Pete84 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I'm trying to figure out which major to go with at Sacramento State. After phoning the departement all I was really able to get was that MET grads usually work in power plants, thermals to be specific. Right now I am working on the basic credits at a community college to far from any CSU to commute to, so I will have to move. Is there perhaps a better engineering school than Sac State in the CSU system? Talking with grads, they have had nothing but good things to say of it. Anyone have any insight on the differences in the two majors, ME and MET, and perhaps even another school to choose from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 ME has more theoretical and thus is a bit harder... Also you are more valuable with a ME degree. I'm going ME. (that just sounds funny) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsun40146 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 If your going to go, the go all out, get the ME degree. You will be much better off. One analogy that I think fits here is MET is to nurse as ME is to doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete84 Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 One analogy that I think fits here is MET is to nurse as ME is to doctor. Ah, good reason why the dept didn't say much about that . . . pretty hard to sell I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I would instead recommend the UC system. In your general area probably the best would be Berkeley. The word "technology" appended to any designation of engineering in my opinion means fluff and flotsam. "Mechanical engineering technology" is bending sheet metal to make HVAC ducts. Real mechanical engineering is modeling the gas flow properties to improve ducting design for minimizing pumping losses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete84 Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hmm, how much better is Berkley over Sac? I was told that the UC's are generally for masters program canidates and CSUs for 'normal' bachelor types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMWHYR0HEN Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 You didn't mention if you were interested in other schools outside of your area but, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is one of the best engineering schools in CA. IMO UC schools tend to be more theoretical then CSUs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudypoochris Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Im at UC Davis, enrolled in ME. Glad to see another HybridZer near by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I have an MET degree out of Metropolitan State College of Denver. Very basically I did not have to take Calc III or Differential Equations and my Physics was Algebra based not Calc based, all of the other classes where the same as CSU and we used a lot of the same books. I had to wait until I graduated to take the State Engineer in Training Exam, ME can take it in there senior year. I also had to wait and extra year to take my PE. If you are planning on getting a masters degree go ME. I have been employed as a Piping Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, and now a Field Mechanical Engineer in the oil fields. Check and see if your program is ABET accredited, what the state requirements in your state are for taking the PE exam. If you have a PE no one cares if you have a ME or MET. I was in my 40s and had a back injury and had to change occupations and went for the MET degree. Most engineering design from what I see will hire you with a MET, and there are those who only think a ME will do. I have never used Calc since I graduated. The PE exam is all algebra based. My best professor put it like this “As Engineers we add, subtract, multiply and divide, look it up in the right book and know our answer makes sense, and can explain to someone else what we did.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240hoke Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I guess it depends on what type of job you are looking for. I would personally go ME if I was you. if your going to do it you might as well DO IT. I am a Junior In mechanical engineering at NC State. Im not sure exactly what you would be qualified to do with a MET degree. At our school its more hands on stuff.... We have a lot of people at work who are MET's ... they do mostly solids drawings. I think caculus and diffeq are fundamental classes everyone should have to take. They teach us more then math.. they teach problem solving and how the world works. I find it amazing that SHO has gotten by without using calc. You cant even solve a basic vibrations or solids problem without calculus and diff eq's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Just to clarify, the MET degree everyone is speaking of is a four-year degree, and not an Associates Program, correct? Differential Equations. Argh. I digress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete84 Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 Just to clarify, the MET degree everyone is speaking of is a four-year degree, and not an Associates Program, correct? Differential Equations. Argh. I digress... The one that I am looking at is, and they said that you can take the certification test. Not sure which one exactly, didn't know which one to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsun40146 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Yay diffy eq that’s gonna be fun, coupled with thermo and dynamics should lead to a fun year. Anyway back to my point. If you’re going to get the degree I would go for it and get the ME. Its worth more in salary, you will have many more offers in industry and would more useful to many more fields. If you look you see that there is no comparison between the two. How can you expect to do any of the advanced design work w/o the background in Calc/physics/dynamics. IMO the MET degree would relegate you to a CAD program for a very long time with little to no chance for advancement. Drawing things ME’s tell you do, that they themselves do not want to do. Its not a fun job. I'll get off my soap box now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 IMO the MET degree would relegate you to a CAD program for a very long time with little to no chance for advancement. Drawing things ME’s tell you do, that they themselves do not want to do. It really matters what industry you want you career to be in. HVAC design, firms that design and build projects, Petrochem, and the like you might start on a CAD station to learn the design aspect of the industry, and then move on to engineering just like the ME sitting next to you, it is a training tool to learn the industry. When you graduate you have the skills of and engineer, but not the skills of the particular industry that you will be working in. I would not be effective working machine design or high tech or aviation and engineers from those industries would not be effective in mine. We all specialize after graduation. If I was young and have all of the skills and time to get through an ME program I would do that. When I started my MET program it was I had not ever taken and algebra class. I was on workman’s Comp due to a back injury and need a career change. Over half of the students were older, coming from various industries, from high tech to HVAC. Look where you want to be in 10 years after graduation, then make your decision. MET will get you as far as you want to go in some industries and not in others. ME will get you in all industries to the limit that at Masters is not required. Do not knock the CAD designers, experienced pipers are making about $60 / hr and working about all of the time and a half overtime they want in the Petrochemical industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clint78z Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I am an MET and have done fairly extensive design work, depends where you go. People are right that you might be a limited at a certain point by some job who want the ME papers. The ME's do get a higher wage, but there are some trade off's. IMHO ME and MET can do the same exact things it all depends on the individual, a piece of paper doesn't make a person smart. I would say 60% of P.Eng's don't do any design, the become project managers, lot's of meetings loosely checking other's work. I would say write do the jobs you want, talk with the people in the field. Then make your desicion from there. Don't think MET is a much easier course, I know people who transferred and were shocked by the workload, it very compressed. Good luck, it's a fun and intresting career path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeatrpi Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Well, my $0.02. Engineering is hard. I mean, look at all of these people complaining about differential equations. That's a freshman course, maybe 1st semester soph if you're a slacker! Seriously though either one of those degrees will be hard. You have to be genuinely interested in the subject and seriously focused on your goals to graduate. ME will be harder than MET, and only you know if you're got what it takes to get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxjoeyxxeb Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 4th year ME student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Best school to do it, beautiful town, and DAM fine girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Doesn't diff. eq. come after Calc 3? It was that way at my other school... Not a freshman course IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Pretty much echo what's said above. ME will open up a lot of opportunities and higher wages ... right or wrong but that's life. School I went (Georgia Tech) to did not even have the MET I dont believe but corporate America pretty much lists ME/EE/etc as even a starting point for interviews. Go to a career fair and see what they are looking for. Talk to a school career counselor as they should know average starting salaries by major, hiring companies, etc for for school. After your first job I dont think the school matters but your school choice may help get in the door for your first job. Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete84 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 4th year ME student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Best school to do it, beautiful town, and DAM fine girls. Is Cal Poly more of a 'theoretical' school like the UC's, or more of the practicle type like the CSU's? Talked with some friends of the family who graduated from CSU Sac a few years back. They have very good jobs with tech firms, no problem finding employment. Plus, I'm more of an applications type personality, theoretical can get me discouraged. Thanks all round for the imput! ME it is ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.