AOE Advising Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

2026-2027 AOE Advising FAQs

September 2026:

Question: How should I prepare for career fairs?

Answer: Follow-the steps below.

Register!

• Register online as soon as possible.
• Registration for Engineering Expo and the Aerospace, Defense & Intelligence Career Fair is open now!

Do your research, prepare and have a game plan:

• Read about employers ahead of time.
• Make a list of both large and small companies you are interested in. Prepare short talking points for the companies that highlight your experiences/skills. Details make you more memorable to recruiters!
• Craft a concise “elevator pitch” that you can use to introduce yourself to employers. Include a little bit about you, what you’re looking for, and why the company is a good fit.
• Update your resume (resume tips) and get it reviewed. Be sure that your resume is uploaded to the career fair system so that employers can see it.
• Decide what to wear. The Office of Career & Professional Development has a guide to professional dress codes. If needed, schedule an appointment with Career Outfitters to shop for free professional clothing or attend one of their pop-up shops.

On the day of the career fair:

• Dress professionally.
• Carry a padfolio with your notes and plenty of copies of your resume.
• Be aware that you may need to check your bags at the door.

Follow-up:

• Within ~24 hours following the career fair, send quick follow-up thank-you emails to recruiters you chatted with.
• Some companies may invite students to interview on campus after the career fair. Review the Prepare for an Interview guide for tips!

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Question: What online tools should I use to hunt for jobs/internships?

Answer: There is no single best search tool. Use multiple search engines and check them for new postings frequently. Also, go directly to the websites for companies of interest to see what opportunities are posted. In addition, pay close attention to your VT email/social media for announcements about opportunities to network with employers.  

Some search tools:

• Handshake: A job search engine provided by the VT Career & Professional Development (CPD) Office. It can be used both to search for job postings and to register for CPD appointments/events.
• CareerShift: This CPD provided search engine pulls job postings from a variety of sources and includes advanced sorting options.
• LinkedIn: Use to search for jobs and to network with employers, Virginia Tech alumni, etc...
• AIAA: The American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) provides access to job postings and many other career resources even without an AIAA membership.  Students can become official AIAA members for additional resources/perks.
• SNAME: The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) provides access to job postings and many other career resources even without a SNAME membership.  Students can become official SNAME members for additional resources/perks.
• USAJobs: Use this website to search for federal government jobs.

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August 2026:

Question: I’m a sophomore and can’t find an open spot in AOE 2054. What should I do? 

Answer: AOE 2054 Electronics for AOE is now being offered in both fall and spring. If you are a sophomore in FA 2026 with a plan to graduate in SP 2029 or later, you should take AOE 2054 in either FA 2026 or SP 2026. Waiting until spring is fine! It is also fine to take PHYS 2306 in either of these semesters as well. Ideally, you should have both of these courses completed by the end of this academic year.

Note - If you still need AOE 2054 and plan to graduate before SP 2029, you must take AOE 2054 in FA 2026 to stay on track. Contact your academic advisor for assistance! 

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Question: I’m a sophomore and supposed to take AOE 2074 this year, but I see that the CS prerequisite for this course has changed. What should I do if I took one of the old prerequisite options?

Answer: AOE 2074 Data and Algorithms for Aerospace and Ocean Engineers (formerly Computational Methods) has undergone updates. As part of this process, the CS prerequisite for this course has changed. Previously, students had a choice of CS 1044, CS 1064, or CS 1114. Now students must take CS 1064.

If your official VT Catalog Year is 2025-2026 or earlier, we will honor the old CS prerequisite options for AOE 2074. Request a force-add for AOE 2074 and include a note that you took the old prerequisite. Find the AOE force-add request form here: AOE Force-Add Requests | Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering | Virginia Tech.

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Question: I want to get credit for undergrad research/independent study. How do I sign up?

Answer: Instructions and links to follow can be found on the COE “Experiential Learning” webpage: Experiential Learning | Engineering | Virginia Tech. Signing up is a 2-step process. First the faculty member offering the opportunity must submit the “Instructor Request Form.” Once the opportunity is approved, you can request it using the “Student Request Form.” 

The forms close on the last day to add classes for the term. You must fill out the “Student Request Form” by the deadline. It may take several days for you to see the course appear on your schedule.  

Before signing up, you need to have arranged an opportunity with a faculty member. Keep in mind that independent study/undergrad research done under an AOE course designation (i.e. AOE 2974/4974/2994/4994) in A-F grade mode can count towards general technical elective credits. Experiential learning done under a different department’s course designation and/or in pass/fail grade mode cannot count towards general technical elective credit.

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Question: Am I able to earn credits for my extracurricular engineering design team?  If so, how do I sign up?  

Answer: This depends. Some extracurricular engineering design teams offer credits and others don’t. Ask your team’s faculty advisor if this is an option for your team.

In the past, design team credits were typically given as “independent study”. Starting in FA 2026, “Design/Competition Team” is its own category of experiential learning credit (2934/4934). Sign up by following the steps outlined here: Experiential Learning | Engineering | Virginia Tech. Design/competition team credit can count towards general technical elective credits only if done under an AOE course designation (i.e. AOE 2934/4934) in A-F grade mode.