Aerospace Vs. Mechanical Engineering

[Nostromo926]

Hello, I will be attending college soon and wanted to ask someone preferably in one of these fields, which do I choose?

Ultimately I want to end up in aerospace engineering, however I have heard this can be very limiting to fresh college graduates as a position in aerospace may not be available. At the same time, if the position should be available, would it give a pretty big edge over a Mech E major? What about dual majors or certificates offered by some colleges? 

On a side note, what are the best colleges for engineering currently?

[Klalero]

The courses, depending on which university and the specifics, are usually very similar. There is likely to be a more focused role on aerospace applications in aerospace, but the core fundamental stuff will probably be the same between the two degrees. In lectures (I do mechanical), I sit with those doing automotive/motorsport/aerospace technology. The guys doing automotive engineering have exactly the same modules as we do, except a handful over the 3 years are the "vehicle version" of what we're doing. Someone who started on motorsport could potentially switch to mechanical because they're so similar.

[zapatos]

On 9/23/2017 at 2:06 PM, Nostromo926 said:

On a side note, what are the best colleges for engineering currently?

Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

[Gears]

Hello,
Mechanical engineering is very interesting and will definitely help you in pursuing your chosen career. I studied mechanical engineering from secondary school (US: college)  and I now have my Ph.D. in this very subject. I can inform you that mechanical engineering does not have any specific study on aerospace, however, the skills are transferable (you would need to modify formulas for the aerospace division). Textbooks about mechanical engineering are readily available, therefore, if you choose to pursue aerospace studies, you can study mechanical engineering in your own time to assist you with your studies. Some areas of mechanics are very easy and verge on common sense, however, I could assist if you have any specific questions.

I would recommend a university, however, they are all based in the UK and I assume you reside in the US. I will happily provide you with the information should yu require it.
Whichever path you choose, I wish you the very best in your studies.

Best wishes,
Josh
 

[tinkerer]

In my own case, I had been very active during my teens and early twenties engaged in building fast cars. High school included Biology, Physics, Pl. Geom., Alg. I & II, Chem., Trig., and several shop courses. As a necessity, I became quite proficient in many skilled trades working on the cars. Thus, when I started college aiming at Engineering, I had a very good ability to perform skilled work and a foundation for the more theoretical Engineering topics. I could have secured employ as a Machinist, Pipefitter, Welder, or the like, but felt I never would be satisfied earning a living thusly. Marriage did not interfere; I took night courses in Physics and Chemistry, went on to enroll at age 31 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in Engineering, full time. I received my B.S. Engineering at age 34.

It can be done. Winding up supervising a team of skilled maintenance workers in a manufacturing  plant confirmed the universal disdain the skilled have for Engineers.......until they learned I could often out-perform them!

[Saurabh Gupta]

I am working as a electronics engineer but i love both stream Aerospace Vs. Mechanical Engineering if you ask my why? then i simply say that Now a days both steam needs some knowledge of electronics. But my personal choice is mechanical and that is due to the, three basic stream of engineering like civil, electrical and mechanical. All the other branches comes after these engineering branches and oldest engineering branch is civil engineering.

If you want to choose in between Aerospace Vs. Mechanical Engineering then you should consider two things one is interest in subject and interest in study. Because you need to study a lot of things in engineering so you must have habbit of studying. In the last advice, take a strong call without going to much inside the pros and cons.