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Welp, Going to Get My Butt Back Into School
- Thread starter warwick.hoy
- Start date
Best of luck man. I myself will hopefully be going away to study electronic engineering at the start of the next academic year. Hope all goes well.
Good luck to you man. It is a hard row to hoe but worth the effort. My first degree was in art. I was working as a Harley mechanic at a dealership in the late 70's. Got laid off cause I was the No. 2 wrench and work died out in the winter. Continued working summers at the dealership and but I went back to school in the winter months in mechanical engineering. Had to basically start all over because not much of the art degree applied. Took me nine semesters and one summer school term but I did it. Therefore, so can you. Many schools offer a 2 + 2 program where you can get your associate and then continue on for your bachelors degree. If you need any help please let me know.
Congrats to you for deciding to go back to school. You will have many moments where it will be very difficult, but the end product is WELL worth it.
One bit of advice I have for beginning studies in engineering after being out of school for a while - the first few courses will be tough. You'll learn a lot of theory & seemingly useless stuff. When you get to the more advanced courses in later years, the information gained in the early classes will be necessary & applicable. For example, if you took a pedal to your professor & wanted to recreate it, they might tell you that you don't have the knowledge for that just yet, or that it is too advanced. Bull. The greater your thirst for knowledge, the easier it will be to soar through those introductory courses. There IS an application to EVERYTHING you learn - it may be tough to see, but its there.
+1 on boning up on math. Math is the 1st thing to go when not used on a regular basis. Start where you are comfortable & always push ahead. To get to a collegiate engineering level of math, you need to have: algebra, geometry, trigonometry and/or precalculus. In college you'll get calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, vector calculus, and engineering math (to solve specific problems in EE). If you can pass one, you can pass all of them.
Keep charging! If you need any resources, send me a PM. I'm currently in graduate school for chemical engineering while working full time in that field. I had to spend a LOT of time reviewing my math before going back to grad school, so I know the feeling!
Best,
ian
One bit of advice I have for beginning studies in engineering after being out of school for a while - the first few courses will be tough. You'll learn a lot of theory & seemingly useless stuff. When you get to the more advanced courses in later years, the information gained in the early classes will be necessary & applicable. For example, if you took a pedal to your professor & wanted to recreate it, they might tell you that you don't have the knowledge for that just yet, or that it is too advanced. Bull. The greater your thirst for knowledge, the easier it will be to soar through those introductory courses. There IS an application to EVERYTHING you learn - it may be tough to see, but its there.
+1 on boning up on math. Math is the 1st thing to go when not used on a regular basis. Start where you are comfortable & always push ahead. To get to a collegiate engineering level of math, you need to have: algebra, geometry, trigonometry and/or precalculus. In college you'll get calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, vector calculus, and engineering math (to solve specific problems in EE). If you can pass one, you can pass all of them.
Keep charging! If you need any resources, send me a PM. I'm currently in graduate school for chemical engineering while working full time in that field. I had to spend a LOT of time reviewing my math before going back to grad school, so I know the feeling!
Best,
ian
+1million
I went to college right out of high school for graphic design and at that time computers were only just starting to be used, and the jobs were scarce and very varied. It was nothing like it is now. So, I of course just skated by being 18 and didnt take anything serious. I got a degree and had nowhere to go with it so I worked from my dad and bro in their construction company for a few years. That was an eye opener to how I could be spending the rest of my life.
So I got my butt back to school to learn computer graphics and busted my butt and it paid off. I have been employed for 15 years now and have my own business on the side. That wouldnt have happened if I didnt go out to the "real world".
I suck at math, so I'm pretty much expecting to start at the bottom with that. I know that I might not get to the courses that I'm interested in but in the meantime I can get on with getting to a college level of math skills.
I have been known to get frustrated and throw math text books across the room at times. I have a lot cooler head now. I'll have more time to do the work, study and get better at math now that I don't have to work 3 jobs to keep a roof over my head (thanks wife).
I have been known to get frustrated and throw math text books across the room at times. I have a lot cooler head now. I'll have more time to do the work, study and get better at math now that I don't have to work 3 jobs to keep a roof over my head (thanks wife).
My heartiest congratulations and I wish you every blessing in your new endeavor. Do the work, ask if you don't understand something, and you should do fine. I'm going back to school this fall too.
Good for you. Doing it for yourself is the only way to do it. My brother and I both went to college at the same time (even though he graduated from high school a year earlier). He's doing it so my father will keep feeding him. In the past two years, he's been enrolled at three different schools and has earned a grand total of six credits (two classes). I'm doing it because I've seen how hard you have to bust your *** in "the real world" to just barely scrape by. I'm on the dean's list now. My cumulative GPA in high school was 1.13.
All you have to do is know why you're doing it and keep showing up.
As I mentioned earlier I was in my thirties when I went back. I had been good in math in high school but I had forgotten most of it. When I took my first engineering 'statics' class I had to go home and get my high school texts out to translate what the professor was talking about. You will have to apply yourself harder than others but it will boil down to how much you want it and what effort you are willing to expend.
I'm pretty much expecting to have to take some remedial math classes before I can even get started on the actual AAS. That's fine with me,...I need all the help I can get. I got only as far as Math 99 but failed to take the exam.
This may be an excuse, but I had zero support the last time I was in college. I was working 3 part time jobs trying to keep a roof over my head and food in meh belleh. Couple that the fact that I (as previously mentioned) was doing it for other people, therefore I only applied myself in the classes I enjoyed (Music Theory and Jazz Combo). This time it's going to be different. I'm interested in a program as opposed to just aimlessly taking classes so that should help me in staying focus and on task.
Let me also mention that it is Electronics Engineering with emphasis on Telecommunications. Not sure if there is much difference between that and Electrical Engineering which is what I previously mentioned I was interested in.
So I have question. I'm not sure where to look for additional financial aid. I've got my FAFSA submitted and qualify for pell grants, but I'm wondering if there are other agencies that can help with outside expenses. Unemployment Insurance maybe? Where else should I be looking for help with non school expenses?
My wife makes enough to pay rent and put food on the table, but I'm thinking that we are going to have to split it up so that we aren't paying it all out of one paycheck. Our rent about wipes out one of her bi-weekly paychecks (we have about $50 afterward).
I'm cutting back on expenses,....no hockey for me for the next couple of seasons, quitting smoking has saved me about $175 a month, so that expense is gone. I got the comcast bill (TV/Phone/Interenet) cut by 60 bucks a month, but I may go ahead and cancel the TV all together. I know I'm going to need internet for school, and I'm not a cell phone user so home phone it will stay.
I plan to apply for loans, but any borrowed money will go to school expenses only. I don't want a huge debt when I graduate, and I won't be using student loans to buy that Sadowsky I've been eyeballing. With a degree I should be able to make enough to buy that Sadowsky I've been eyeballing outright,...
I'm willing to work a very part time job to help contribute, but the right one has to come up (I'm unemployed at the moment). I may have to bow out of the two bands that I'm in as well; or at least cut down to the one that actually makes a little money.
Okay,.../stream of consciousness.
Anything you guys can add or help out with would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for all the support and well wishes.
This may be an excuse, but I had zero support the last time I was in college. I was working 3 part time jobs trying to keep a roof over my head and food in meh belleh. Couple that the fact that I (as previously mentioned) was doing it for other people, therefore I only applied myself in the classes I enjoyed (Music Theory and Jazz Combo). This time it's going to be different. I'm interested in a program as opposed to just aimlessly taking classes so that should help me in staying focus and on task.
Let me also mention that it is Electronics Engineering with emphasis on Telecommunications. Not sure if there is much difference between that and Electrical Engineering which is what I previously mentioned I was interested in.
So I have question. I'm not sure where to look for additional financial aid. I've got my FAFSA submitted and qualify for pell grants, but I'm wondering if there are other agencies that can help with outside expenses. Unemployment Insurance maybe? Where else should I be looking for help with non school expenses?
My wife makes enough to pay rent and put food on the table, but I'm thinking that we are going to have to split it up so that we aren't paying it all out of one paycheck. Our rent about wipes out one of her bi-weekly paychecks (we have about $50 afterward).
I'm cutting back on expenses,....no hockey for me for the next couple of seasons, quitting smoking has saved me about $175 a month, so that expense is gone. I got the comcast bill (TV/Phone/Interenet) cut by 60 bucks a month, but I may go ahead and cancel the TV all together. I know I'm going to need internet for school, and I'm not a cell phone user so home phone it will stay.
I plan to apply for loans, but any borrowed money will go to school expenses only. I don't want a huge debt when I graduate, and I won't be using student loans to buy that Sadowsky I've been eyeballing. With a degree I should be able to make enough to buy that Sadowsky I've been eyeballing outright,...
I'm willing to work a very part time job to help contribute, but the right one has to come up (I'm unemployed at the moment). I may have to bow out of the two bands that I'm in as well; or at least cut down to the one that actually makes a little money.
Okay,.../stream of consciousness.
Anything you guys can add or help out with would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for all the support and well wishes.
I was unable to collect unemployment because I was actively enrolled in school even though I was also laid off at the Harley dealership. Sucked. With unemployment being what it is today there should be govt programs for re-training those effected by the recession but I am not personally aware of any. Check with your local State emplyment service.
If by "college math skills" you mean "basically a minor in math" you're on the right track.
My first math class in college as an engineering student was a higher level than your average non-math, non-hard science student ever took.
My degree is technically Computer Engineering, but I work as an EE. I had to take:
Calculus I/II/III
Differential Equations
Linear Spaces and Matrix Theory
Discrete Mathematics
Probabilistic Methods in Engineering
My degree is Computer and Systems Engineering, and I also work as an EE. I was a Control Systems Engineer in my last job. It was a better job. Too bad the company dissolved
I had to take all those classes, plus Multivariable Calculus.
Yep, that's basically what I did for EE/telecoms in Canada too. But it's just a hit to take and once it's done, you will likely never do such high level maths in your life again, unless you push for a master/doctorate or want to work in research. Looking back, I consider it as general knowledge that's good to have (as well as a bunch of other obligatory classes ....).
But then ...
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.. and you will be able to quickly spot mistakes in the calculation under the cheque
Thanks Guys.
This looks like the AAS Curriculum. I'm going to have my transcripts transferred between the 2 campuses and see where I stand. I'm also going to go to the campus in the coming days and speak with the head of the program to see where I stand. I'm sure I can learn everything I need to in order to come up to the level of the curriculum.
This looks like the AAS Curriculum. I'm going to have my transcripts transferred between the 2 campuses and see where I stand. I'm also going to go to the campus in the coming days and speak with the head of the program to see where I stand. I'm sure I can learn everything I need to in order to come up to the level of the curriculum.
