Aero/Astro Major

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Finnbarr

5-Year Member
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Jul 25, 2010
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So how bad is it really? I have read that a lot of people who major in aero/astro engineering just work all the time. Is this true? Is the work very hard, and did it require any prior knowledge?

I will probably major in it anyway, I just want to know what i'm up against.
 
Aero/astro is literally rocket science. No matter which school it's offered at, it's one of the harder majors-systems engineering, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, structural engineering, materials engineering, orbital dynamics, etc... all these disciplines are combined into one major: aero/astro.
 
My son is a basic cadet right now. His catalog shows two separate majors: Aeronautical Engineering Major and Astronautical Engineering Major.
 
Yes they are separate..

Look.. its like anything else.. if you prioritize you can work during the week and have fun on the weekends (usually). Work hard, play hard :)
 
So how bad is it really? I have read that a lot of people who major in aero/astro engineering just work all the time. Is this true?
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Like everything else, this will be different for each person. But I can only tell you what it has been like for my son.

He is an Aero major. Not sure of his exact class rank at the moment, but at least in top 10%. Anyway, all I can say is that when he decided to major in Aero, I was thinking he would have the most miserable four years of his life. That turned out to be not true at all. He probably spends more time skiing than most other cadets all winter. He participates in three clubs that meet once a week. He goes to the gym every day and also swims laps every day. He has had a leadership position every semester and he minored in a foreign language.

His motto is definately "Work Hard, Play Harder". So, will it be a hard major. No doubt. Can you major in Aero/Astro and still have time for other stuff. That is up to you.

Time management and priorities are the keys imho. You will know what absolutley must get done. Add to that the things you would really like to do followed by things that would be nice to do if only you had some extra time. Then do them in that order and you will succeed.
 
bandit said:
Like everything else, this will be different for each person. But I can only tell you what it has been like for my son.

He is an Aero major. Not sure of his exact class rank at the moment, but at least in top 10%. Anyway, all I can say is that when he decided to major in Aero, I was thinking he would have the most miserable four years of his life. That turned out to be not true at all. He probably spends more time skiing than most other cadets all winter. He participates in three clubs that meet once a week. He goes to the gym every day and also swims laps every day. He has had a leadership position every semester and he minored in a foreign language.

His motto is definately "Work Hard, Play Harder". So, will it be a hard major. No doubt. Can you major in Aero/Astro and still have time for other stuff. That is up to you.

Time management and priorities are the keys imho. You will know what absolutley must get done. Add to that the things you would really like to do followed by things that would be nice to do if only you had some extra time. Then do them in that order and you will succeed.
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Thanks for this, I was also planning to minor in a foreign language.
Work hard, play harder. Ha.
 
I was also planning to minor in a foreign language
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I think if there was anything he would change, my guess is he would not have decided to minor in the foreign language. Definately was a time consumer. He did it because he loves Arabic and likes to travel in that part of the world. But it definately hurt his gpa some and his aero advisor thought he was crazy for bothering.
 
Does anyone who went through either major (aero/astro) know anything about the other? I know the fundamental differences between them; aero deals with planes, helicopters, and other aircraft in our sky, and astro has to do with space, satellite, and other space-faring vehicles.
Does one require more work than the other? Is one more popular than the other?

Again, no matter what I hear (read), I still plan to major in one of these. I am pretty interested in this stuff, so be honest!
 
bandit said:
I think if there was anything he would change, my guess is he would not have decided to minor in the foreign language. Definately was a time consumer. He did it because he loves Arabic and likes to travel in that part of the world. But it definately hurt his gpa some and his aero advisor thought he was crazy for bothering.
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I'd agree here on language minors. I was Biochem/Japanese. Would have been a bit higher at graduation without that minor. Wouldn't have done it in hindsight...

Finnbarr said:
Does anyone who went through either major (aero/astro) know anything about the other? I know the fundamental differences between them; aero deals with planes, helicopters, and other aircraft in our sky, and astro has to do with space, satellite, and other space-faring vehicles.
Does one require more work than the other? Is one more popular than the other?

Again, no matter what I hear (read), I still plan to major in one of these. I am pretty interested in this stuff, so be honest!
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Traditionally, Astro is the more hated major. The department is not a very kind department, both in work load and how they treat their own. Aero is far more popular with many more majors. You have to decide what interests you more, space or planes? Don't decide on other factors like the department or popularity. Follow what YOU like, then you will enjoy it regardless of other factors.
 
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