What signs show that an engineering course may be too difficult for my child?
An engineering course may be too difficult if, despite attending classes and studying regularly, your child has long-lasting difficulty understanding basic mathematics, physics, or specialist subjects, repeatedly falls behind on assignments or exams, or needs so much study time that sleep or health is affected. Avoiding questions or support, and a major loss of motivation or confidence, are also warning signs. However, do not judge their suitability from a short-term struggle after starting; discuss the situation with the student, teaching staff, or a student-support office.
Key points
- Look for persistent gaps in foundational subjects and repeated delays or failures in assignments and exams.
- Pay attention to excessive study hours, lack of sleep, health problems, strong anxiety, or declining motivation.
- Check whether available support, such as tutoring, academic advice, or course-load adjustments, leads to improvement.
Things to check
- Assessment methods and available support vary by university, faculty, and academic year, so check the institution’s official curriculum and student-support information.
- The problem may be temporary or related to study methods; difficulty alone should not be used to judge the student’s ability or future prospects.