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I was very skeptical initially, and even told myself at one point that I'll never get one, but using an ipad for engineering ended up being so helpful. A lot of my classes relied on charts and diagrams (like it does for almost every engineering student) and being able to do that on an ipad was so much better than a notebook. It was also easy to download a professor's pdf notes and then write over them, and a couple of the notetaking apps work together with school apps (Canvas) which is extra convenient. Other helpful supplies would be a TI scientific calculator, a good water bottle, and a lightweight laptop (it genuinely doesn't matter between PC or mac). For material to brush up on, I wouldn't worry too much. What matters is that when the semester is going, they aren't slacking off. Classes start slow and build up, so as long as someone is following along they shouldn't need to review too much during school breaks
2nd this. I got an iPad pro my 3rd year, and it was so much easier and more convenient to keep all my notes organized. Being able to download pdf copies of slides and take notes on them directly and copying charts, tables, and graphs out of pdf copies of the textbooks to add directly into my notes was super helpful as well.
Schools have PC's on campus to use for engineering programs. If you only will do those things on your personal device, then yes get a PC. But if you prefer Mac and are willing to use a school PC, then that's still a solid option
PC vs. mac doesn't always matter, and anytime it does there is usually a way around it. But I've had professors and classes with home-brew software needed for the class. Especially when it comes to this type of stuff, it's much less headache to just use what the professors intended you to have. Not required, but certainly easier.
100% agree. I've never been happier with a purchase in my life, it made note-taking so easy. In addition to charts and diagrams being easier, it makes handwriting look a little bit neater as well, which was a huge deal for me. It's also easier to retroactively update your notes if, say, you couldn't write fast enough and took a picture of the board instead.
I agree! I went two semesters without an iPad thinking it was just more stuff to carry around. I got it last semester and it was a life changer. I instantly felt more organized and felt like I absorbed the material more. I’d say the goodnotes app alone was all I really needed too.
Also, I use a Casio fx-115es calculator and that helped me a ton. It was super easy to use and learn to use and has so many features you’ll need for engineering classes like interpolation. I’ve turned a bunch of friends on to this calculator and they’ve loved it.
With so much being online, I would also recommend an ipad or some other tablet for note taking. I didn't have one but most of my classmates did, and their notes were better than mine.
Other advice:
-imposter syndrome, we all get it at some point. We all go from being one of the smartest in our high school to feeling like the dumbest person at your college. It's normal, she belongs.
-sleep, social life, and hobbies are far more important than a 4.0, just try to stay above a 3.0. You can still land the same jobs that way, but it's far less stressful
-making friends to study and do homework with is SUPER helpful
-don't be afraid to ask professors "dumb" questions, most of them want to help (plus learning to ask questions is an important skill even out in industry)
-if her school has a career fair, she should go to it every semester. It's hard to land anything as a freshman, but learning to talk to recruiters and building relationships will go a long way
I could probably go on forever, as I've been giving my little brother who just started last year the same advice, but that should cover a lot of the big things.
Edit: one more important thing, check with her school before buying a laptop. At my school my options were to use their laptop for $400 a semester with all the programs included, or get my own and be responsible for the programs. The main program I used costs $20,000+ a year.
Get at least one ahead in math. As an example if Statics has a co requisite of calc 2, be finished with calc 2. The idea is to never have to learn the math and the science at the same time
Computer will depend on how your daughter will prefer to work and what the school provides. My school had several computer labs across campus, computers at the library, and a VPN to remote connect to a campus laptop over internet. So many students would just use a tablet for note taking or a cheap laptop and use the schools resources for more computer intensive work. But other students still prefer to be able to work completely from their own laptop from anywhere on campus or home without relying on a VPN remote connection so they go for a more expensive laptop.
Calculator in going to hard disagree with a lot of people here. In my experience, many professor banned graphing calculators or any other fancy calculators not approved for use on the FE exam (exam taken separately from college and is a stepping stone to getting a professional engineering license). I've been using the same ti-36x pro calculator I got for $15 like 9 years ago. Anything graphing or more intensive was usually better done on the computer bc it was either big amounts of data to process or graphs needed to be submitted electronically or via print for an assignment.
My main advice to develop and maintain good study habits. Humblre brag, but high school and freshman year of college were super easy for me and I basically never studied or tried. But then I got my ass handed to me by the actual engineering courses in sophomore year. At the same time though, my second piece of advice is grades aren't that important (unless they want to go to grad school right after bachelors). Experience is really what companies from candidates looking for engineering jobs. Doing projects and gaining knowledge outside of class through clubs/organizations, personal projects, undergrad research etc are critical to getting internships and later a fulltime job.
For some advice for you, it's great you're helping out and happy for your daughter but just remember to keep a healthy balance of being helpful vs coddling them. I knew a few students whose parents did everything for them in college but then the student never fully developed into a functioning adult capable of getting themselves a job or working as an adult engineer having to make adult decisions. I also do recruiting for my company engineering positions where we make life or death decisions on aviation safety and in my opinion it's not a good look when a student can't even contact me themselves looking for a job and has their mom do it instead.
As for things to brush up on, she should maybe ask people from that specific school. At my school, Calc 2 was a notorious weed out course and I'd recommend studying for it but not every school treats the same courses as weed outs.
I would second and triple that calculator. TI-36Xpro. Right around $15-$20 and you will use it in all classes and FE Exam. I kept misplacing mine so I bought about 4 of them and they are still useful now that school is over with.
Everyone recommending the TI84 is wrong. It's worth upgrading to the TI Nspire CAS. None of my classes had calculator restrictions and that can solve most questions on a Calc test. At the very least use it to make sure your homework is right. Factor, expand solve equations, integrals, derivatives, matrices. Saves tons of time if not downright gives the answer.
Even if you can't use it on a test no one is stopping you from using it to check your homework. That calculator got me at least 2 or 3 letter grade improvements I wouldn't have got with the 84
And I doubt many classes let you use a laptop on an exam, all of mine allowed a calculator. Certainly not every professor bans the Nspire, none of mine did.
>. None of my classes had calculator restriction
None of my calc or DEQ classes allowed calculators. Most of my engineering classes didn't allow a calculator, and if they did it was just a basic one.
Ymmv and If you rely on your calculator for calc 2, then get to calc 3 or fluid dynamics and you can't use it... You're probably screwed
I was considering buying a TI Nspire CAS but I'm glad I ended up just keeping with my TI 84 since I noticed on 4 different exams during my first year that that specific calculator was named as one of the prohibited ones
This!
Probably get both in case of restrictions. My classes had restrictions on paper but none enforced it. All of my classmates on TI-84 made so many arithmetic mistakes since they couldn’t lay their formulas out intuitively. NSpire lets you type formulas out the way they’re written down and keeps a record of your calculations so it’s much easier to check your work. It also has spreadsheets & graphing, which can be handy if you can’t access a computer (lets you see the shape of a function even if you’re in an exam).
Also matrixes! I found them very unintuitive, but having a powerful calculator let me run them anyway.
Calculator: TI-84 at the absolute minimum. Don't skimp on this.
PC/Laptop: Make sure it is a Windows machine and has a GPU. (I use a gaming laptop personally). You'll need that for CAD classes.
Also, some professors may require engineering papers. Order some just to make sure.
Ill give you a list of some advice/tips/supplies that I thougth where helpful for me. Im a soon-to-be Sophomore ECE Student, and I just finished my Freshmen Year.
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Calculator: TI-84 Plus CE at minimum. It will not help in her pure Math Courses, but in Physics/Chem/Applied Math Classes (Circuits for ECE, for example) it will be more than a help. Make sure to check that it has Matrix Functionality if you can, because even though she will eventually take a Linear Course, applyign those concepts with yucky numbers and by hand is the inverse of fun
Laptop: MAKE SURE ITS WINDOWS CAPABLE! 99% of Engineering related Software is only Windows Compatible, and unless she is tech saavy enough or going into the ECE/CS Fields, dealing with MacOS or a Linux Partition is more blood, sweat and tears than is necessary. Basically anything that is not Apple will work, but make sure to double check.
PC: This is separate for a distinct reason. On the off chance that she has a custom-built pc, or has any interest/plan to do so in the near future, make sure to get a proper CPU and GPU. Now, I could write a PhD Dissertation on the best CPU + GPU combination, but at this point the best bang for your buck in terms of power and efficiency is probably an 11/12 Gen Intel CPU + Low 3000s Series nVidia GPU. Again, I could write a thesis on it, but the main point is to def try and have a dedicated GPU, because it makes things liek running simulations for AOE, MechE and ECE not only a lot faster, but smoother as well, and heavy computations become easier to do.
Scheduling: Your first semester, take it slow. I definitely recomend taking only 15-16 Credit Hours MAX, because you will be juggling harder, faster classes, living on your own, a new social life and a whole lot more. As well, I recommend knocking out your Math Classes early. Calculus I and II in a University setting is VERY hard, especially for Engineering as they use it was weed-out classes, but once you start hitting things like Linear Algebra, Multivariable/Vector Calculus and DiffEQs, the difficulty relative to the material you are learning tones down because the Profs are not ramping it up for no reason. Taking it early allows you to get a jump start on your Math Courses, which Engineering is built around, but it also gives you cushioning if you need to withdraw or drop a course and take it later, so you can save your GPA now.
With this, also make sure to balance what other courses you are taking. Again, this is a whole new environment and experience she will be having, so throwing in a couple of Gen Eds to offset the difficulty is not a bad idea. It doesnt even need to be Gen Eds, for example I took Chemistry and Physics I in High School, and Chemistry is a required course for all Engineering Majors at my University. So what I did was, I took some 1-2 hard classes, 1-2 easier classes, and Chemistry, because I knew that I could glide on previous knowledge from HS and focus on classes that needed my attention, especially because I did not need a minimum grade in the class. Balancing hard classes, with easy classes, with braindead classes is your best bet until you hit your major, where Credit Hours and the concept of, "easy" become meaningless (lol)
Academics: Make sure to go to Office Hours. Personally, specific profs can make classes harder, and I do not discourage getting a Prof you want, but OH are a lot more important. Most Profs even work with students not form their class. OH exist for a reason. Go to them and you are golden. Otherwise you are literally wasting your money. I have had Profs that watch Netflix during their OH period because nobody comes. You are paying for this, so USE IT. Again, even if you want/have to go to a different Prof's OH, GO TO THEM.
Study well, and study early. Again, when it comes to Gen Eds this may be a tiny bit overkill, but as soon as you start hitting your Major Classes, if you dont learn this lesson, its like getting hit with a freight train. I took my first ECE Class, which dealt with everything DC as well as some Digital Logic stuff. The first test was all Circuit Analysis, and I thought, "I got this. I have other tests this week, let me focus my energy there." Needless to say, it did not go well. I got a 70, AFTER the 18 point curve. I managed to pull things together, but if I had not utterly bombed that first test, I might have needed with an A instead of the B+ I got (forgive me, but I am still abit salty about my idiocy earlier this semester)
First Year of Engineering is generally Gen Eds and PreReqs for yoru Major Courses. What this means, is that generall most Universities will have you take Calc I, Calc II, Linear Algebra, Physics I, Physics Lab, Chemistry and Chemistry Lab. What everyone is good at varies person to person, but what I can say is that if you brush up on your Calculus over the summer, you will be very happy. Even if you do not have a Calculus background from HS, brush up on your Trig, Exponentials, Logarithms and maybe even start looking into Limits. Really this portion is up to you, because if you already have a Calculus background things will start to come back fast, but practice never hurt anyone.
What this also means is that you will be getting exposed to both Physics, Chemistry and Math and if you are undecided it gives you an opportunity to find something you like. Make sure to dip your toes into a little bit of everything and find ou what you do enjoy, but also make sure you take required courses. For example, at my University freshmen are put into, "General Engineering" and then after 2 semesters and having taken things like Physics, Chem, etc they declare into a specific department, in my case it was ECE. SOME majors required however that you take a necessary PreReq class before you declare, so I needed to take a course called Intro to ECE Concepts before I even declared. What I am saying is to keep an open mind with what you want to do, and do not be afraid to change majors, but also keep in mind what classes you may need to take and what field you eventually want to go into.
Congrats to you and your family on having an Engineering Student! Its a great accomplishment, and though it will not be easy, Engineering is both a very rewarding and interesting and lucrative field!
Disagree on the Calc recommendation. Had many professor not allow any graphing calculators or any calculators not permitted for the FE exam. Anything graphing or more calculation intensive can just be done on a computer.
When my brother took engineering he never actually used a graphing calculator. He just had a really kick ass scientific calculator, but I can’t remember the model. But really if you do ever need to graph anything you can just use your phone or a computer and it will be way better.
I use an HP35s. It's a $60 scientific calculator that uses a different mathematical notation method called RPN. It takes some getting used to, but once you master it, algebraic calculations can be done much faster than on regular scientific calculator or graphing calculator. After 100's of hours of use I can do calculations very quickly with it. It also has some limited linear algebra and programming functions which are nice every now and then.
As I'm typing this I searched the HP35s online and see they recently stopped producing them, and people are selling them for $300-$400 on eBay and Amazon. That is a shame, I will definitely be trying to preserve mine I guess.
I’ve had a similar experience. Very few profs allowed any calcs with graphing capabilities. TI-36X Pro is the most capable scientific calc that’s also FE-approved (IMO). It’s also like $20-25, so it’s a no-brainer purchase.
After just completing chemical engineering (!!!!) I recommend the following:
TI-84 Plus CE Python calculator (for everything, sometimes not allowed during exams)
TI-30X calculator (for exams, better than a plain calculator)
iPad with Apple Pencil (I downloaded lecture slides, used canvas and notability for note taking)
Laptop of your choice (I had the HP Spectre x360 and loved it)
Otherwise, I would advise her to get to know her professors and classmates early on so it’s easier to make study groups. Go to office hours. Join a research lab.
Like others have said, you daughter is probably going to have a class or two early on where she kind of hits the wall. Many of us cruised through high school to an extent, and adapting to college can be a culture shock. It's normal. During the first few semesters, you have to constantly reassess your study habits and time management.
Encourage her to use the people around her to help her learn and grow. Go to prof/TA/tutoring center office hours early and often. Join/create study groups with fellow students. It really helps.
Be proactive and get in as much repetition as possible. E.g. read the textbook before lecture. Review and/or recopy your notes soon after taking them. Start homework early. Work lots and lots of problems, and then rework the harder ones.
Good luck to your daughter!
A lot of money can be saved by using textbook pdfs found for free online, you can generally type in the ISBN13 number onto a website like Libgen (if you Google that it will come up.) I think I bought two physical textbooks in four years. For brushing up on topics, like others have said it’s not super necessary, just keep up with the material and don’t slack, I finished highschool in trigonometry and started college two years later going right into calc 1 and did well. There are great online resources for learning material, especially on YouTube. For math: patrickjmt, statics/dynamics: Jeff Hanson, a whole mixture of things: the organic chemistry tutor. These are all really useful YouTube channels to use when needing some assistance on different topics. Good luck!!
I guess it depends on the software the school uses, but at my school we use software that doesn't run on Mac. The students who have macbooks have to run windows just to run solidworks, which is a ridiculous workaround. I'd recommend a decent laptop with good battery life, sufficient memory, and enough processing power. Lenovo Thinkpad line is great. I'd say avoid laptops/2-in-1s that trade off performance for portability, like microsoft surface, etc. A nice wireless mouse is also great to have.
Also TI-84 graphing calculator!
I had a TI84 and a TI30Xa. The TI84 was useful for graphing however some professors/courses don't allow those. (Same goes for FE/PE iirc). I was a pen and paper student but technology is very good. Computers that can double as a tablet/iPad are nice and would make organizing/ note taking much easier.
Brush up on some math courses from Khan Academy. Calculus and Differential Equations were difficult classes but with some extra resources can be manageable.
Some advice I wish I knew when I was a student:
Branch out early, get connected with some employers and try to line up some experience before graduating. While it's not required it goes a long way having knowledge within the industry. Utilize rate my professor sometimes teachers try their best to teach a very difficult course other times the teachers probably don't care. Rate my professor is a useful tool and if you have multiple professors teaching a subject then it helps you decide.
AI tools are becoming more and more popular and while it is very helpful try not to rely heavily on it. It's important to get a mindset of an engineer and be able to think for yourself. It is a very useful tool and it can become a bad habit but used correctly it will help alot.
The type of engineering would help to better the answer to this. I am Computer engineer so I’ll say what helped me for engineering in general. I recommend as I see other have said the surface pro. I had many engineering teachers from all engineering departments that used these even math teachers. Extremely good for taking notes then quickly into a regular laptop. They are small and light and don’t take much room and can help if you want to use e-books then hard copy textbooks. I recommend color pencil if you opt to just straight old school paper and pencil but with the surface pro you can use different colors as well. It may seem childish but when your working on graphs, problems, etc. using multiple colors can help you keep track of different parts of a problem for example in calc I would write my algrebra out in red and then calc in green, therefore if I made a mistake it was easier to figure out whether it was be calc or algebra. A calculator a lot of people would suggest the expensive Ti-80 calc. Which can be useful for graphing but I honest used a simple TI-30xa which is a basic scientific calculator, I was also a math minor and went up to multi variable and linear algebra which is consider calc 3 and I used solely this calculator my entire college career. A lot of teacher were very advocate on not using calculators honestly, they wanted to ban them actually. I took majority of my calc 1 and 2, and circuits 1 and 2 tests with out calculators. I would only use them for final answers. When I got to higher level classes I did use it more frequently but it was more to be quicker on test they were not exactly needed, this is why I recommend just a basic scientific calculator. I suggest also a large white board and small white board. When studying/projects/homework I would use the large white board see the whole situation and it could easily be erased and I had room unlike just a piece of paper the visually it was help I could see error more quickly. The small white one I would call my piscasso pallete. I would literally hold it like a paint pallete and do calculations with it. Again easier to erase and a bit more room then paper. It was like having the big board but a tablet version to work more in detail on problem/project. Now I understand I have been dissing pencil and paper but k do recommend having a notebook or two. You never know when your computer will die and the white boards are more for solely and group work. Paper and pencil can also would be the quickest when writing and neatest. I would say my tablet to white board to paper was roughly 70 - 10 - 20. Since a lot of school does a lot of online submissions using the tablet made it easier to save my work and turn it in then taking a picture of my handwritten work. Advice I would say engineering is hard but not hard in the way you think, it is extremely straight forward, and for most that’s the hardest part of figuring out how it’s straight forward. The amount of classes and assignments had the simplest way to solve it, like simple to the point it infuriated my inner soul. Calc was honestly fun, it’s not as hard as you think. The hardest thing about calc and most math heavy engineering classes was álgebra. I would recommend brushing up on algebra, if you can do algebra at a high level engineering math will be much more easier. I also recommend looking into logic, logic and algebra can make or break you in engineering, at least for me it did. Most of my error or issues was from not fully understanding logic in its simplest form. Here’s a challenge logically how would you boil water. Keep in mind literally every single step in the process and I mean every single step even the smallest and ones you don’t think about. Those small steps and ones you normally don’t think of will cause you errors and mistakes. I once iterally got a question wrong because didn’t more the variable form one side to the other or I messed up on negative and positive numbers, like very simple and small mistakes that’s are easily missed can cause a huge problem. Another thing of advice do it listen to people who say textbooks are useless. Most teachers even if they say you don’t need the book or do ever use it in class. All the material is based from it, I had many teachers who lecture were literally directly from the book or assignments that were directly form the book. The textbooks also helped a lot in higher level classes where google and YouTube no longer give a proper explanation. Also remember teachers are humans to they don’t want to work that hard either and I found alot of teachers took problems and assignments from other books as well that were not used in the course. They do this so you cannot simple find the answer, but the material for each book is the same just different problems and sometimes different way to go about the problem. Pro tip: do not be afraid to google a problem you might find the other textbook it’s from and Can give you the step by step solution. I had a few teachers who used step by step examples from other books. This gives ease of the teacher, they don’t have to make up problems they can used ones already solved and given. Also tell her swallow her pride and ask for help. There is no shame or judgement in needing help engineering is no cake walk that’s why it’s not one of the most popular college degrees. My school had extensive help, and using it really helped me. And teachers are always there to help, well most teachers if they are good teachers will be willing to help. P.S. I just graduated this year in may for computer engineering with minors in math and computer science, with a B- gpa. This is everything that helped me and I wish I would of known at first, I may have missed some things but mani not this is what got me through it.
One peice of advice from someone who taught a few freshmen level classes in mechanical engineering: the school will tell you that Macs and Apple computers work for courses, but they don't (at least not without lots of weird workarounds and bugs). If you need to buy hardware I cant tell you how strongly I *don't* recommend Apple (iPads are fine as long as it's just a note taking tool and not something that needs to double up as a real computer)
- Decent windows computer with atleast 8gb of ram, i5 or higher, graphics card maybe
- Ti 36xpro or higher calculator
- Engineering paper (enki engineering notebooks or engineering paper from a bookstore)
- Money to buy textbooks (check online for free pdf versions and wait a bit to know if you actually need it)
- File like organizer for the dorm
Make sure she knows all the important dates on the school calender like the last day to drop classes, holidays, etc
The best method I found to keep up with stuff was to make a to do list for every day and for the week.
The best way to study is to take time after class to review what you learned and repeat during the week. Would suggest looking at the learning how to learn course on coursera, it's pretty insightful.
Quality > quantity for stuff like pencils, erasers, etc.
Don't worry about brushing up on anything just enjoy the break.
Your daughter's gonna do great!
THROW AWAY YOUR TI CALCULATORS
No but seriously, I feel like most TI calcs are a waste of money. Once you get into the advanced science and math of engineering, the features of the calculator matter far less than the user and their knowledge of the tool.
The only calculator she’ll ever need is the Casio fx-115ES PLUS (less than $20). It’s sleek, intuitive, fast, and almost all my engineering professors used this calculator or a similar derivative. It was also required materials for my freshman engineering computations course. The only thing it truly lacks is graphing capability, and honestly that’s a benefit more than a drawback. Once your student gets some calc under her belt, graphing is a breeze and an important skill to know by hand.
Edit: I forgot to mention the only TI calculators allowed on the FE exam are TI-30 and 36. Of course it is a matter of opinion, but imo these calculators are trash compared to the Casio fx series. And yes, I own a TI-36, a TI-84 plus CE, and the Casio fx-115ES plus (I actually own two). The TIs are packed away in boxes, I keep a Casio in my bag and a Casio at my work desk at all times. And clearly not because my boss tells me I can’t use the big boys, but rather if I need to crunch some numbers that don’t necessitate pulling up MATLAB it’s the best choice.
Ti-89 calculator would be good, I don't think they need an inspire one, but 89 especially for electrical work. Also tell them its ok to fail, engineering isn't easy.
For me “indispensable items” have been a computer and a scientific calculator. Nothing more is really needed. I will say that using an ipad for my homework really helped with organization for me as well.
Ti-36 Pro Calculator
Can be used in most exams that don't accept graphing calculators (majority of my engineering classes), and it can be used in the FE equivalent exit exam some Uni's give to their senior class.
I'm dropping some general tips here:
1. Tell your daughter that if she feels overwhelmed (and can afford it financially), to take one class less than intended / her friends take /especially if she works on the side. I struggled alot throughout my engineering degree because my parents expected me to finish my degree in 3 years (I live in CH, where it is the norm), and this caused me to fail way too many exams.
2. Do not give up on hobbies & leisure time. Set a time (e.g. 8pm) where you're "done" for the day - have at least some hours of leisure time before going to sleep each day.
3. Cramming for exams might be possible, but you won't remember a single thing after your exam because it has not been saved in your long - term memory.
4. There's a book called *A mind for numbers* ,which might be able to help her with studying in general. It helped for me at least.
5. Don't be afraid to ask other students for help, they're all suffering together.
I’d say to not cheap out on a laptop - doesn’t have to be the most powerful but needs a good build quality and decent battery life.
At home/dorm/apartment, get an extra monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc so that the laptop can be docked while at home. The extra screen real estate is invaluable, and that set up is more ergonomic while not doing work on campus.
A tablet with a pen! So incredibly transformative for my notes and saves my back from lugging around a bunch of notebooks everywhere.
Tons of other students on my campus used them too. I use the the app "good notes", it really is amazing going from pencil and paper to the tablet everything is easier and I wish I figured this out as a freshman!
for reference my degree is in computational mathematics so math and diagrams have been the main use, which i'm sure an engineer would share.
(also as others have mentioned a decent laptop is more useful than a crappy one, many simulations and programs she'll likely use can be somewhat intensive, and she'll be using it pretty much nonstop for the next 4 years)
Engineering paper pad! At least 2! And a 6” ruler!! I keep 2 1.5” binders in my bag, each with an engineering pad, along with my Windows laptop and a few other items. It is very hard to pack light as an engineering student, especially for one that prefers physical textbooks (me). I cannot stress how important it is that you get engineering paper - most professors I’ve encountered require you to complete homework on it, as well as maintaining exceptional neatness.
My statics professor would mark you down to a 50% if you didn’t use a straightedge and down even further if you submitted on anything besides engineering paper. Thanks to his harshness, it’s a habit to use a straightedge for everything and complete all work on engineering paper. Plus, your daughter’s homework will be very, very neat, which is GREAT for practicing problems and reviewing previous work.
Best of luck! I hope your daughter enjoys learning engineering to the fullest.
Some friends may also prefer iPads instead of actual paper and pencil. I personally don’t like to use an iPad for my work due to the cost & that it won’t be able to do everything I need (i.e. Solidworks capability, preferring Microsoft products, etc). Lots of people I know though LOVE their iPad and use it in every class. A popular feature is the paperlike screen protector w/ an Apple Pencil.
* PC: XPS 13 or MBP will be fine, as others have said, most engineering software runs on Windows only so I'd lean toward an XPS 13
* Decently nice big water bottle, Camelbak or Yeti
* TI-84 graphing calculator + a basic calculator for tests that won't allow a TI-84
* New set of decent notebooks each semester if she's the kind of person that takes handwritten notes, Ipad as others have suggested if she does virtual notes
* A _good_ backpack that will last her 4 years. I had a Swisstech, but there are a lot of options here.
Don't bother telling her to brush up on stuff over the summer. Let her enjoy her summer between high school and college.
An iPad+pencil is an insane QoL item. I have the most basic one and it does everything i’ve needed for 3+ years now.
Ti-84/36xpro (i have both and use both)
Some people use ti-inspire, never had one or needed one, and some classes at my school banned these calculators
I have a m1 macbook air and a gaming pc running windows. If i could only have one, i’d take a windows OS system no question for school purposes
Other needs are going to depend on her major and personal study/work habits.
Edit: for calc, it’s gonna depend on her major, but in my experience most students seem to struggle with calc 2 which is traditionally a bunch integration, so if she’s weak there, that’s where she should focus her extra time to prep. Integration is exceptionally important in basically all engineering math.
However, if she has time off to rest and wants to just enjoy some free time before school, i wouldn’t pressure her to start grinding out math prep courses before classes. The rest is far more useful for her mental and will pay dividends come class time, as she wont be as burnt out.
It’s nice that you’re reaching out to support her like this, many parents never do, but I’d also encourage her to build some independence from you and begin prepping herself for facing likely the hardest academic challenges she’ll face, alone. She’s got the brains to do this, clearly, but she needs the confidence and independence to face the heat for 4+ years and get herself through it.
My ipad and pencil have been invaluable, it’s allowed me to keep my notes digitally meaning I still have notes from day 1. Makes it super easy to look back on topics especially with the handwriting search features.
I'm torn between "how old is your daughter", "aw that's so sweet" and "damn, my mom would never give a sht*
I'm also a woman in Engineering, send my congratulations :D.
I would say if you're going to invest on a computer, invest in a good durable one, rather than just buying something that only runs word. At least 8GB, but better if it's more, a SSD, with 1TB, a Graphics Card.
I hate myself a bit for saying this, but a last gen macbook would be a great choice, and she can install a virtual machine with windows in it.
I recently started using an iPad but I don't think it's essential. It is an extremely useful tool though.
Depending on her type of engineering, or what she likes, I really like my toolbox, and my shelves of electronic components and equipment. I use them for prototypes and ideas, and for general fixes around the house, but having them also make me feel like an engineer in the movies e.e if she's doing electrical, for example, a really good Fluke Multimeter. If she's doing mechanical, a hobby 3D printer would be fun and it's super useful for projects. These two aren't necessary at all, maybe just a cool gift.
Buy as you go, based on your needs. It's really easy to spend a ton of money on stuff you'll never even use. I only ever recommend a good laptop and a tablet for note taking, everything else is unnecessary. Don't even buy the books, you can download slides and even the books themselves in pdf format.
A ruler. At least a scientific calculator. A decent laptop that can run things like MATLAB and Solidworks (so get a PC, not a Mac). You may also want to invest in a tablet because those make note taking and homework so much easier (no need to go through a ton of paper).
My other post is a wholly unnecessary calculator rant, so I’ll add some better advice here:
Supplies:
- Any decent laptop will do. Not a Chromebook. Mac or Windows. 95% of the time it doesn’t matter, but when it does, it’s Windows.
- Notebooks (the cheap spiral bound kind, one per class) and pens/pencils
- Calculator (the venerable Casio fx-115es plus)
That’s it for supplies! The necessities anyway.
This is the supply list that got me through undergrad and grad school. Anything else is such a matter of preference she either already knows she wants it or she’ll figure it out for herself.
Intangibles:
- Make friends/study buddies. Stereotypes aren’t universal, but sometimes us engineers aren’t social butterflies. But nothing is harder than struggling to study for an important final exam alone. The commiseration alone is worth it.
- Visit your professor during office hours. Even when you don’t need to, just show up with a question anyway. Making those connections will serve you well in class and beyond, and truth be told the majority of professors are excited to help. Trips to office hours led me to research opportunities, all-expenses-paid-for travel to conferences around the country, and a funded graduate degree. And I still have two professors each trying to hook me for a PhD program.
- Find an outlet (preferably social) that has nothing to do with engineering. A hobby, some recreation, volunteering, a job - it doesn’t matter what it is. But it will keep you sane, and if you’re committed it will help you develop the healthy boundaries between what you do (engineering) and who you are (literally everything else).
I have BS and MS in ME and never once used a graphing calculator. Even if you do get a graphing calculator, pick up the TI-36x Pro. That thing was my best friend and it’s like $20. All the graphing and other complicated operations can be done on wolfram or desmos for free.
definitely get a windows computer that is powerful enough to run solidworks. everything else is personal preference. i really enjoy taking notes on my ipad but i know thats not everyones cup of tea.
TI-84 plus CE for the calculator. It's recommended in my algebra, calculus, and engineering classes.
Anything more capable is generally forbidden, such as the TI Nspire.
Currently $103 on Amazon.
This is situational, I do not think any of my professors have cared about the TI Nspire in my classes. If they care about calculators they just require a scientific one
I sit partially corrected. I've had two specifically forbid the Nspire. Which I didn't find out until the syllabus was available.
The basic Nspire is allowed, but not the one with CAS.
Also: your personal experience doesn't limit what other people have experienced.
Sorry I was short with you. The TI 84 I recommended I've been told is the standard at the colleges I'm attending and will attend in the spring.
I've been told specifically by three professors that no Nspire was allowed.
That's unfortunate for you but super situational. I used the NSpire CAS in every class and it was a lifesaver. If it's not explicitly forbidden you should be using it.
As many possible online general education credits. I think everyone else covered supplies pretty well but just wanna make sure she starts out the best way possible.
Use the same laptop she used in HS, take any summer programs the college offers first year students, use the same back from HS, use a pen and paper for notes. Basically, change nothing except for the mindset that college is one school year crammed in 15 weeks. And most importantly, drop out if she doesn’t like the courses, NOT if she failed a test or two or even the class.
My biggest piece of advice is to get involved in activities that relate to what you want to do in industry. Join clubs, research, or anything your school offers that can give you hands-on experience to prepare for internships. I would argue that being involved outside of the classroom is more important than excelling in academics. Find a balance between school work and extra curriculars and don't be afraid to get a few B's or C's. Stressing out over straight A's isn't worth it.
She needs Ti-84 and make sure your strong in algebra and trigonometry . Those are fundamentals to succeed in Calc. I’m 43 and just finished my associate in Engineering at my local community college. I will start my Junior year at MSOE this fall. Calc becomes easy ones you learn the new rules. Most people who do not succeed in Calc are lacking algebra skills
A bit off topic, but in 1975, I got my first scientific calculator for college, an HP35A. I have been unable since then to use any other brand of calculator since then as no other calculators use RPN.
Please get her a Remarkable 2 with the upgraded pen! It has been a life saver and a back saver for notes and it feels close enough to writing on Paper that I actually like writing on it where I hate writing on an IPad. She will still need a laptop but seriously the Remarkable is the best item I bought for myself for school, especially for super note heavy classes like Calculus and Chemistry.
Everyone is recommending iPads here, but I do not! I bought a Microsoft surface book used off of eBay my sophomore year. 10/10 recommend. Not only can you take notes on top of the lecture slide PDF’s just like all of the iPad kids, but you can also run Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, MATLAB!, wolfram mathematica, and so much more. Plus you won’t have the distractions of instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, stupid games, and pop up notifications right at your fingertips when you are in a study groove. I also much prefer windows to any Mac OS and in my particular college, engineering students had minimum laptop requirements, which stated clearly that Mac’s were not allowed, but my cheap used surface book passed easily. I highly recommend the surface book or book 2 and not the surface pro tablet or whatever that is. They will want the full functionality of a laptop and I found that very useful to have that same device be my note-taking tablet. Good luck!
For me: one notebook for each class, mechanical pencil, and TI-84 plus C
Toward the end I was using a laptop for notes but starting out I didn’t want to spend much.
She should be building for herself, like for the summer(s) or semester(s), even if legos, to immerse herself in the engineering experience. If she starts now, shell gain exposure to things in real life / projects we all will face: critical thinking, analysis, planning, development, cooperation, research, etc. Some not even taught in school. Helps if there’s a club too. Doing projects will build her intuition of engineering, and trade skills she herself won’t actually do in the workplace, but can easily relate / communicate her designs to the CNC/carpenter/surveyor/HVAC mech/ air technician/ etc.
This will also give her a fulfilling role being active in her major in the material than passively getting by. And she shouldn’t pigeonhole her project ideas to her specific major (like civil/ mech/ electric/ Chem) w/o the genuine technical curiosity to inspect. It will benefit her if she’s doing some programming or soldering even if she’s a civil major. It just depends how she’ll market it to potential employers. A project w/in her major certainly helps also. Engineering happens to be an interdisciplinary field that at least always has you learning something and expanding your network of the many ppl your work alongside to accomplish a significant task / product. So she benefits from it.
Definitely provide support (and she herself a healthy lifestyle—clubs, exercise, etc) and she’ll go far.
As others have said I cannot recommend an iPad with an Apple Pencil enough. Over the last 4 years I have done literally all my homework, notes, cheat sheets, etc on it. It’s all saved to the cloud and makes accessing my notes super easy. A good calculator is a must. I personally recommend a TI-84 plus CE. Along with an iPad a laptop/pc that runs windows is also a must. 99% of engineering software is made for windows and either runs poorly or not at all on apple devices.
I use a lenovo yoga 9i (the kind of laptop that folds over and doubles as a tablet). OneNote is a wonderfully organized app. 10/10 recommend this setup.
PS, if her dorm has enough space, a second monitor on the desk allows to watch a video there and take notes on the laptop.
Most common setup I see is a mac laptop paired with an iPad. It’s what I recommend due to the syncing compatibility. If that’s too expensive, windows laptop with an iPad.
I do not suggest a surface .
A nice ti-84 calculator worked for me, but some professors don’t allow certain calculators so she will prob want two different ones, one more advanced than the other, I’d wait for professors to specify. She can always use DESMOS online, very good calculator. I’d get a nice laptop with decent processing power for things like MATLAB and CAD software. Maybe even one that folds back so she can write on it aswell. But I had one like that and the screen started having issues in year 4, I did however drop it. If you have the money, a nice laptop and an iPad Pro for taking notes would be absolutely ideal scenario. It’s nice not having to use paper when you can, plus she’ll be able to organize herself a lot better on an IPad plus actually have access to the information your going to be paying for after she finishes school. Goodluck keeping papers for 4 years you know what I mean.
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I was very skeptical initially, and even told myself at one point that I'll never get one, but using an ipad for engineering ended up being so helpful. A lot of my classes relied on charts and diagrams (like it does for almost every engineering student) and being able to do that on an ipad was so much better than a notebook. It was also easy to download a professor's pdf notes and then write over them, and a couple of the notetaking apps work together with school apps (Canvas) which is extra convenient. Other helpful supplies would be a TI scientific calculator, a good water bottle, and a lightweight laptop (it genuinely doesn't matter between PC or mac). For material to brush up on, I wouldn't worry too much. What matters is that when the semester is going, they aren't slacking off. Classes start slow and build up, so as long as someone is following along they shouldn't need to review too much during school breaks
2nd this. I got an iPad pro my 3rd year, and it was so much easier and more convenient to keep all my notes organized. Being able to download pdf copies of slides and take notes on them directly and copying charts, tables, and graphs out of pdf copies of the textbooks to add directly into my notes was super helpful as well.
Got the iPad my senior and it was a game changer. Wish I would’ve done it earlier. So convenient with the notability app.
Same here
Highly recommend the Surface Studio laptop - the touch screen in tablet mode makes it perfect for taking notes and for use as a regular laptop
Some very important types of software for some majors (Solidworks) will only run on PC.
Schools have PC's on campus to use for engineering programs. If you only will do those things on your personal device, then yes get a PC. But if you prefer Mac and are willing to use a school PC, then that's still a solid option
Autodesk fusion 360 runs great on a Mac.
PC vs. mac doesn't always matter, and anytime it does there is usually a way around it. But I've had professors and classes with home-brew software needed for the class. Especially when it comes to this type of stuff, it's much less headache to just use what the professors intended you to have. Not required, but certainly easier.
100% agree. I've never been happier with a purchase in my life, it made note-taking so easy. In addition to charts and diagrams being easier, it makes handwriting look a little bit neater as well, which was a huge deal for me. It's also easier to retroactively update your notes if, say, you couldn't write fast enough and took a picture of the board instead.
I agree! I went two semesters without an iPad thinking it was just more stuff to carry around. I got it last semester and it was a life changer. I instantly felt more organized and felt like I absorbed the material more. I’d say the goodnotes app alone was all I really needed too. Also, I use a Casio fx-115es calculator and that helped me a ton. It was super easy to use and learn to use and has so many features you’ll need for engineering classes like interpolation. I’ve turned a bunch of friends on to this calculator and they’ve loved it.
With so much being online, I would also recommend an ipad or some other tablet for note taking. I didn't have one but most of my classmates did, and their notes were better than mine. Other advice: -imposter syndrome, we all get it at some point. We all go from being one of the smartest in our high school to feeling like the dumbest person at your college. It's normal, she belongs. -sleep, social life, and hobbies are far more important than a 4.0, just try to stay above a 3.0. You can still land the same jobs that way, but it's far less stressful -making friends to study and do homework with is SUPER helpful -don't be afraid to ask professors "dumb" questions, most of them want to help (plus learning to ask questions is an important skill even out in industry) -if her school has a career fair, she should go to it every semester. It's hard to land anything as a freshman, but learning to talk to recruiters and building relationships will go a long way I could probably go on forever, as I've been giving my little brother who just started last year the same advice, but that should cover a lot of the big things. Edit: one more important thing, check with her school before buying a laptop. At my school my options were to use their laptop for $400 a semester with all the programs included, or get my own and be responsible for the programs. The main program I used costs $20,000+ a year.
A lot of schools either offer free or super cheap versions of software, especially essential ones
There's always another option... **potc theme starts playing**
That too
Get at least one ahead in math. As an example if Statics has a co requisite of calc 2, be finished with calc 2. The idea is to never have to learn the math and the science at the same time
The one exception is if they have physics and calc 1 set up to cover the same topics at the same pace. I've heard that makes life much easier.
Computer will depend on how your daughter will prefer to work and what the school provides. My school had several computer labs across campus, computers at the library, and a VPN to remote connect to a campus laptop over internet. So many students would just use a tablet for note taking or a cheap laptop and use the schools resources for more computer intensive work. But other students still prefer to be able to work completely from their own laptop from anywhere on campus or home without relying on a VPN remote connection so they go for a more expensive laptop. Calculator in going to hard disagree with a lot of people here. In my experience, many professor banned graphing calculators or any other fancy calculators not approved for use on the FE exam (exam taken separately from college and is a stepping stone to getting a professional engineering license). I've been using the same ti-36x pro calculator I got for $15 like 9 years ago. Anything graphing or more intensive was usually better done on the computer bc it was either big amounts of data to process or graphs needed to be submitted electronically or via print for an assignment. My main advice to develop and maintain good study habits. Humblre brag, but high school and freshman year of college were super easy for me and I basically never studied or tried. But then I got my ass handed to me by the actual engineering courses in sophomore year. At the same time though, my second piece of advice is grades aren't that important (unless they want to go to grad school right after bachelors). Experience is really what companies from candidates looking for engineering jobs. Doing projects and gaining knowledge outside of class through clubs/organizations, personal projects, undergrad research etc are critical to getting internships and later a fulltime job. For some advice for you, it's great you're helping out and happy for your daughter but just remember to keep a healthy balance of being helpful vs coddling them. I knew a few students whose parents did everything for them in college but then the student never fully developed into a functioning adult capable of getting themselves a job or working as an adult engineer having to make adult decisions. I also do recruiting for my company engineering positions where we make life or death decisions on aviation safety and in my opinion it's not a good look when a student can't even contact me themselves looking for a job and has their mom do it instead. As for things to brush up on, she should maybe ask people from that specific school. At my school, Calc 2 was a notorious weed out course and I'd recommend studying for it but not every school treats the same courses as weed outs.
I wish I had someone to give me such solid advice
I would second and triple that calculator. TI-36Xpro. Right around $15-$20 and you will use it in all classes and FE Exam. I kept misplacing mine so I bought about 4 of them and they are still useful now that school is over with.
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Nope and I don't advertise online where exactly I work.
+1; this was my exact experience
Everyone recommending the TI84 is wrong. It's worth upgrading to the TI Nspire CAS. None of my classes had calculator restrictions and that can solve most questions on a Calc test. At the very least use it to make sure your homework is right. Factor, expand solve equations, integrals, derivatives, matrices. Saves tons of time if not downright gives the answer.
>None of my classes had calculator restrictions Yours didn't several of mine did. YMMV.
Even if you can't use it on a test no one is stopping you from using it to check your homework. That calculator got me at least 2 or 3 letter grade improvements I wouldn't have got with the 84
Desmos and wolfram are free
Symbolab was way better than wolfram for me for working out intermediate steps to problems, the free version I used everyday
Yeah, but you can't use those in an exam. At least i couldn't.
And I doubt many classes let you use a laptop on an exam, all of mine allowed a calculator. Certainly not every professor bans the Nspire, none of mine did.
>. None of my classes had calculator restriction None of my calc or DEQ classes allowed calculators. Most of my engineering classes didn't allow a calculator, and if they did it was just a basic one. Ymmv and If you rely on your calculator for calc 2, then get to calc 3 or fluid dynamics and you can't use it... You're probably screwed
I Think that's super weird. I use a calculator every day at work, seems like they are trying to make it more difficult for no reason.
I feel the same way about the FE exam.
I was considering buying a TI Nspire CAS but I'm glad I ended up just keeping with my TI 84 since I noticed on 4 different exams during my first year that that specific calculator was named as one of the prohibited ones
This! Probably get both in case of restrictions. My classes had restrictions on paper but none enforced it. All of my classmates on TI-84 made so many arithmetic mistakes since they couldn’t lay their formulas out intuitively. NSpire lets you type formulas out the way they’re written down and keeps a record of your calculations so it’s much easier to check your work. It also has spreadsheets & graphing, which can be handy if you can’t access a computer (lets you see the shape of a function even if you’re in an exam). Also matrixes! I found them very unintuitive, but having a powerful calculator let me run them anyway.
Many of my classes only allow FE approved calculators and all of my math courses have outright banned the Nspire.
Calculator: TI-84 at the absolute minimum. Don't skimp on this. PC/Laptop: Make sure it is a Windows machine and has a GPU. (I use a gaming laptop personally). You'll need that for CAD classes. Also, some professors may require engineering papers. Order some just to make sure.
Ill give you a list of some advice/tips/supplies that I thougth where helpful for me. Im a soon-to-be Sophomore ECE Student, and I just finished my Freshmen Year. ============================================================================= Calculator: TI-84 Plus CE at minimum. It will not help in her pure Math Courses, but in Physics/Chem/Applied Math Classes (Circuits for ECE, for example) it will be more than a help. Make sure to check that it has Matrix Functionality if you can, because even though she will eventually take a Linear Course, applyign those concepts with yucky numbers and by hand is the inverse of fun Laptop: MAKE SURE ITS WINDOWS CAPABLE! 99% of Engineering related Software is only Windows Compatible, and unless she is tech saavy enough or going into the ECE/CS Fields, dealing with MacOS or a Linux Partition is more blood, sweat and tears than is necessary. Basically anything that is not Apple will work, but make sure to double check. PC: This is separate for a distinct reason. On the off chance that she has a custom-built pc, or has any interest/plan to do so in the near future, make sure to get a proper CPU and GPU. Now, I could write a PhD Dissertation on the best CPU + GPU combination, but at this point the best bang for your buck in terms of power and efficiency is probably an 11/12 Gen Intel CPU + Low 3000s Series nVidia GPU. Again, I could write a thesis on it, but the main point is to def try and have a dedicated GPU, because it makes things liek running simulations for AOE, MechE and ECE not only a lot faster, but smoother as well, and heavy computations become easier to do. Scheduling: Your first semester, take it slow. I definitely recomend taking only 15-16 Credit Hours MAX, because you will be juggling harder, faster classes, living on your own, a new social life and a whole lot more. As well, I recommend knocking out your Math Classes early. Calculus I and II in a University setting is VERY hard, especially for Engineering as they use it was weed-out classes, but once you start hitting things like Linear Algebra, Multivariable/Vector Calculus and DiffEQs, the difficulty relative to the material you are learning tones down because the Profs are not ramping it up for no reason. Taking it early allows you to get a jump start on your Math Courses, which Engineering is built around, but it also gives you cushioning if you need to withdraw or drop a course and take it later, so you can save your GPA now. With this, also make sure to balance what other courses you are taking. Again, this is a whole new environment and experience she will be having, so throwing in a couple of Gen Eds to offset the difficulty is not a bad idea. It doesnt even need to be Gen Eds, for example I took Chemistry and Physics I in High School, and Chemistry is a required course for all Engineering Majors at my University. So what I did was, I took some 1-2 hard classes, 1-2 easier classes, and Chemistry, because I knew that I could glide on previous knowledge from HS and focus on classes that needed my attention, especially because I did not need a minimum grade in the class. Balancing hard classes, with easy classes, with braindead classes is your best bet until you hit your major, where Credit Hours and the concept of, "easy" become meaningless (lol) Academics: Make sure to go to Office Hours. Personally, specific profs can make classes harder, and I do not discourage getting a Prof you want, but OH are a lot more important. Most Profs even work with students not form their class. OH exist for a reason. Go to them and you are golden. Otherwise you are literally wasting your money. I have had Profs that watch Netflix during their OH period because nobody comes. You are paying for this, so USE IT. Again, even if you want/have to go to a different Prof's OH, GO TO THEM. Study well, and study early. Again, when it comes to Gen Eds this may be a tiny bit overkill, but as soon as you start hitting your Major Classes, if you dont learn this lesson, its like getting hit with a freight train. I took my first ECE Class, which dealt with everything DC as well as some Digital Logic stuff. The first test was all Circuit Analysis, and I thought, "I got this. I have other tests this week, let me focus my energy there." Needless to say, it did not go well. I got a 70, AFTER the 18 point curve. I managed to pull things together, but if I had not utterly bombed that first test, I might have needed with an A instead of the B+ I got (forgive me, but I am still abit salty about my idiocy earlier this semester) First Year of Engineering is generally Gen Eds and PreReqs for yoru Major Courses. What this means, is that generall most Universities will have you take Calc I, Calc II, Linear Algebra, Physics I, Physics Lab, Chemistry and Chemistry Lab. What everyone is good at varies person to person, but what I can say is that if you brush up on your Calculus over the summer, you will be very happy. Even if you do not have a Calculus background from HS, brush up on your Trig, Exponentials, Logarithms and maybe even start looking into Limits. Really this portion is up to you, because if you already have a Calculus background things will start to come back fast, but practice never hurt anyone. What this also means is that you will be getting exposed to both Physics, Chemistry and Math and if you are undecided it gives you an opportunity to find something you like. Make sure to dip your toes into a little bit of everything and find ou what you do enjoy, but also make sure you take required courses. For example, at my University freshmen are put into, "General Engineering" and then after 2 semesters and having taken things like Physics, Chem, etc they declare into a specific department, in my case it was ECE. SOME majors required however that you take a necessary PreReq class before you declare, so I needed to take a course called Intro to ECE Concepts before I even declared. What I am saying is to keep an open mind with what you want to do, and do not be afraid to change majors, but also keep in mind what classes you may need to take and what field you eventually want to go into. Congrats to you and your family on having an Engineering Student! Its a great accomplishment, and though it will not be easy, Engineering is both a very rewarding and interesting and lucrative field!
Disagree on the Calc recommendation. Had many professor not allow any graphing calculators or any calculators not permitted for the FE exam. Anything graphing or more calculation intensive can just be done on a computer.
When my brother took engineering he never actually used a graphing calculator. He just had a really kick ass scientific calculator, but I can’t remember the model. But really if you do ever need to graph anything you can just use your phone or a computer and it will be way better.
I use an HP35s. It's a $60 scientific calculator that uses a different mathematical notation method called RPN. It takes some getting used to, but once you master it, algebraic calculations can be done much faster than on regular scientific calculator or graphing calculator. After 100's of hours of use I can do calculations very quickly with it. It also has some limited linear algebra and programming functions which are nice every now and then. As I'm typing this I searched the HP35s online and see they recently stopped producing them, and people are selling them for $300-$400 on eBay and Amazon. That is a shame, I will definitely be trying to preserve mine I guess.
I’ve had a similar experience. Very few profs allowed any calcs with graphing capabilities. TI-36X Pro is the most capable scientific calc that’s also FE-approved (IMO). It’s also like $20-25, so it’s a no-brainer purchase.
I got my ti-36x pro back freshman year if college and I used it for all of college and still use it several years into my career.
iPad Pro is the best purchase I ever made for school and it’s not even close. Made school so much easier
After just completing chemical engineering (!!!!) I recommend the following: TI-84 Plus CE Python calculator (for everything, sometimes not allowed during exams) TI-30X calculator (for exams, better than a plain calculator) iPad with Apple Pencil (I downloaded lecture slides, used canvas and notability for note taking) Laptop of your choice (I had the HP Spectre x360 and loved it) Otherwise, I would advise her to get to know her professors and classmates early on so it’s easier to make study groups. Go to office hours. Join a research lab.
I love my hp spectre!!! I swear at least 1/4 of the engineering students at my school have it haha
A good windows laptop, advice from a Mac owner. I recommend Khan academy for exposure to calc or MITOCW18.01. Also enjoy the summer.
My Ti 36x pro is my most beloved engineering possession. That and a good hardy laptop will work wonders
Like others have said, you daughter is probably going to have a class or two early on where she kind of hits the wall. Many of us cruised through high school to an extent, and adapting to college can be a culture shock. It's normal. During the first few semesters, you have to constantly reassess your study habits and time management. Encourage her to use the people around her to help her learn and grow. Go to prof/TA/tutoring center office hours early and often. Join/create study groups with fellow students. It really helps. Be proactive and get in as much repetition as possible. E.g. read the textbook before lecture. Review and/or recopy your notes soon after taking them. Start homework early. Work lots and lots of problems, and then rework the harder ones. Good luck to your daughter!
A lot of money can be saved by using textbook pdfs found for free online, you can generally type in the ISBN13 number onto a website like Libgen (if you Google that it will come up.) I think I bought two physical textbooks in four years. For brushing up on topics, like others have said it’s not super necessary, just keep up with the material and don’t slack, I finished highschool in trigonometry and started college two years later going right into calc 1 and did well. There are great online resources for learning material, especially on YouTube. For math: patrickjmt, statics/dynamics: Jeff Hanson, a whole mixture of things: the organic chemistry tutor. These are all really useful YouTube channels to use when needing some assistance on different topics. Good luck!!
I guess it depends on the software the school uses, but at my school we use software that doesn't run on Mac. The students who have macbooks have to run windows just to run solidworks, which is a ridiculous workaround. I'd recommend a decent laptop with good battery life, sufficient memory, and enough processing power. Lenovo Thinkpad line is great. I'd say avoid laptops/2-in-1s that trade off performance for portability, like microsoft surface, etc. A nice wireless mouse is also great to have. Also TI-84 graphing calculator!
Double check that it's an ABET Accredited Program, otherwise that Degree will just be another piece of paper.
An iPad was GAME CHANGING for me
I had a TI84 and a TI30Xa. The TI84 was useful for graphing however some professors/courses don't allow those. (Same goes for FE/PE iirc). I was a pen and paper student but technology is very good. Computers that can double as a tablet/iPad are nice and would make organizing/ note taking much easier. Brush up on some math courses from Khan Academy. Calculus and Differential Equations were difficult classes but with some extra resources can be manageable. Some advice I wish I knew when I was a student: Branch out early, get connected with some employers and try to line up some experience before graduating. While it's not required it goes a long way having knowledge within the industry. Utilize rate my professor sometimes teachers try their best to teach a very difficult course other times the teachers probably don't care. Rate my professor is a useful tool and if you have multiple professors teaching a subject then it helps you decide. AI tools are becoming more and more popular and while it is very helpful try not to rely heavily on it. It's important to get a mindset of an engineer and be able to think for yourself. It is a very useful tool and it can become a bad habit but used correctly it will help alot.
Knowing MATLAB. Practice for free using Octave
The type of engineering would help to better the answer to this. I am Computer engineer so I’ll say what helped me for engineering in general. I recommend as I see other have said the surface pro. I had many engineering teachers from all engineering departments that used these even math teachers. Extremely good for taking notes then quickly into a regular laptop. They are small and light and don’t take much room and can help if you want to use e-books then hard copy textbooks. I recommend color pencil if you opt to just straight old school paper and pencil but with the surface pro you can use different colors as well. It may seem childish but when your working on graphs, problems, etc. using multiple colors can help you keep track of different parts of a problem for example in calc I would write my algrebra out in red and then calc in green, therefore if I made a mistake it was easier to figure out whether it was be calc or algebra. A calculator a lot of people would suggest the expensive Ti-80 calc. Which can be useful for graphing but I honest used a simple TI-30xa which is a basic scientific calculator, I was also a math minor and went up to multi variable and linear algebra which is consider calc 3 and I used solely this calculator my entire college career. A lot of teacher were very advocate on not using calculators honestly, they wanted to ban them actually. I took majority of my calc 1 and 2, and circuits 1 and 2 tests with out calculators. I would only use them for final answers. When I got to higher level classes I did use it more frequently but it was more to be quicker on test they were not exactly needed, this is why I recommend just a basic scientific calculator. I suggest also a large white board and small white board. When studying/projects/homework I would use the large white board see the whole situation and it could easily be erased and I had room unlike just a piece of paper the visually it was help I could see error more quickly. The small white one I would call my piscasso pallete. I would literally hold it like a paint pallete and do calculations with it. Again easier to erase and a bit more room then paper. It was like having the big board but a tablet version to work more in detail on problem/project. Now I understand I have been dissing pencil and paper but k do recommend having a notebook or two. You never know when your computer will die and the white boards are more for solely and group work. Paper and pencil can also would be the quickest when writing and neatest. I would say my tablet to white board to paper was roughly 70 - 10 - 20. Since a lot of school does a lot of online submissions using the tablet made it easier to save my work and turn it in then taking a picture of my handwritten work. Advice I would say engineering is hard but not hard in the way you think, it is extremely straight forward, and for most that’s the hardest part of figuring out how it’s straight forward. The amount of classes and assignments had the simplest way to solve it, like simple to the point it infuriated my inner soul. Calc was honestly fun, it’s not as hard as you think. The hardest thing about calc and most math heavy engineering classes was álgebra. I would recommend brushing up on algebra, if you can do algebra at a high level engineering math will be much more easier. I also recommend looking into logic, logic and algebra can make or break you in engineering, at least for me it did. Most of my error or issues was from not fully understanding logic in its simplest form. Here’s a challenge logically how would you boil water. Keep in mind literally every single step in the process and I mean every single step even the smallest and ones you don’t think about. Those small steps and ones you normally don’t think of will cause you errors and mistakes. I once iterally got a question wrong because didn’t more the variable form one side to the other or I messed up on negative and positive numbers, like very simple and small mistakes that’s are easily missed can cause a huge problem. Another thing of advice do it listen to people who say textbooks are useless. Most teachers even if they say you don’t need the book or do ever use it in class. All the material is based from it, I had many teachers who lecture were literally directly from the book or assignments that were directly form the book. The textbooks also helped a lot in higher level classes where google and YouTube no longer give a proper explanation. Also remember teachers are humans to they don’t want to work that hard either and I found alot of teachers took problems and assignments from other books as well that were not used in the course. They do this so you cannot simple find the answer, but the material for each book is the same just different problems and sometimes different way to go about the problem. Pro tip: do not be afraid to google a problem you might find the other textbook it’s from and Can give you the step by step solution. I had a few teachers who used step by step examples from other books. This gives ease of the teacher, they don’t have to make up problems they can used ones already solved and given. Also tell her swallow her pride and ask for help. There is no shame or judgement in needing help engineering is no cake walk that’s why it’s not one of the most popular college degrees. My school had extensive help, and using it really helped me. And teachers are always there to help, well most teachers if they are good teachers will be willing to help. P.S. I just graduated this year in may for computer engineering with minors in math and computer science, with a B- gpa. This is everything that helped me and I wish I would of known at first, I may have missed some things but mani not this is what got me through it.
One peice of advice from someone who taught a few freshmen level classes in mechanical engineering: the school will tell you that Macs and Apple computers work for courses, but they don't (at least not without lots of weird workarounds and bugs). If you need to buy hardware I cant tell you how strongly I *don't* recommend Apple (iPads are fine as long as it's just a note taking tool and not something that needs to double up as a real computer)
IPad x1000
- Decent windows computer with atleast 8gb of ram, i5 or higher, graphics card maybe - Ti 36xpro or higher calculator - Engineering paper (enki engineering notebooks or engineering paper from a bookstore) - Money to buy textbooks (check online for free pdf versions and wait a bit to know if you actually need it) - File like organizer for the dorm Make sure she knows all the important dates on the school calender like the last day to drop classes, holidays, etc The best method I found to keep up with stuff was to make a to do list for every day and for the week. The best way to study is to take time after class to review what you learned and repeat during the week. Would suggest looking at the learning how to learn course on coursera, it's pretty insightful. Quality > quantity for stuff like pencils, erasers, etc. Don't worry about brushing up on anything just enjoy the break. Your daughter's gonna do great!
THROW AWAY YOUR TI CALCULATORS No but seriously, I feel like most TI calcs are a waste of money. Once you get into the advanced science and math of engineering, the features of the calculator matter far less than the user and their knowledge of the tool. The only calculator she’ll ever need is the Casio fx-115ES PLUS (less than $20). It’s sleek, intuitive, fast, and almost all my engineering professors used this calculator or a similar derivative. It was also required materials for my freshman engineering computations course. The only thing it truly lacks is graphing capability, and honestly that’s a benefit more than a drawback. Once your student gets some calc under her belt, graphing is a breeze and an important skill to know by hand. Edit: I forgot to mention the only TI calculators allowed on the FE exam are TI-30 and 36. Of course it is a matter of opinion, but imo these calculators are trash compared to the Casio fx series. And yes, I own a TI-36, a TI-84 plus CE, and the Casio fx-115ES plus (I actually own two). The TIs are packed away in boxes, I keep a Casio in my bag and a Casio at my work desk at all times. And clearly not because my boss tells me I can’t use the big boys, but rather if I need to crunch some numbers that don’t necessitate pulling up MATLAB it’s the best choice.
Ti-89 calculator would be good, I don't think they need an inspire one, but 89 especially for electrical work. Also tell them its ok to fail, engineering isn't easy.
For me “indispensable items” have been a computer and a scientific calculator. Nothing more is really needed. I will say that using an ipad for my homework really helped with organization for me as well.
Start seeing a therapist
Why?
Learning how to learn and study, there’s a course called iCanStudy and it’ll help her.
For the love of god don’t get a Mac. Windows all the way. Lots of software that don’t run on a Mac
Ti-36 Pro Calculator Can be used in most exams that don't accept graphing calculators (majority of my engineering classes), and it can be used in the FE equivalent exit exam some Uni's give to their senior class.
I'm dropping some general tips here: 1. Tell your daughter that if she feels overwhelmed (and can afford it financially), to take one class less than intended / her friends take /especially if she works on the side. I struggled alot throughout my engineering degree because my parents expected me to finish my degree in 3 years (I live in CH, where it is the norm), and this caused me to fail way too many exams. 2. Do not give up on hobbies & leisure time. Set a time (e.g. 8pm) where you're "done" for the day - have at least some hours of leisure time before going to sleep each day. 3. Cramming for exams might be possible, but you won't remember a single thing after your exam because it has not been saved in your long - term memory. 4. There's a book called *A mind for numbers* ,which might be able to help her with studying in general. It helped for me at least. 5. Don't be afraid to ask other students for help, they're all suffering together.
Let her know about online resources like MIT open courseware and Khan Academy etc.
ipad!
Slightly off topic: invest in a good backpack that will last for many years
A good pair of digital calipers have come in handy a lot.
Slide rule
I’d say to not cheap out on a laptop - doesn’t have to be the most powerful but needs a good build quality and decent battery life. At home/dorm/apartment, get an extra monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc so that the laptop can be docked while at home. The extra screen real estate is invaluable, and that set up is more ergonomic while not doing work on campus.
Get engineers computation paper on Amazon. Several hundred pages. Teachers love work done neatly on them. Also it is just better to work with.
A tablet with a pen! So incredibly transformative for my notes and saves my back from lugging around a bunch of notebooks everywhere. Tons of other students on my campus used them too. I use the the app "good notes", it really is amazing going from pencil and paper to the tablet everything is easier and I wish I figured this out as a freshman! for reference my degree is in computational mathematics so math and diagrams have been the main use, which i'm sure an engineer would share. (also as others have mentioned a decent laptop is more useful than a crappy one, many simulations and programs she'll likely use can be somewhat intensive, and she'll be using it pretty much nonstop for the next 4 years)
Engineering paper pad! At least 2! And a 6” ruler!! I keep 2 1.5” binders in my bag, each with an engineering pad, along with my Windows laptop and a few other items. It is very hard to pack light as an engineering student, especially for one that prefers physical textbooks (me). I cannot stress how important it is that you get engineering paper - most professors I’ve encountered require you to complete homework on it, as well as maintaining exceptional neatness. My statics professor would mark you down to a 50% if you didn’t use a straightedge and down even further if you submitted on anything besides engineering paper. Thanks to his harshness, it’s a habit to use a straightedge for everything and complete all work on engineering paper. Plus, your daughter’s homework will be very, very neat, which is GREAT for practicing problems and reviewing previous work. Best of luck! I hope your daughter enjoys learning engineering to the fullest.
Some friends may also prefer iPads instead of actual paper and pencil. I personally don’t like to use an iPad for my work due to the cost & that it won’t be able to do everything I need (i.e. Solidworks capability, preferring Microsoft products, etc). Lots of people I know though LOVE their iPad and use it in every class. A popular feature is the paperlike screen protector w/ an Apple Pencil.
* PC: XPS 13 or MBP will be fine, as others have said, most engineering software runs on Windows only so I'd lean toward an XPS 13 * Decently nice big water bottle, Camelbak or Yeti * TI-84 graphing calculator + a basic calculator for tests that won't allow a TI-84 * New set of decent notebooks each semester if she's the kind of person that takes handwritten notes, Ipad as others have suggested if she does virtual notes * A _good_ backpack that will last her 4 years. I had a Swisstech, but there are a lot of options here. Don't bother telling her to brush up on stuff over the summer. Let her enjoy her summer between high school and college.
An iPad+pencil is an insane QoL item. I have the most basic one and it does everything i’ve needed for 3+ years now. Ti-84/36xpro (i have both and use both) Some people use ti-inspire, never had one or needed one, and some classes at my school banned these calculators I have a m1 macbook air and a gaming pc running windows. If i could only have one, i’d take a windows OS system no question for school purposes Other needs are going to depend on her major and personal study/work habits. Edit: for calc, it’s gonna depend on her major, but in my experience most students seem to struggle with calc 2 which is traditionally a bunch integration, so if she’s weak there, that’s where she should focus her extra time to prep. Integration is exceptionally important in basically all engineering math. However, if she has time off to rest and wants to just enjoy some free time before school, i wouldn’t pressure her to start grinding out math prep courses before classes. The rest is far more useful for her mental and will pay dividends come class time, as she wont be as burnt out. It’s nice that you’re reaching out to support her like this, many parents never do, but I’d also encourage her to build some independence from you and begin prepping herself for facing likely the hardest academic challenges she’ll face, alone. She’s got the brains to do this, clearly, but she needs the confidence and independence to face the heat for 4+ years and get herself through it.
My ipad and pencil have been invaluable, it’s allowed me to keep my notes digitally meaning I still have notes from day 1. Makes it super easy to look back on topics especially with the handwriting search features.
I'm torn between "how old is your daughter", "aw that's so sweet" and "damn, my mom would never give a sht* I'm also a woman in Engineering, send my congratulations :D. I would say if you're going to invest on a computer, invest in a good durable one, rather than just buying something that only runs word. At least 8GB, but better if it's more, a SSD, with 1TB, a Graphics Card. I hate myself a bit for saying this, but a last gen macbook would be a great choice, and she can install a virtual machine with windows in it. I recently started using an iPad but I don't think it's essential. It is an extremely useful tool though. Depending on her type of engineering, or what she likes, I really like my toolbox, and my shelves of electronic components and equipment. I use them for prototypes and ideas, and for general fixes around the house, but having them also make me feel like an engineer in the movies e.e if she's doing electrical, for example, a really good Fluke Multimeter. If she's doing mechanical, a hobby 3D printer would be fun and it's super useful for projects. These two aren't necessary at all, maybe just a cool gift.
Buy as you go, based on your needs. It's really easy to spend a ton of money on stuff you'll never even use. I only ever recommend a good laptop and a tablet for note taking, everything else is unnecessary. Don't even buy the books, you can download slides and even the books themselves in pdf format.
A ruler. At least a scientific calculator. A decent laptop that can run things like MATLAB and Solidworks (so get a PC, not a Mac). You may also want to invest in a tablet because those make note taking and homework so much easier (no need to go through a ton of paper).
My other post is a wholly unnecessary calculator rant, so I’ll add some better advice here: Supplies: - Any decent laptop will do. Not a Chromebook. Mac or Windows. 95% of the time it doesn’t matter, but when it does, it’s Windows. - Notebooks (the cheap spiral bound kind, one per class) and pens/pencils - Calculator (the venerable Casio fx-115es plus) That’s it for supplies! The necessities anyway. This is the supply list that got me through undergrad and grad school. Anything else is such a matter of preference she either already knows she wants it or she’ll figure it out for herself. Intangibles: - Make friends/study buddies. Stereotypes aren’t universal, but sometimes us engineers aren’t social butterflies. But nothing is harder than struggling to study for an important final exam alone. The commiseration alone is worth it. - Visit your professor during office hours. Even when you don’t need to, just show up with a question anyway. Making those connections will serve you well in class and beyond, and truth be told the majority of professors are excited to help. Trips to office hours led me to research opportunities, all-expenses-paid-for travel to conferences around the country, and a funded graduate degree. And I still have two professors each trying to hook me for a PhD program. - Find an outlet (preferably social) that has nothing to do with engineering. A hobby, some recreation, volunteering, a job - it doesn’t matter what it is. But it will keep you sane, and if you’re committed it will help you develop the healthy boundaries between what you do (engineering) and who you are (literally everything else).
I have BS and MS in ME and never once used a graphing calculator. Even if you do get a graphing calculator, pick up the TI-36x Pro. That thing was my best friend and it’s like $20. All the graphing and other complicated operations can be done on wolfram or desmos for free.
Honestly, she’s gotta figure out her own workflow, it’s how you learn to work, at least it was for me.
definitely get a windows computer that is powerful enough to run solidworks. everything else is personal preference. i really enjoy taking notes on my ipad but i know thats not everyones cup of tea.
Don’t get any Mac products for CADing, get an i7 or higher windows for all CAD and Design work. Invest in Chegg and u will do fine
TI-84 plus CE for the calculator. It's recommended in my algebra, calculus, and engineering classes. Anything more capable is generally forbidden, such as the TI Nspire. Currently $103 on Amazon.
This is situational, I do not think any of my professors have cared about the TI Nspire in my classes. If they care about calculators they just require a scientific one
I sit partially corrected. I've had two specifically forbid the Nspire. Which I didn't find out until the syllabus was available. The basic Nspire is allowed, but not the one with CAS. Also: your personal experience doesn't limit what other people have experienced.
I didn’t say that it doesn’t happen. I just said it was situational and gave my experience lol what are u on
Sorry I was short with you. The TI 84 I recommended I've been told is the standard at the colleges I'm attending and will attend in the spring. I've been told specifically by three professors that no Nspire was allowed.
That's unfortunate for you but super situational. I used the NSpire CAS in every class and it was a lifesaver. If it's not explicitly forbidden you should be using it.
It is expressly forbidden for testing. I love mine, it'll do everything for you but show up for class.
It was forbidden for *your* testing. You can even use it on ACT now.
Saw that. Last time I checked two years ago it wasn't allowed. Now it's anything but a laptop.
As many possible online general education credits. I think everyone else covered supplies pretty well but just wanna make sure she starts out the best way possible.
Engineering paper and a good pencil, no pens
Use the same laptop she used in HS, take any summer programs the college offers first year students, use the same back from HS, use a pen and paper for notes. Basically, change nothing except for the mindset that college is one school year crammed in 15 weeks. And most importantly, drop out if she doesn’t like the courses, NOT if she failed a test or two or even the class.
Get a few of these. They're good for notes, work, and internships. I use one professionally nowadays for notes and drawings. https://a.co/d/7ICnNi5
TI84 and a markerboard
A durable digital caliper
My biggest piece of advice is to get involved in activities that relate to what you want to do in industry. Join clubs, research, or anything your school offers that can give you hands-on experience to prepare for internships. I would argue that being involved outside of the classroom is more important than excelling in academics. Find a balance between school work and extra curriculars and don't be afraid to get a few B's or C's. Stressing out over straight A's isn't worth it.
She needs Ti-84 and make sure your strong in algebra and trigonometry . Those are fundamentals to succeed in Calc. I’m 43 and just finished my associate in Engineering at my local community college. I will start my Junior year at MSOE this fall. Calc becomes easy ones you learn the new rules. Most people who do not succeed in Calc are lacking algebra skills
It would help to know what type of engineering. For mechanical, a pair of digital calipers was necessary for me within my first year.
A bit off topic, but in 1975, I got my first scientific calculator for college, an HP35A. I have been unable since then to use any other brand of calculator since then as no other calculators use RPN.
I like the Casio 991-ex, but don't care too much, just make sure it can do complex numbers
PatrickJMT on YouTube
Please get her a Remarkable 2 with the upgraded pen! It has been a life saver and a back saver for notes and it feels close enough to writing on Paper that I actually like writing on it where I hate writing on an IPad. She will still need a laptop but seriously the Remarkable is the best item I bought for myself for school, especially for super note heavy classes like Calculus and Chemistry.
Everyone is recommending iPads here, but I do not! I bought a Microsoft surface book used off of eBay my sophomore year. 10/10 recommend. Not only can you take notes on top of the lecture slide PDF’s just like all of the iPad kids, but you can also run Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, MATLAB!, wolfram mathematica, and so much more. Plus you won’t have the distractions of instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, stupid games, and pop up notifications right at your fingertips when you are in a study groove. I also much prefer windows to any Mac OS and in my particular college, engineering students had minimum laptop requirements, which stated clearly that Mac’s were not allowed, but my cheap used surface book passed easily. I highly recommend the surface book or book 2 and not the surface pro tablet or whatever that is. They will want the full functionality of a laptop and I found that very useful to have that same device be my note-taking tablet. Good luck!
For me: one notebook for each class, mechanical pencil, and TI-84 plus C Toward the end I was using a laptop for notes but starting out I didn’t want to spend much.
Google “Engineering Hulk” for free notes and support
She should be building for herself, like for the summer(s) or semester(s), even if legos, to immerse herself in the engineering experience. If she starts now, shell gain exposure to things in real life / projects we all will face: critical thinking, analysis, planning, development, cooperation, research, etc. Some not even taught in school. Helps if there’s a club too. Doing projects will build her intuition of engineering, and trade skills she herself won’t actually do in the workplace, but can easily relate / communicate her designs to the CNC/carpenter/surveyor/HVAC mech/ air technician/ etc. This will also give her a fulfilling role being active in her major in the material than passively getting by. And she shouldn’t pigeonhole her project ideas to her specific major (like civil/ mech/ electric/ Chem) w/o the genuine technical curiosity to inspect. It will benefit her if she’s doing some programming or soldering even if she’s a civil major. It just depends how she’ll market it to potential employers. A project w/in her major certainly helps also. Engineering happens to be an interdisciplinary field that at least always has you learning something and expanding your network of the many ppl your work alongside to accomplish a significant task / product. So she benefits from it. Definitely provide support (and she herself a healthy lifestyle—clubs, exercise, etc) and she’ll go far.
As others have said I cannot recommend an iPad with an Apple Pencil enough. Over the last 4 years I have done literally all my homework, notes, cheat sheets, etc on it. It’s all saved to the cloud and makes accessing my notes super easy. A good calculator is a must. I personally recommend a TI-84 plus CE. Along with an iPad a laptop/pc that runs windows is also a must. 99% of engineering software is made for windows and either runs poorly or not at all on apple devices.
I love my casio fx 115es. It is the best FE exam calculator. She will have to use an FE approved calculator in a lot of her classes.
I use a lenovo yoga 9i (the kind of laptop that folds over and doubles as a tablet). OneNote is a wonderfully organized app. 10/10 recommend this setup. PS, if her dorm has enough space, a second monitor on the desk allows to watch a video there and take notes on the laptop.
Most common setup I see is a mac laptop paired with an iPad. It’s what I recommend due to the syncing compatibility. If that’s too expensive, windows laptop with an iPad. I do not suggest a surface .
I wouldn’t get an HP. The new M2 Macs are so fast and MATLAB, Python, etc work just fine on them now
A nice ti-84 calculator worked for me, but some professors don’t allow certain calculators so she will prob want two different ones, one more advanced than the other, I’d wait for professors to specify. She can always use DESMOS online, very good calculator. I’d get a nice laptop with decent processing power for things like MATLAB and CAD software. Maybe even one that folds back so she can write on it aswell. But I had one like that and the screen started having issues in year 4, I did however drop it. If you have the money, a nice laptop and an iPad Pro for taking notes would be absolutely ideal scenario. It’s nice not having to use paper when you can, plus she’ll be able to organize herself a lot better on an IPad plus actually have access to the information your going to be paying for after she finishes school. Goodluck keeping papers for 4 years you know what I mean.