High School Students

If engineering is one of the programs you are considering for your college degree, Engineering Recruitment can provide you with helpful guides on suggested coursework, an overview of the engineering curriculum, and recommended programs to help you prepare. Much of this information is integrated into our campus vist information sessions.

In addition, here are some things you can do in high school to help you academically prepare:

  • Enroll in the most challenging math courses your high school offers. You will be taking a significant amount of mathematics coursework in an engineering curriculum, so the more you know about this academic subject, the better prepared you will be! In addition, most four-year course projections of engineering degrees require students to begin calculus in their first semester. If your high school offers pre-calculus or calculus courses, take them! If you have to choose between taking a math course and a statistics course, the math course will be better preparation for engineering. 
  • Enroll in science coursework that is foundational to the majors in which you are interested. Thinking about pursuing a degree in chemical engineering? Take chemistry courses! Exploring the discipline of mechanical engineering? Try out physics! Interested in computer science? Sign up for a programming class! Enrolling in these courses will give you an introduction to important topics that you will encounter again in college, at a much deeper level. 
  • Keep in mind that, given the sequential nature of an engineering curriculum, college credit earned during high school will likely not shorten your time to graduation significantly. However, it does give you more flexibility with your courses and allows you to more easily incorporate co-curricular opportunities, such as study abroad programs or minors. 
  • Learn to manage your time. As an engineering student in college you will need to balance a rigorous courseload with other commitments, such as involvement in campus organizations, employment, practice schedules, and other experiences you choose to incorporate into your college career. 
  • Create an organization system. One of the biggest differences from your previous high school courses and your upcoming college courses is the expectation that you will keep track of your course responsibilities. Exams, midterms, projects, quizzes, papers, team meetings, and office hours all come with deadlines or time commitments. It is virtually impossible to remember all of that information. (You should conserve your mental capacity for more important information than due dates!) Try out different ways of organizing this information. Use a calendar or a weekly planner. Set reminders on your phone. Create to-do lists. Figure out the system that works best for you so you can hit the ground running during your first college semester!

To learn more about applying to the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University, please visit apply.osu.edu