Playing your strengths - How to capitalize on yourstrong subject areas to score more in GATE

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)

essentially examines the aptitude of engineering graduates/students in understanding simple problems and applying engineering concepts to solve them. Thus, a GATE aspirant has to develop  abilities in solving aptitude-based problems. The engineering aptitude for GATE requires the GATE aspirants to pass through the following stages of preparation:
1. Motivation
2. Preparation strategy
3. Selection of books
4. Theoretical study
5. Key concepts
6. Practice on problems
7. Revision
Time, energy, hard work and books are the basic inputs to the success in this exam. Each of the
seven stages mentioned above is critical in preparation.

Motivation:

Success in GATE needs motivation, confidence, determination, time, books, energy and
hard work. Aspirants must be full of natural motivation and curiosity for study, and should seek for knowledge as much as possible by self-interest. While preparing for GATE, the aspirant must keep in
mind what can be the long-term and short-term effects of success in GATE in his/her career- making process.

Preparation strategy:

Time, energy and other inputs of preparation must be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner. For this, the candidate has to develop a preparation strategy that includes steps such as selection of important topics for study, selection of books/chapters for specific topics, allotment of time for coverage of a particular list of topics, etc.

Selection of books:

A brief planning of the theoretical background can be enhanced by following books that are error free and cover the topics in detail. The general tendency of following too many books should be avoided to circumvent any type of confusion in concepts. For this, a suitable survey should be carried out by the candidate to reach the correct choice of books. Teachers, senior students and class-mates should
be asked about the correct book for preparation. Information available online can also be used. Although there are various resources available online, a systematic and limited browsing of the Internet is recommended to avoid misuse and wastage of time. Preparation for GATE is expected in parallel to graduate courses; the time available for preparation must be effectively utilized. This is possible only by selection of correct study material (textbooks or reference/guide books), which is very critical in preparation for GATE. The choice of books in graduate studies is equally important.

In fact, the referred book only determines the standard and level of study and preparation. Reputed publishers, such as Wiley India, offer comprehensive books specifically written by established authors for preparation for GATE. Hence, there is no need to take stress for selection of books.

Theoretical study:

Aspirants must study the topics asked in GATE papers in depth. For this, a survey of all the questions asked in GATE is a most useful step. Reference books for GATE provide chapter- wise solutions of GATE questions. A good reference book can save a lot of time and energy. Earlier,  students were required to make exhaustive notes of each topic. It was very difficult to organize these notes for revision in future. Students always face initial hesitation in starting the preparation. If not realized, days can pass without any fruitful effort undertaken. It is a general tendency in students that only a few subjects interest them. These subjects are generally taken in groups. Subjects of primary interest should be made the key to success in GATE by completing their preparation on priority. Thereafter, subjects of secondary interest must be given priority in preparation, and so on. However, the ideal recommendation is that each subject must be studied with full interest and devotion for success in GATE. It is always better if weak subjects are also studied religiously so that they  also become subjects of primary interest and one of strength for success in GATE. One must always  remember that the objective of preparation is success in GATE, and not to show someone that  you are a master in one subject but a failure in another.

Understanding of Key concepts:

Students must always make a summary of important concepts that must always be remembered and that can also be used for quick revision of the complete theoretical study. This helps in saving time and building confidence. All important observations must be clearly noted in brief so that the same can be used instead of referring to the complete theoretical study from the beginning.

Practice on problems:

The best policy to generate and maintain self-confidence is to get tested. The candidate must always be aware about the status and level of preparedness of writing the exam. Strong theoretical background and practice are of utmost importance for the fastest solution of the questions. Negative marking of wrong answers may lead to failure if wild guesses are made for filling in the answer sheets without confidence. The questions asked in this exam are mainly meant to examine the fundamental aptitude of engineering graduate/students of the respective discipline.

Difficult or lengthy questions are asked very rarely, and those questions will also be based on simple and basic concepts. A physical interpretation of engineering quantities is very important to understand the problems.

Revision:

As the GATE is held in February, at least 4 months should be given for complete revision of the GATE syllabus, with the material prepared or referred from a guide book. Thus, the revision of the preparation must start from October. The remaining month of January should be used for mastering  he key concepts, derivations, formula and selected (difficult) questions. Like any other competitive exam, accuracy of answers and time management are very important aspects for success in GATE.

About 65 questions are required to be solved within 3 hours; that is, on average, 2.76 minutes are available for each question. The questions of engineering mathematics and general aptitude are generally very easy. Hence, less time should be  given to solving questions from these topics. Speed
is a very important parameter of time management during the writing of the exam.

A successful mechanical engineering career

Mechanical Engineering Overview - The Field - Preparation-Day in the Life - Earnings - Employment - Development - Career Path Forecast - Professional Organizations - Profiles of Mechanical Engineers -
Mechanical Engineering Overview PowerPoint - Podcast
Professional Development
A successful mechanical engineering career is the result of a building process that starts during the undergraduate years, if not earlier. Once on the job, the process continues through networking, on-the-job training, graduate studies, and continuing professional education. Practicing engineers tell us two things: First, today's engineer is expected to be more self-reliant and more self-managed in planning and doing work. Second, and more important, employers will not plan your career -- nor do you want that to happen. Once you find a company and job that you like, you still need a strategy for moving ahead. Your career building efforts will be more successful if you understand how your aptitudes mesh with your surroundings. Are you doing the work you are best suited for, or are you headed that way -- if not, what additional experience and training do you need to secure the right job?
You are in charge of managing your career, before and after your first promotion.
Manage Your Career
From Day One, evaluate your options within the company, looking for interesting work and good career-building assignments. Find out where that work is located, and what you must do to position yourself for opportunities. You must take steps to manage your own career. Be constantly on the lookout for more experienced advisors and mentors. Tactfully make management aware of your capabilities and interests and illustrate how you think you can benefit the company in a new  assignment. This must be done as a result of a serious examination of yourself and the needs of the company -- in that order -- and by keeping your eye on the big picture of where the company is headed.
What if your current employer cannot move you into more desirable work? Well-planned and timely job changes are part of the mechanical engineers' career strategy for broadening one's experience and advancing in position, responsibility, and salary. Most mechanical engineers gain an understanding of their field and true interests in their very early career experiences. There is a dramatic increase in job changes in years 3 to 5, with related salary gains.
How Long Do Mechanical Engineers Stay in Their First Job? About 43% of the mechanical engineers surveyed were continuing to work for their original employer five years after graduation. Another 25% were with their second employer. We were not able to tell how many, if any, of the changes of employer were due to company mergers or sales.
Lifelong Learning
As a mechanical engineer, you will shape future technology by using the latest developments in current technology. You will be employing technologies and ideas used elsewhere as solutions in your
own projects. You will find yourself being challenged to keep abreast of changes in engineering and  technology. The fundamentals will always be with you, but technological information and resources change continuously. Once you enter the engineering profession, new, self-directed learning becomes a daily objective. You must look for learning opportunities on the job through company resources, advisors and mentors and company training programs. You will also need to look outside the company to resources provided by suppliers to your company, technical societies, professional development programs, publications and products and to graduate studies to meet your learning needs.
Continuously take stock of your learning needs as your career progresses. Ask yourself "what must I know to do my job today, what will I need to learn to the reach that level, how much can I learn on the job, and where can I find the rest?"
Graduate Studies
Graduate studies can be an important part of an engineer's career building plan. In the early stages of your career, a Master's degree can make you more competitive for key positions and better salaries. When evaluating job offers, find out about employer support for graduate course work and proximity to graduate schools. Within the first year or two on the job, step back and assess your interests and what type of graduate studies could help you to move to the next level or into specific jobs.
If you are still in school, seek the advice of professors concerning opportunities at the graduate level and programs that mesh with your interests and capabilities. Remember that faculty recommendations can be a deciding factor in gaining admission to the right graduate program. Get acquainted with the research and teaching assistants in your department, for they can direct you to research jobs that provide the hands-on experience that graduate schools and employers like to see. And if you decide to work for a few years, keep in touch with your advisors.
P.E. License
There's a difference between current job requirements and mid- to long-range career requirements. Taking the longer view, you should be aware of licensing as a Professional Engineer (P.E.). The P.E.  license won't be needed for your first job (you need engineering experience before you can sit for the P.E. exam), and it may not be an issue in every engineering occupation. But a few years down the line your employer may land a contract that requires P.E.'s in key positions, or you may need a P.E. credential to work for a government agency. You may need professional recognition in another country where you have been asked to lead a project. Look at the number of Engineering Service firms in the Employer Data Base -- in a few years you might be applying for a consulting position in one of those firms, or starting your own consulting business. In either case, the P.E. could be a job requirement. Before you can take the P.E. Exam, you will need to take the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) Exam.
Many students take this exam while in their senior year.  Employers often support efforts toward the P.E. You will need four years of supervised professional experience to qualify for the P.E. exam. The licensure procedures vary somewhat from state to state.
Adaptability
Adaptability is an important attribute for a mechanical engineer. A mechanical engineering education will provide the essentials - subject knowledge, problem-solving skills, and a capability for future learning. When you first start out, it's important to be curious and open-minded about new learning experiences, and to network within the profession and in your industry. It's up to you to keep current so that you have the knowledge base needed to take advantage of changes in technology and the marketplace. Adaptability is a function of time, knowledge, and contacts.

Flexibility is important too -- engineers often have concurrent projects, each calling for different types of knowledge, hands-on skills, and teamwork.
In Case of Adversity School projects are often based on a given set of assumptions, specifications, and defined variables. Career planning starts out the same way, but life seldom runs along a predictable path. In reality, change actually becomes a constant, coming from many directions- customers, economic and monetary policy, global markets and overseas competition, company priorities, and required job skills. All can affect what your job consists of, and where, when, and for how long you do that job.
Working mechanical engineers stress the importance of a positive, flexible, forward-looking attitude, of being prepared for the next job, whatever and wherever that may be. They speak of how networking and professional contacts have enabled them to turn downsizing, layoffs, and gaps between projects into positive job changes. As difficult as these potential occurrences might seem,  they are also significant opportunities to redirect and energize one's career.
Networking
Being active in a professional society is a key part of networking. Skill in networking is an important attribute, a basic skill of the successful engineer, a skill that you should begin to develop during your undergraduate years. Networking can help you to land your first job and it  becomes more important in every subsequent career move. Start today: make a list of the people who can help you advance your career. They can be faculty, students, members of student organizations, and working engineers. Over time, build your own network for the exchange of information, advice, and job leads.

What are some things that mechanical engineers know and others don't?

That the father of computers is a mechanical engineer.
Charles Babbage (1791-1871), computer pioneer, designed the first  automatic computing engines. He invented  computers but failed to build  them

He designed something called Difference Engine which is a Mechanical Computer

A mechanical computer is built from mechanical components such as levers and gears, rather than electronic components.

A difference engine is an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions. The name derives from the method of divided differences,  a way to interpolate or tabulate functions by using a small set of  polynomial coefficients. Most mathematical functions commonly used by  engineers, scientists and navigators, including logarithmic and trigonometric functions, can be approximated by polynomials, so a difference engine can compute many useful tables of numbers.

Artistic display of a portion of Difference Engine #1

Part of Charles Babbage's difference engine (#1), assembled after his  death by his son, Henry Prevost Babbage (1824–1918), using parts found  in Charles' laboratory

Difference Engine No. 2, built  faithfully to the original drawings, consists of 8,000 parts, weighs  five tons, and measures 11 feet long.The first complete Babbage Engine was completed in London in 2002,  153 years after it was designed

First complete model of difference Engine #2

The London Science Museum's  difference engine, the first one actually built from Babbage's design.  The design has the same precision on all columns, but when calculating  polynomials, the precision on the higher-order columns could be lower.