College Prep for Petroleum Engineering Major

Petroleum Engineering involves applying of analytical thinking, and design skills to create innovative solutions. Students in this program should take classes in Basic English, computer science and social science. In addition to these, Petroleum engineering programs typically require multiple semesters of physics, earth science, chemistry and calculus. Because Petroleum engineers must be skilled communicators, they should also have had formal and informal oral presentation course at the undergraduate level. Admission to graduate programs is competitive. College Preparation ways and means for Petroleum engineering involves:

• General Education Courses:

  Students must complete general education courses such as social sciences, humanities, chemistry, physics and advanced mathematics. Math and physics, earth sciences are at the heart of this program. Students must also complete English composition courses, computer science and public speaking courses.
  

• Skill Development:

  Students should also possess extensive knowledge of analytical, mathematical and problem-solving. Students should have strong mathematics and analytical skills to design equipment and solve problems in drilling. Creativity is also essential for this area of study, because petroleum engineers design different types of equipment to extract oil and gas in different environments.
  

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General

  The applicants must provide official GRE scores from an examination taken within the last 5 years. All applicants from a university outside the US are required to submit General GRE scores for admission consideration.
  

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

  All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. Hence, the applicants are required to take TOEFL and submit the scores of the same.
  

• Letters of recommendation

  Three letters of recommendation are required for the admission. These should be from faculty you have worked with closely or supervisors from industry-related work experience. A recommendation letter is a detailed discussion of the personal qualities, accomplishments, and experiences that make you unique and perfect for the program to which you've applied.
  

• Personal Statement

  The personal statement should provide the information about your interest and goals. So, the applicants should recognize and focus of what they want and tell the admission panel about their ambitions, experiences, challenges, accomplishments and involvement. Be open and reflective.
  

• Experience/ Internship

  An internship allows students to apply the scientific and engineering principles they learned in school to current engineering problems in a business setting.  Applicants who receive internship experience often are viewed as a graduate school material. These experiences combined with classroom instruction can prepare students to diagnose problems and develop different solutions.
  

• Undergraduate GPA

  The applicant must have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0.
  

• Academic Transcripts

  Transcripts which include your name, the name of the institution, the courses undertaken at the undergrad level, and grades or scores along with the application for initial departmental review are required. You can also attach a brief, one-page note describing any inconsistencies in your transcripts such as bad semester or medical problems.
  

• Courses to prepare for college

  Petroleum Engineering is an interdisciplinary subject, so students must complete a broad range of subjects including geology, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, chemistry and mathematics. Also, they must be well-versed with how hydrocarbon is generated, stored and produced in the subsurface. This area of study includes courses in the following subjects to be completed at the undergrad level:

• Calculus
• Chemistry
• Drilling Engineering
• Dynamics
• Electronic Circuits
• Engineering Physics
• English Composition
• Fluid Mechanics
• Geology for Engineers
• Introduction to Computer Science
• Linear Algebra
• Linear Differential Equations
• Mechanics of Materials
• Natural Gas Engineering
• Petroleum Evaluation and Economic Decisions
• Petroleum Properties and Phase Behavior
• Petroleum Recovery Methods
• Petroleum Reservoir Engineering
• Reservoir Characterization
• Sedimentary and Structural Geology for Petroleum Engineers
• Senior Design Project
• Statistics
• Thermodynamics
  

Petroleum engineers primarily work with nature. Petroleum engineers rely on exploration and discovery. The demand for petroleum engineers continues to be greater than the supply. So, by following the above listed preparation ways and means, you can go for further studies in the same field and can also get into the best job in the future.