Student review [#10892] for Mechanical Engineering
at RWTH Aachen University

When I finished High School here in Germany, I already knew that I want to study mechanical engineering. Due to the very good reputation of RWTH Aachen University and the very old romantic city centre which is mainly populated by students, I did not hesitate long with my decision to study here. After the welcome week I felt prepared well for everything. But the start turned out to be harder than expected. The essential courses in the first semesters(as maths, mechanics etc.) should not be taken to easy. Although in the lectures you feel like you can follow most of the topics, the exercises and exams teach you better. You will need to put real effort, if you want to pass the exams with good grades. But if you once realise this and have a good discipline, especially in declining party invitations during the two exam periods (Feb-Apr and Jul-Oct), you will be able to pass the exams. In general the university gives you a lot of freedom how to organise your semesters. It is kind of an eat-or-die mentality. There are nearly no courses with mandatory attendance and all materials(mostly well structured and helpful) will be provided online. So it is completely up to you how much effort you will use for university. Since the teachers/students-ratio is very low in most exercises in the first semesters, I felt more efficient in learning stuff on my own at home. BUT: Once you made the first couple of semesters things get better! The lectures become more interesting and the exercises better organised. However, for me the biggest advantage of RWTH is not the educational part, but the tight connection to industry and companies. It is quite easy to get student jobs at university institutions, where you will be highly involved in recent research works from the beginning on.
To sum up, after the first semesters RWTH gives you extraordinary and unique opportunities, besides the classical education part. You just have to take them.