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I've always known that with a good study group, a great professor willing to personally instruct students having difficulty, and lots of work, nothing is impossible or even that strenuous when combined with a good understanding.
To my understanding the first and second year classes always seem harder due to not accumulating understanding and possibly being flat out harder depending on where you go.
What are the biggest "weed out" classes on the way to a bachelors of petroleum engineering. Please be specific. Don't just say physics, say "principles of physics". Give the actual name of the course please.
Thanks in advance.

Honestly, without seeing the required courses for that degree, i doubt many of us can help...

On top of that, the University of Hard Knocks would ahve a different set of classes for BS in Petroleum Engineering than Hard Knock State University.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
Honestly, without seeing the required courses for that degree, i doubt many of us can help...

On top of that, the University of Hard Knocks would ahve a different set of classes for BS in Petroleum Engineering than Hard Knock State University.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/pe/undergrad/curriculum.php
Here we go. Not the school I'm going to but they have the same program and it's the same state.

My school had its share of 'weed um out' class at different levels. In the biology course, Biology 101 was actually the weed um out class. My school offered alternative courses for those not actually pursuing degrees in the subject like "Cultural Chemistry." In Comp Sci it was the Operating Systems course.

Frankly though a 'weed um out' class isn't necessarily designed to be such. The simple fact of the subject may be that it it reaches a point where people without the talent or where with all can't keep up. The biology class at my school struck me as a course specifically designed to tell students "you are here to be completely serious about this subject or gtfo" (mixed with the presence of other much easier courses that fit gen ed needs) where as the operating systems course was simply a naturally breaking point where my own limitations prevented me from going any farther (me and numerous others, the comp sci department had twice the students before that class as it does after).

 LordofHats wrote:
My school had its share of 'weed um out' class at different levels. In the biology course, Biology 101 was actually the weed um out class. My school offered alternative courses for those not actually pursuing degrees in the subject like "Cultural Chemistry." In Comp Sci it was the Operating Systems course.

Frankly though a 'weed um out' class isn't necessarily designed to be such. The simple fact of the subject may be that it it reaches a point where people without the talent or where with all can't keep up. The biology class at my school struck me as a course specifically designed to tell students "you are here to be completely serious about this subject or gtfo" where as the operating systems course was simply a naturally breaking point where my own limitations prevented me from going any farther (me and numerous others, the comp sci department had twice the students before that class as it does after).

That's STEM for you. The main problem is flat out bad teachers. With a great teacher and study group any person without the "gift" can get a B-
I have my Plan Bs. And B-G.....
But I've always been great at math, specifically the math encountered in physics, and I've always loved engineering.
This is actually relatively off topic because I was looking for advice. After we get that we can go into how stupid weed out classes being significantly more difficult than the actual major classes themselves is.

You would probably be better off asking a PE from your school.

I can tell you TAMU engineering weed out classes were Integral Calculus and Electromagnetism (Physics II). A second hump around Thermodynamics and Linear Algebra but most students were competent by then and rarely failed.

I wouldn't bet on the good professor part for weed outs. There are so many students drawn to engineering for the pay with no actual interest or conviction, the first year classes are packed. Some professors at that level are not interested in engaging with students, having a good study group or even one other motivated person always did more for me.

 avantgarde wrote:
You would probably be better off asking a PE from your school.

I can tell you TAMU engineering weed out classes were Integral Calculus and Electromagnetism (Physics II). A second hump around Thermodynamics and Linear Algebra but most students were competent by then and rarely failed.

I wouldn't bet on the good professor part for weed outs. There are so many students drawn to engineering for the pay with no actual interest or conviction, the first year classes are packed. Some professors at that level are not interested in engaging with students, having a good study group or even one other motivated person always did more for me.

The first is all about conviction. The second year Interest comes in. Hard to have interest in something there's no real way to have in depth knowledge of going in.
I'm taking this to mean that the second year is moderately easier due to teachers starting to give a flying feth about the students.
Know any specific ways to throw the weed outs the middle finger? Like what aspects to focus on, and how to approach the thinking (memorization, linear thinking, intense analyzing) for say Calculus I&II or Physics I&II.

This topic weeds out the OT regulars it seems.

Petroleum Engineering is a bit specialized no?

1. The first major math class should do nicely
2. The core class: Environmentalism is for Hippies 101

If Organic Chemistry is required (as it is for chemical engineers), that's a ball buster of pure memorization. It also doubles as the classic pre-med weed out course, so not only does it reward rote learning, you're competing against kids that thing they want to be doctors.

Honestly, most people stop studying engineering in the core classes, before the monster major specific classes step in. So, things like integral physics, calculus based physics, ochem, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism usually do the damage.

As mentioned, the next hump will come with the stuff that really relies on differential equations and transforms. Based on the linked curriculum, I'd be wary of classes like "mechanics of fluids" and the like.

If all else fails, here's a tip: the shorter the name of a course in common parlance, the more serious it is. Now, gravitas is not always the same as difficulty, but there's a strong correlation, if only because real classes have actual skills/knowledge that is expected.

You can go to any campus, at any time, and classes like "Thermo," "Fields," and Diff E.Q." will always be ball busters. Conversely, course like "Queer theory in Auteur Film Study" will always be far softer and, if not easier, at least looser.

 Polonius wrote:
If Organic Chemistry is required (as it is for chemical engineers), that's a ball buster of pure memorization. It also doubles as the classic pre-med weed out course, so not only does it reward rote learning, you're competing against kids that thing they want to be doctors.

Honestly, most people stop studying engineering in the core classes, before the monster major specific classes step in. So, things like integral physics, calculus based physics, ochem, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism usually do the damage.

As mentioned, the next hump will come with the stuff that really relies on differential equations and transforms. Based on the linked curriculum, I'd be wary of classes like "mechanics of fluids" and the like.

If all else fails, here's a tip: the shorter the name of a course in common parlance, the more serious it is. Now, gravitas is not always the same as difficulty, but there's a strong correlation, if only because real classes have actual skills/knowledge that is expected.

You can go to any campus, at any time, and classes like "Thermo," "Fields," and Diff E.Q." will always be ball busters. Conversely, course like "Queer theory in Auteur Film Study" will always be far softer and, if not easier, at least looser.

Ochem, integral physics, electromagnetism, and organic chemistry all aren't required courses for a bachelors. That has me feeling a bit easier.
It in theory gets harder and harder each year but if you keep the stuff from the previous courses with you, and keep the same study group all 4 years it stays at the same- slightly easier/harder difficulty.

 Altenburger wrote:
I was choosing between Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at PSU and Mathematical Physics at WSU. Now, I still consider applying for an MSc by Research >> Theoretical Physics at Swansea University. But do I need it anyway? Any experience with Theoretical Physics? Or should I just write my essay to apply now and get an online degree and calm down?

What can I do with a Mathematical Physics degree? I was an intern at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo (1 year paid internship), but when my contract was over I just became a couch potato...

 Polonius wrote:
If Organic Chemistry is required (as it is for chemical engineers), that's a ball buster of pure memorization. It also doubles as the classic pre-med weed out course, so not only does it reward rote learning, you're competing against kids that thing they want to be doctors.

Really? Most of chemistry, but organic chemistry in particular is basically just one giant game of "hunt the electron". Once you figure out why and how the free electron goes where it does, you don't actually need to memorize all the different compounds, just look for the common denominator "stable" structure and follow that subatomic rascal down the rabbit hole.
That's how I treated it and it worked rather well for me without rote memorization.

 TheSaintofKilllers wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:
My school had its share of 'weed um out' class at different levels. In the biology course, Biology 101 was actually the weed um out class. My school offered alternative courses for those not actually pursuing degrees in the subject like "Cultural Chemistry." In Comp Sci it was the Operating Systems course.

Frankly though a 'weed um out' class isn't necessarily designed to be such. The simple fact of the subject may be that it it reaches a point where people without the talent or where with all can't keep up. The biology class at my school struck me as a course specifically designed to tell students "you are here to be completely serious about this subject or gtfo" where as the operating systems course was simply a naturally breaking point where my own limitations prevented me from going any farther (me and numerous others, the comp sci department had twice the students before that class as it does after).

That's STEM for you. The main problem is flat out bad teachers. With a great teacher and study group any person without the "gift" can get a B-
I have my Plan Bs. And B-G.....
But I've always been great at math, specifically the math encountered in physics, and I've always loved engineering.
This is actually relatively off topic because I was looking for advice. After we get that we can go into how stupid weed out classes being significantly more difficult than the actual major classes themselves is.

Eh. My own experience from both sides of the room is that the students are their own limiting factor.

If 'weed out' classes (a term I'd honestly not heard before, especially for undergrads) are a problem for students, its not the degree for them. If they're already willing to do the extra work in a study group, it isn't a problem.

You know I thought this was a new thread because I forgot I used to use Philosoraptor as an avatar and thought 'wow someone else with my name posted here' XD

This thread is from 2013, folks