Is High School Physics Enough Preparation for Electrical Engineering?

[mike_302]

Hi all

My post-secondary desires have been to study electrical engineering. I think I have the mental capacity (and the rare love of math--> at least rare in my school) to get me through some sort of engineering course in university, and I have always loved... Connecting electronics together --> plugging things in, connecting electronics to make them work together and do anything I need. So that is how I deduced electrical engineering.

Anyways, my high school physics course seems to be lacking in the electrical and magnetical aspect of physics in both grade 11 and 12 so I have been worried as of late, that I might be lacking what I need to get along in MAcmaster University (Ontario) physics and engineering courses... Especially come second third and fourth years where I will have to specialize in electricity more so than first year.

Any words of wisdom, support, or guidance for me here? BTW, forget asking hte teacher to stear towards electricity. He thinks I'm a great student and all, but he doesn't want to change his plan for the year to include more electricity than he absolutly needs to teach.

 

[hage567]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just do well with what they teach you. Your first year university courses will get you up to speed and prepare you for upper year stuff. My high school physics courses (in Ontario) also lacked in the electricity and magnetism area, as well as some others. So in my first year physics course there was new stuff that I hadn't seen before. It was like that for lots of people, and the professors are aware of it. You can always study it on your own as well. Maybe your teacher could recommend some material for that.

 

[mike_302]

thanks a lot. definitely encouraging to know that prof's won't be so harsh about it. It seems like all I hear about post-secondary is that the prof's are there to make your life hell, they don't care how well you do, they would rather be studying stuff for their own work than teaching, etc etc etc. It makes my fears much worse.

 

[hage567]

Well, I don't believe (most) professors are out to make the students' lives hell. In my experience they are genuinely interested in helping students. They like to share their knowledge! Yes, you will have to work hard and it may seem like hell at times, but that's what you get for studying a difficult subject! haha

Just make use of all the resources available to you and you should do fine.