Cousin sis having trouble in engineering college studying EEE. How can I help.

Discussion in 'Education & Personal Growth' started by deepshikha, Sep 6, 2011.

  1. deepshikha

    deepshikha Senior IL'ite

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    Hi everyone, I am here again trying to get some feedback from you all. My cousin is doing EEE Btech. She is in 3rd semester now and is finding the branch very difficult. I have talked to her several times about trying to maintain her interest in it, but she seems to regret that she did not take up IT branch instead. We don't want to pressure her in any way.

    How can I motivate her and can you please give some advise on what way she should choose? Talking to her I feel she doesn't want to do EEE but now she cannot get a branch change. Initially in the first year she was doing ok and even found some subjects interesting. Now suddenly she says that she doesn't get any of the electronics and electrical stuff! Her teachers are not very helpful this year as well. I don't want her to do computer courses along with BTech as it will be a lot of hard work and she might not be able to do anything properly, but she is feeling that if she did not do some computer course she will be wasting 4 years!! She want s to do something like Oracle that can give her a promise of job etc. There are some workshops in her college where hardcore electronics and electrical things are being done. Should I advice her to join that to try to build some interest?

    Can you please suggest what should I do about her. I am totally responsible for her as I am one person she listen to and depends on very much. Even her parents tell me to talk to her for everything and she is very close to me. I want her to feel no pressure and so keep telling her that she doesn't have to worry about job and stuff. But right now the problem seems immediate and I want to give her the best possible advice that will do her good.

    She was always good at maths and science in school and interested in being an engineer but now in college things are very different and she is having trouble with her chosen branch. I found out from many places that EEE keeps getting tougher as semesters advance. What advice can I give her.
     
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  2. orion80

    orion80 Platinum IL'ite

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    Hi Deepshika,

    Getting good lecturers is a rarity. Even 10 yrs back when i was doing my engg, there were only a few lecturers who could teach at student's wavelength. Most of the times, it was self-study.

    If your cousin is interested in the branch but is finding the subjects difficult, ask her to go for tuitions for the subjects she is finding tough. Many times, you find the senior students helping out the juniors. She can also go for combined study with her friends who are better in the subjects.

    If she is not interested in the branch, then she can try changing her branch. At this point it might be difficult but it is definitely worth a try. Talk to her college admin dept and her principal to know various options. But the obvious question she would face is why do you want to change your current dept. Make sure you guys have a convincing answer to that one.

    One thing that your cousin should realize: no matter whether she chooses EEE related career or not, her engg marks are very important. For most fresher openings in IT industry, the cut-off for shortlisting for interviews is around 70-75%. Even if she is planning on higher studies, many reputed universities have graduation percentage as one of their admission criterion. So she should make sure that she is around that percentage to get shortlisted.

    You are right in saying that she should not focus on computer courses for now. She is still about 3 yrs away from graduation. The languages/tools in demand will change by then. She should focus on what is at hand. The workshops you mentioned is a good idea. Earlier, in a different thread, i suggested that she have a look at some projects which her seniors have done. Even that will increase her interest.
     
  3. deepshikha

    deepshikha Senior IL'ite

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    Orion, getting tuition will be difficult or her as she stays in a hostel in another city, unless tuition's are online. The major problem are the lecturers, despite the fact that we researched about the college well, it turned out that teachers are not very good. they are also not helpful an try to intimidate students who ask questions!

    She was earlier even considering going for higher studies but now wants to get placed in some IT company and doesn't want to have anything to do with her branch after Btech!
    What areas can a EEE student do MS in? Can they move to Computer Sciences? How difficult is that? I have a feeling that if I can convince her that she would not be stuck with Electrical stuff forever, she will feel better.

    Since the quality of education in her college doesn't seem to be at par with other colleges and they do not even have enough exposure to practical stuff I wonder how much capable will she be once she graduates for an MS. She keeps saying that she can mug up and clear the exams but doesn't really get much of what is being taught.

    Are students from EEE branches placed in IT industry? Do they need to do extra IT courses for that? Because in my cousin's college they are taught only C language in EEE branch and not much. What kind of placements do EEE students get in IT companies and what kind of minimum knowledge(IT) they should have to get selected? I am trying to gather this information so that I can tell her how to plan and make her feel better and more positive. I am worried that she is feeling too much pressure, don't want her to feel that way as she is a good hard working kid.
     
  4. orion80

    orion80 Platinum IL'ite

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    Please find my answers inline

     
  5. deepshikha

    deepshikha Senior IL'ite

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    Thanks your replies are very informative and guiding. I might in fact even send her a link to this page so that she can read for herself.

    For your above statement, yes she is trying to find out her options on her own, but mostly its from seniors who are 1 year ahead of her and are themselves very confused, her impression till now is that in her branch you work hard for 4 years and never use it when move out of college!! This is mostly what even the electronics lecturer says in her college. I had even asked her parents to speak to the admin about such highly demotivating teachers. I have even scolded her on many occasions when she talks too negative. But don't want to overdo it.

    I and her family worry because in last 1 year there have been 2 instances of student suicides in her college. Some parents of 1st year students even questioned the administration but college admin. brushed it aside saying students had family problems etc.. We are not trying to shield her but want her to stay positive in her outlook and understand that not studying CSE is not the end of the world and she can make good career with EEE too!!

    I am worried because I was one of the many relatives who told her that studying core branch is a good option when she was considering her options in colleges last year! So I feel responsible now that did I influence her to take a wrong decision!
     
  6. orion80

    orion80 Platinum IL'ite

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    I feel your cousin is constantly bombarded by comments that her branch is not good. You will first have to work on this. Show her examples of how good her branch is and try to develop her interest.

    I would like to repeat again that her engg marks are imp even if she stays in the same field or not. If she is not interested in the branch, it will be very difficult for her to secure a job, either in EEE related or IT field. This is 4 prime yrs of her education and the foundation of her career.
     

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