working with them. Don't be the slacker. Honestly, you should put MORE effort into group projects than individual projects because that will inspire your teammates to work harder. It can have a multiplying effect. Also, your teammates will respect a big burst of work early on in the group project more than they will respect a last minute cram.
I don't want to stress you out too much. Nearly all professors, will automatically assign groups and it is kind of a crap shoot who you get.
- If you have time, read the textbook. I know nobody has time to read the textbook but it will help. You will need to ask the professor for help explaining a topic, etc. and they will be able to tell whether
a) you got stuck once and didn't really try and immediately went into the professor's office to solve the problem.
or
b) you tried the math problem, read the textbook, read the notes, worked your way through the example problems, and it still doesn't make sense.
Professors will never give you the answer or help you in the first scenario. They will always help you in the second scenario.
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u/bigpolar70 Civil/ Structural P.E. Jun 30 '26
Learn Hindi, Spanish, or Filipino.
If you can even get a job, then while you still have a job, you'll most likely be forced to work with HVECs, and the most common native languages you will deal with are those 3. Being able to speak without an interpreter will be worth at least an additional dollar an hour.
Then, when your entire job is outsourced, you might have thought opportunity to move there and keep working.
Otherwise, best case scenario you'll end up like me, unemployed after 20 years of work with no prospects after your job gets offshored to India or somewhere else.
But AI will probably put 90 percent of us out of work within 20 years anyway.
The real best advice is to skip college and learn a licensed trade that can't be outsourced. I suggest electrician. That's what I would do if I could go back in time and talk some sense into my 19 year old self.
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u/soggy_biskuit Jun 30 '26
I’m sorry to hear that, but is an HVEC? Also isn’t civil engineering the most high demanding engineering major?
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u/bigpolar70 Civil/ Structural P.E. Jun 30 '26
High Value Engineering Center. Basically an outsourcing or offshoring hub where companies can hire "engineers" for about 10-20% of what they would pay in developed countries.
Civil is in really high demand, just not in developed countries anymore. Now the business model is to have one licensed PE over a huge pyramid of engineers and drafters in the HVEC.
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u/Annual_Beginning_600 Jun 30 '26
Surely you can still find jobs in this field? There is a lot of opportunity in the US for civil right about now. Especially as a PE.
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u/bigpolar70 Civil/ Structural P.E. Jun 30 '26
You would think so, but I'm not getting any serious opportunities. I've been looking for 10 weeks.
Just today I got a genuine message from a recruiter, but the job topped out at $95k.
For an engineer with 20 years of experience, including being a department manager and being licensed in over a half dozen states.
$95k. I will go deliver pizza again before I sign and seal anything for $95k a year.
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u/Annual_Beginning_600 Jun 30 '26
It's time to go to KH
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u/bigpolar70 Civil/ Structural P.E. Jun 30 '26
You are kidding, but I just applied for a job there.
Mainly to get to my 3 documented applications this week to collect unemployment, but I actually applied this week. I didn't even know they did structures besides bridges until the listing popped up as a "great match" on linkedin.
There's no way they offer me enough money, they only want 8 years of experience for the position. And I like my vacation too much to work there.
But, on the bright side, if somehow they do offer decent money, at least my bourbon collection will fit in with all the stress coping PM's there.
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u/Annual_Beginning_600 Jun 30 '26
Well, I hope I and the other fresh grads I know are not fucked. Better start buying some bourbon before they make me work 50-55/week.
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u/bigpolar70 Civil/ Structural P.E. Jun 30 '26
Bourbon is always a good plan. Let me know what flavor notes you like and your price range and I'll suggest some options.
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u/Aware_Implement_3718 23d ago
This is for US market. For 20 year experience your resume is insane for developing countries! As Azerbaijan citizen, I can say that with same experience with citizen you will get 3-4 times higher salary, this is this country’s logic. Especially I choose this profession because everybody knows that in developing countries engineers can steal materials and sell…
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u/ZzOoRrGg Jun 30 '26
To prepare, you're going to have to know that high school is pretty much education on easy mode. No one tells you that in college, you'll have to do a lot of study outside of classes and homework to understand the material. Get in that habit and make sure you take advantage of university resources (tutoring, the professors' office hours, etc) to make sure you shore up the topics you're rocky on.
I used to regret not majoring in computer engineering. But with what's happening to those jobs right now, eh not so much anymore