r/IndustrialDesign • u/WorldlyWish9267 • 3d ago

School What college

So college decisions came out...

My ultimate goal is to create my own product design firm.

UC SD- 11k/ yr, undeclared major (likely engineering physics or nanoengineering) UC Berkeley- 8k/ yr, mechanical engineering Georgia Tech- 47k/ ur, industrial design UMich- 36k/ yr, mechanical engineering Local Private- 10k/ yr, general engineering

I took the advise of this sub in focusing as a ME major instead of ID for most of my applications.

What college do y'all think I should commit to given the cost and opportunities.

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u/rkelly155 3d ago

Serious question, do you want to design your own products to bring to market or someone else's? 99% of design firms work on other peoples projects, but a lot of young designers don't understand/don't appreciate the difference... What about the process do you enjoy? What about the process do you not enjoy?

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u/WorldlyWish9267 3d ago

I want to bring my own ideas to life, and I also want to profit off them (not someone else).

I am thinking to start my career as a ME just to create a stable financial base+ get experience. I am also looking into a business/ accounting minor to help me with this.

Ultimately, I enjoy everything from the designing to the entrepreneurial aspects. I just don't want someone else profiting off my ideas. I also am not looking to get a job in ID (unless it is for experience/ networking).

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u/rkelly155 3d ago

Starting as an ME is a good idea. Getting a business minor (or masters) is also a good idea. The VAST majority of ME jobs are not going to be product related in any way. Also ME is hard, not impossible, but definitely expect to be humbled. Assuming you're near the top of your class in high school now, you're going to be completely average/ below average in ME classes.

I would recommend mentally reframing someone else profiting off your ideas as a negative thing. That is what will put bread on the table, you're 100% going to need/want to sell your ability to think and design a product for a market. Most businesses are not going to be interested in your ideas at all, they will have their own problems and will be willing to pay you to help them solve those problems. Your own designs can then be pursued on the weekend and spare time.

Just for context, I have an ME degree (Graduated 2015) through a series of very lucky breaks I now oversee multiple production lines for a company that does several million units per year of products I've designed over the years, I've collected over 25 patents, and have a few of my own products that I sell for fun. I got all of this by working with people and their business problems. You can't think of it as stealing, it's collaboration, they hire you to do a thing, and you execute that. None of that takes away from my joy of building something I want to make, if anything it gives me the money to try things that don't need to make financial sense (way more fun)

My (current) day job is managing the production lines and developing new product for the company that employs me, the products are not particularly interesting or challenging, but they are mass manufactured for large clients and generate enough revenue to pay me a healthy salary. I then satiate my desire to design and challenge myself with the disposable income the job pays me. Nothing kills creativity and excitement like tying something you love with your ability to eat.

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u/WorldlyWish9267 2d ago

Wow, thank you for the essay of advice. You seem like someone who is where I want to be in 10 years. In your opinion:

Is it better to go to a "top" or "mid" school for ME. I am the top of my hs class, but my school is pretty bad.

In terms of engineering, I have practically no feats other than the fact that I am good at math (and some simple onshape experience), so I am scared that I will just start behind and fall further if I go to a institution like Berkeley.

What are your thoughts?

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u/rkelly155 2d ago

What part of the world are you in? I'm in NY, I chose to do a well respected state school for all 4 years. Doing well in ME mostly comes down to seeking help from classmates and professors and having enough internal motivation to slog through the tough courses. Most people give up, they don't flunk out. Realistically there are only 2 or 3 classes I use regularly from school, most of college is learning how to learn quickly, being an adult, working with other people. You're going to live there for 4 years, pick somewhere you like, also try not to dig yourself into an unrecoverable financial pit. Engineering pays well if you make it through, but there's no consolation prize or discount if you switch majors.

There is no "building your own product" course or major, so you're going to have to carve your own path to get where you want to go. Like I said before, most ME programs don't have a strong product focus, and the ones that do often don't have a lot of people with real experience in them. Just learn how things work, get involved with labs and other hands on "making" things, I chose to go the vehicle route and joined an SAE team (I was Baja captain) this 100% got me my first product development Job, the CEO of the company and I bonded over that program as he had done a different vehicle program in his college years. Essentially do things that will bring good experiences, best case they are useful anecdotes later in life, worst case they're fun in the moment.

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u/WorldlyWish9267 2d ago

I live in SoCal, so UCSD is the closest to me. I took a look at their clubs and it looks like they have many product design clubs and the SAE team you mentioned.

I am heavily leaning towards this option as of right now. Thank you for the advice!