Maximilian Ketschik - Bachelor in Electromobility & Autonomous Systems
Why choose Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences for your studies?
At first, I was faced with the quite common question if I preferred go to university, a university of applied sciences, or even to a cooperative university. After looking into the matter a bit I came to the conclusion that university would be too "lifeless" for me. The advantage of earning money during my studies, as is usual at a cooperative university, didn’t appeal to me for very long because I could do this at a university of applied sciences during the vacations instead - which, by the way, you can't do at a university in most cases.
What do you like about studying at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology? What do you like about Electrical Engineering in general?
In my opinion, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology is the most versatile engineering science. We realize this quite early in our everyday lives. As with many things it is often easier to simply accept what is initially incomprehensible. But for me, curiosity is a strong driving force, especially in the case of electrical engineering. I am constantly amazed at how much you understand of everyday life with a few semesters’ worth of knowledge of electrical engineering, and how much more there is still to learn.
What was surprising for you in the first semesters of your studies? What was different from what you expected?
First of all, I was favorably surprised by the great support you get during the first semesters: Additional exercises, tutorials, helpful professors. But I was rather negatively surprised by the time spent in the labs. Being a new student without qualification or any experience I had to spend a lot of time in the labs. All beginnings are hard, which proved to apply to me, too.
What advice do you have for future students?
I have three tips that will make your life tremendously easier:
Form study groups. In my experience, a number of 3-5 persons is best.
Attend all lectures and tutorials. Even if you get 10 minutes’ worth of learning only out of these 90 minutes, that's still more than what you would learn at home. In my experience, only the students you meet in the lectures will pass.
In the labs, look for a partner who has experience from an apprenticeship or vocational training from higher secondary school. You will find that a mixture of practical experience and theory knowledge will benefit your group a lot.