10 min read
This article was originally completed by Paulina Guzek.
Ultimate Engineering Resource List for College Students
Anytime a college student needs to locate a piece of information, their first instinct is to “Google it." Overtime, these searches can lead to reoccurring resources that can be saved as favorites and accessed directly.
As a senior engineering student, I have discovered many valuable online resources to get me through challenging problems, interdisciplinary projects, and various other hurdles. This is a compilation of the resources I have found helpful throughout my educational journey.
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Calculating Tools
These online calculating tools are great for running quick calculations if a calculator isn’t handy or for tracking down a useful equation.
WolframAlpha
WolframAlpha is one of my personal all-time favorites. This website is easy to use and gives great results. The basic site is free, but can be upgraded to access different features and analytical tools. There is also an app, which can be purchased for $2.99.
Engineering Toolbox
Engineering Toolbox has lots of useful conversions and equations organized by the topic they pertain to, so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. The website is filled with tables, figures, and other relevant information.
Efunda
Efunda is very similar to Engineering Toolbox in that it provides students with a list of formulas and explains their applications.
Calculator Edge
Calculator Edge helps with calculations and conversions based on the type of engineering.
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Tutorials
These resources offer free tutorials and videos. Khan Academy is great for grasping difficult concepts, while CAD Tutor and Autodesk Knowledge Center are built for civil engineering students working in AutoCAD.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a wonderful source of online tutorials for all school subjects at all levels. The website is organized by subjects and topics, so it is easy to navigate. Most topics are covered by multiple videos (1-2 overview videos and 1-2 videos with examples).
CAD Tutor
Cad Tutor provides hundreds of free CAD tutorials that are organized by topic and skill level.
Autodesk Knowledge Center
Autodesk Knowledge Center was designed by the creators of AutoCAD. Includes lots of tutorials and helpful hints for any CAD software.
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Organization & Collaboration
Students are frequently required to work in groups. More often than not, effective group collaboration is challenging. Here are some of my favorite tools to streamline organization and collaboration.
Evernote
Evernote is helpful in archiving and organizing your information. "Notes" can be almost anything: texts, pictures, voice memos, or even handwritten notes.
GroupMe
Slack
Slack is a phone and desktop app that is perfect for large groups. Slack allows for the creation of “channels," subgroup chats, within a group. This resource is unique in that it allows users to “pin” documents to the channel and create polls directly in the chat.
Zoom
Zoom is a free platform for virtual meetings. This resource allows for screen sharing in professional layouts.
DropBox
DropBox is a great resource for file storage and file sharing. It is especially helpful when large files need to be shared among group members.
GoogleDrive
GoogleDrive is a widely used resource that allows users to create shared documents, write papers, and create presentations in real-time.
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Discount College Textbooks
The typical university bookstore can break the bank, especially for engineering students. These websites are alternatives to bookstore. Most have free return services and each one is set up similarly (look up by ISBN and/or book title).
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Miscellaneous Websites
The following websites are useful for engineering students who want to take a break from homework but still satisfy their inner nerd. These resources keep you up to date with news and emerging technologies within the engineering industry.
TED
TED Talks cover a wide range of topics (not specific to engineering or science) that make for a perfect 20-minute break.
Engineering Daily
Engineering Daily allows you to read news, watch videos, and browse different guides (like how to apply for the FE/PE).
Engineering.com
Engineering.com is a resource for engineering news, job postings, tips for job applications, and more.
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