- Don't underestimate the value of making lifelong friends and having fun. You won't make it through an engineering degree unless you have a way to blow off the steam for a few minutes a day. We were buried with work but the 8 or 9 guys I hang out with made it to the dining hall together every night and played video games for a half hour or so after, that hour each day made work a hell of a lot more manageable
- Make connections with professors. Unlike high school it is quite easy to never build a relationship with a professor because you see them so rarely. Going to office hours and talking about things will lead to research opportunities and recommendations.
- Get involved. Engineering teams (I know Olin does IGVC for sure), sports, clubs, whatever.
- Buy your books used on Amazon - now is about the right time since shipping takes a while. It saves a few hundred bucks a year.
- Make connections with professors. Unlike high school it is quite easy to never build a relationship with a professor because you see them so rarely. Going to office hours and talking about things will lead to research opportunities and recommendations.
- Get involved. Engineering teams (I know Olin does IGVC for sure), sports, clubs, whatever.
- Buy your books used on Amazon - now is about the right time since shipping takes a while. It saves a few hundred bucks a year.