u/Keateatime

What was the one or multiple non-obvious study tactics that actually worked and got you good grades.

Hi everyone, I’m currently a sophomore EE student with an interview coming up with my school’s tech transfer office for a student position. I’m interested in eventually becoming a patent/IP attorney, and I’m trying to figure out the best path after graduation.

Would it be better to work as a technology specialist or patent agent for a few years before going to law school, or go straight to law school after graduating?

I’m not very interested in working as an engineer for 10+ years before going to law school, as someone previously recommended to me. However, I’m not opposed to spending a few years in industry if having engineering experience would significantly improve my chances of finding a job in patent/IP law later on.

Hey everyone! Is anyone considering or currently working toward becoming a patent agent or patent attorney? What made you choose that career path, and what types of patents or technologies are you most interested in? Also, what is your favorite invention so far?

Hey everyone! I’m a sophomore pursuing a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and I’m interested in becoming a patent attorney.

I’m trying to decide between two career paths after graduation:

Option 1: Graduate, study for and pass the USPTO Patent Bar, work as a patent agent for 1–2 years, then attend part-time/evening law school while continuing to work.

Option 2: Graduate and go straight to law school full-time, earn my J.D. in three years, and then become a patent attorney.

For those of you who are patent agents or patent attorneys, which path would you recommend and why? If you took the patent agent route first, do you think the experience (and potential tuition assistance from employers) was worth delaying law school?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice you have.

Welp, it’s the last week of my internship.
Although it wasn’t an engineering role, I was a Craft Intern, I can say it was one of the biggest love-hate relationships I’ve ever had with a job.
I loved watching blueprints come to life. I loved seeing the finished result and learning how projects are built from the ground up.
But I hated the way I was treated at times. I hated feeling like I was worth less because of my gender.
If I woke up on the day I received my internship offer and had to decide all over again, I’d still say yes. The only thing I’d change is how much I let other people’s words affect me. There were so many moments where I felt useless—not because I lacked the ability or willingness to learn, but because I was made to feel that way.

I’m entering my sophomore year as an Electrical and Computer Engineering major and just finished my first internship in MEP/electrical construction. I’ve realized there are several fields that genuinely interest me, but I’d like to narrow my focus to one or two so I can be more intentional with future internships, projects, and skill development.
I’m going to list the fields I’m considering below. If you work in any of them, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, what your typical day looks like, the work-life balance, the work culture, and, if you’re a woman in the industry, what your experience has been like and any advice you’d give. Thanks in advance!

Industry that interest me
-MEP
-Medical Devices
-Defense Technology
-Power Systems
-Controls and Automation
-Robotics

I feel like throughout high school and even in college Pre-Calc, I didn’t understand a thing. I honestly only made it through most of my high school math classes because the teachers made every test open-note or basically a take-home test.
Then I got to Calc 1, and everything started to click. I figured I just got lucky and that Calc 2 was going to destroy me (we all know the Calc 2 horror stories). But now I’m a good chunk of the way through Calc 2, and for the most part everything is still making sense. I currently have an A in the class.
Has anyone else experienced this? Did calculus just make more sense to you than algebra and Pre-Calc?

I just talked with my advisor, and he asked whether I wanted to pursue a double major that combines Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering into one program, or a dual degree where I’d earn both a BSEE and a BSCOE as two separate degrees. Both options will take me the same amount of time to complete. Which do you think I should choose?

I’m a college intern for an electrical contractor, and although I’m not going into a trade myself, they have all interns with 2+ years left of school start out working with electricians—kind of like a mini apprenticeship for the summer. Then we move on to our major-related departments (accounting, engineering, etc.).
During this time, I’ve realized how difficult the work really is. I’ve seen how engineers can mess up drawings and plans, and how sometimes what gets designed doesn’t make any sense—like trying to put huge wires through conduit that’s way too small. I’ve also learned that PMs and engineers aren’t always easy to work with. Not all of them, definitely, but some can be real jerks.
So thank y’all. Even though I can only speak from a short internship experience and only from an electrical perspective, y’all work really, really hard. 🫂

For my EE, AeroE, MechE and SWE/Comp sci. How are we feeling morally about Ai, Data Centers and Defense. It feels like the job market is geared towards those for higher earning potential and Idk how to feel.

Would it be better (earnings wise) to get a few years of design experience then hop ships to project management?

Hey y’all, just wanted to start out by saying I am very grateful for the opportunity. It’s mainly electrician work, which is cool; I was just hoping for something more engineering-related. They also didn’t really specify that it would be trade-heavy, and they were looking specifically for engineering majors.

But with all that being said, I’m trying to figure out how to apply what I’m learning this summer to an actual engineering intern role for next summer that’s not construction-related.

EDIT: Let me clarify something’s, in no way do I think this type of work is beneath me. But also I don’t feel like I’m even really learning anything about the trade either. Im really just handing some guys tool and running things back and forth between things. And I feel like I get talked down to a lot, and people try to convince me to change careers.

I want to build my portfolio and was wondering if anyone had some interesting project suggestions?