1. Keys to Success in Engineering Study
Chapter 1
Keys to Success in Engineering Study

2. First things first…
Every one of you can be successful in graduating with your Bachelor of Science degree in engineering
Every one of you can be successful in graduating with your Bachelor of Science degree in engineering

3. You Can Do It! But,… Poorly prepared students have succeeded
Highly qualified students have failed
Why?

4. Be Aware of the Transition
This explains why highly qualified students have failed – with only in-class learning one achieves only 20% in college, compared to 80% in high school
Poorly prepared students have succeeded – they changed their attitudes and behavior to become successful engineering students
This explains why highly qualified students have failed – with only in-class learning one achieves only 20% in college, compared to 80% in high school
Poorly prepared students have succeeded – they changed their attitudes and behavior to become successful engineering students

5. What is Success?
Success is the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted
Unless there is something you desire, plan and attempt, there is no success
Unless there is something you desire, plan and attempt, there is no success

6. Goal Setting
How can you ever expect to get somewhere if you don’t know where you want to go?
Goals give you something to measure yourself against
Goals give your life direction

7. To become a successful engineering student is a process!
Identifying a clear goal (graduation in engineering!) and developing a strong commitment to that goal are the essential first steps in the process of achieving success.
Project: Design your Process for Becoming a “World-Class” Engineering Student
- Talk about project, show handout

8. Strategies for Strengthening Your Commitment
Clarifying your goals
Learning as much as you can about engineering
Prepare a roadmap
Don’t let adversity stop you
Increased knowledge will bring increased motivation – be inquisitive about engineering (we’ll talk more about it next week!)
You will face adversity-don’t be tempted to use it as an excuse to quit! Learn to say no.
A measure of your potential to succeed is how you handle adversity

9. Learn from Failures You must be willing to risk failure
From “Nine Commandments for the Entrepreneur”:
You must be willing to risk failure
You must passionately hate failure
Persistence is a necessity, just as is the willingness to acknowledge defeat and move on
Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight!
Japanese Proverb

10. No Deposit, No Return
Your education represents a significant deposit you are making in yourself
Your return-on-investment will be in direct relation to what you put in
Effort
Education
Return

11. Effort is both Time and Energy
We’ll talk later more about the best use of time, and how much time is sufficient
BUT: like biking, the more you train the farther you will go
Distance = Rate x Time
Completing a task (i.e. traveling a distance) requires that you devote energy or mental power (rate) and spend time on the task.
We’ll talk later more about the best use of time, and how much time is sufficient
BUT: like biking, the more you train the farther you will go

12. The Good News
Your success in the study of engineering is in your control
How well you perform depends on your effort
Completing a homework requires to devote adequate time and mental power
You can choose to do it or choose not to do it

13. These are attitudes – sound familiar?
I lack confidence in my ability to succeed in engineering study.
I have a tendency to sabotage my success.
I tend to blame others for my failures.
I don’t see any need to change myself or to grow or develop.
I’m generally unwilling to seek help from others.
I tend to procrastinate, putting off the things I need to do.
I tend to avoid doing things that I don’t enjoy.
I hate to read
I avoid contact with my professors outside the classroom.
I prefer to study alone rather than with other students.
Ask: Who can identify themselves with at least one of these statements?
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Ask: Are these positive or negative attitudes?
Ask: Who thinks you are in control or that you can change your attitude?
Who thinks you are in control or that you can change your attitude?

14. Positive attitudes produce positive results
Positive attitudes produce positive results. Negative attitudes produce negative results.
Ask: Do you agree with this statement?
Do you agree with this statement?

15. Keys to Success in Engineering Study
Attitude – “Think Positively”
Effort – “Work Hard”
Approach – “Work Smart”
We will talk more about the “Work Smart” approach later in the semester
We will talk more about the “Work Smart” approach later in the semester

16. Group Discussion Exercise Ability vs. Effort
Divide into groups of five or six and discuss the following issue:
Do you believe that people succeed because of their ability,
That some people “have it” while others don’t?
Or do you believe that people succeed because of their effort?
Which do you think is more important: ability or effort? Why?
Select a group leader to keep the discussion on topic and a recorder who will report out for the group.
Make sure you note the important conclusions in your notebook. Make a heading:
Date:
Group Discussion – Ability vs. Effort

17. Assignment due next Week
Read Chapter 2, sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 of the textbook
Note your opinions of the sections in your notebook
Note questions, issues or perspectives you have/gained
Prepare a statement, your statement, to the question: What is engineering? Write this statement in your journal.
Homework #1:
a) List ten benefits of graduating in engineering. Rank them in order of importance to you
b) Graduating with a BS degree in engineering: How important is that goal for you? How can you make it even more important?
Homework #1 needs to submitted as doc(x) or pdf file through Canvas ( submissions will not be accepted)