[Corsa GT]

I've read various threads on the forum, and talk to Kevin (Trackbird) frequently, and just figured this would be a good place to put my question out there. I can't very well get it answered if I don't ask.

I'm fresh out of high school, and currently plan on going to Kettering University (the former GMI) in the fall. My question is this: What exactly goes on during an average day for you guys? I'm talking automotive mechanical, of course. I love playing around with my Miata, thoroughly enjoyed my short ownership period of an LT1 TA, and have been learning intensively about cars in the last few years. I always find myself wondering how something could be improved when tackling a problem, or processing a variety of ways to attack a problem. I strongly feel this is something I want to do, and could enjoy doing for quite some time.

What I don't want is to be sitting in front of AutoCad for 10 hours a day, 50 weeks a year. This is not saying I don't want to use something like that weekly, even daily, just not all day every day. I'm not an artist, either, much past giving poor representations during dinner on napkins (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) . I see myself wanting to be with a few other people, bouncing ideas back and forth, finding shortcomings and improvements on each other's. I don't mind working the often required late hours, nor do I mind traveling. I'm not sure how much it really matters, but when I recently took a questionnaire through school a few months ago, asking me about my interests, interaction habits, and other personality traits, engineering was high an the list of recommended occupations.

With all of that out of the way, I come back to the initial question: What is an average day like? Is there any advice you can give me about this field? I appreciate any and all input. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[z28barnett]

Is this to say that it is more important to focus on study groups, extracirricular activity, and job involvement/performance than over GPA? I'm not a natural 4.0 student...but with little to moderate effort I can pull low 4's in a weighted high school scale. It's just that I don't try very hard unless I'm interested. Lucky me I love math..I got all A's in my Trig class. The mental involvement is exciting. Anyways, would it be in my best interest to try and achieve a ~3.3+ GPA and focus on other things, or get a (nearly, or outright) 4.0 and use the remaining time for other items?

If you get less than a 3.0 many doors will close in your face.

If you get a 4.0 you have many additional chances.

If you think you can get that at a college level without your full effort, you are unrealistic.

Half of engineering students don't finsh the program.

If you go into the first two years expecting to fight for every grade, you might have a good chance.

I had a professor hand out K-Mart applications after a test in a 5hr-calculus class. If you didn't like the grade, here was your option, K-Mart.

If you want to screw around, do yourself a favor and start in Bussiness school and save yourself the wasted time.

I can still recall walking out of a physics class with a score of 34/100 feeling gut shot, guess what, that was a high "C" after the curve was drawn.

I would paint you a pretty picture like the other guys, but you should be ready to Man-Up, this can get ugly.

Best of luck

Z28