What Classes Should I Take at CC for Nuclear Engineering?

[php111]

Hello,

I am at High School graduate and 26 years old. I try other forums as for suggestions. They did say it is well certainly still possible but I might need to work harder or sitting around people that is younger but it's still possible because of my age.

I want to go for Nuclear Engineering. Before I can tackle that, I will have to put effort on the basic foundations.

I know for a fact Math placement will be placed in one of the lower classes. Same thing with English and Reading. Yes English is my first language and the only language I know. As for Reading, Of course I can read but reading and writing about it, that is when I am slow at it.

Here is the main link for CCP (Community College of Philadelphia). My question is, on that link everything I need plus Sciences. What would be a good route to take so PSU can accept me?

http://www.ccp.edu/site/academic/

 

[robphy]

Here is the main link for CCP (Community College of Philadelphia). My question is, on that link everything I need plus Sciences. What would be a good route to take so PSU can accept me?

http://www.ccp.edu/site/academic/

I'll check out the link later...
...but this is a question that should really be posed to PSU and the relevant department.
You want to be assured that your program of study [in terms of course and credit requirements] will be acceptable to them.

 

[php111]

I'll check out the link later...
...but this is a question that should really be posed to PSU and the relevant department.
You want to be assured that your program of study [in terms of course and credit requirements] will be acceptable to them.

Are you a moderator? Will you delete this?

Edit: If someone happens to see this thread. Will someone please either delete it or lock it for good per OP request?

 

[robphy]

I'm not a moderator.
I don't think it's a bad question to get advice on... but PSU's response should probably carry the most weight in your planning. (However, on the other hand, PSU shouldn't have the only word... You might find creative ways from the answers you receive here to achieve your goals.)

In my own experience in transferring to a state university, I was discouraged from overloading on my courses for the first year. But I felt I needed to catch up with those who had been in the program from their first year. Eventually, I overcame their restriction (or was it really just a strong suggestion?) and did an overload which seemed to work out for me.

 

[carstensentyl]

I had a poor experience with community college transfer work. I would advise you to take as many classes as possible at the institution that will give you your degree.

However, you could take some hard classes, like Calc II and Physics at the CC to keep that GPA near 4.

 

[huckmank]

I had a poor experience with community college transfer work. I would advise you to take as many classes as possible at the institution that will give you your degree.

I would advise the opposite. I attended Austin CC for a year and a half and took every class they offered that applied to my major. I ended up taking 61 hours at CC before transferring to UT and, besides trig, every last hour transferred into my program (EE).

To the OP: You should use the following site to ensure the transferability of whatever courses you choose. Keep in mind, though, that if you get all of your electives out of the way in the first year and a half of school, you'll basically have 2 years of straight engineering classes.

https://www.admissions.psu.edu/my_admissions/tas/othersToPsu_2.cfm

By the way, good luck and congratulations on the decision to improve your life. I started back at 26 as well and transferred into a top 10 program. It's absolutely possible; just keep your grades up at the transferring institution.

 

[leon1127]

Transferring credits is a tricky business. Some local colleges work very hard to get the classes standardised. However the ultimate decision is made by the school who would give you the credit. Therefore it is better to ask the university you want to attend.

I would advise the opposite. I attended Austin CC for a year and a half and took every class they offered that applied to my major. I ended up taking 61 hours at CC before transferring to UT and, besides trig, every last hour transferred into my program (EE).

You are lucky because Texas community college has a very well developed communication with state universities. It is not necessary true for other regions.

I don't suggest overloading on the first semester. You should take resonable amount of classes to test where your limit is. Say how much time you need to do maths and to write essay for english writing etc. Then you can overload yourself according to these experience.

 

[php111]

Thank you for all the replies!

In High School, I didn't take that much math and after so many years I will forget the math. I did went to a CC for a semester but I stopped going because I knew I might move out of the area.

At that CC I took a Placement Test and the math they placed me in it's sad but true. The VERY basic. Pre-Algebra which is at the very bottom of almost all math classes.

 

[symbolipoint]

php111, How much maths was "didn't take that much math"? You graduated about 6 years ago, but did you at least study Introductory Algebra? How about College Preparatory Geometry?

If the CC places you at Pre-Algebra, you must feel frustrated, but you probably should attend it (Pre-Algebra). You should have no trouble with the course. If you unmistakably have good basic Algebra knowledge, then maybe you could talk to a counselor about going directly into Introductory Algebra instead, in which some review should be presented of Pre-Algebra skills. Much of the decision of what to do depends on how well you learned Algebra 1 in high school.

 

[lisab]

If the CC places you at Pre-Algebra, you must feel frustrated, but you probably should attend it (Pre-Algebra). You should have no trouble with the course. If you unmistakably have good basic Algebra knowledge, then maybe you could talk to a counselor about going directly into Introductory Algebra instead, in which some review should be presented of Pre-Algebra skills. Much of the decision of what to do depends on how well you learned Algebra 1 in high school.

I very much agree. Since it's been a while since you've been in school, it's best to start at a level where you can get a good foothold on the material. You want to go into a very math-intensive subject; you don't want to stumble right out of the gate.

 

[php111]

I agree also but even my level right now is Pre-Algebra. I am the type of person that would love to take the higher level classes because I was a person that liked math even though I didn't take much of it. In High School, I didn't think about going to College until years later so back then I was kind of in a hurry to graduate.

I don't know when I will be moving to Philly. I couldn't even take a guess.

I very much agree. Since it's been a while since you've been in school, it's best to start at a level where you can get a good foothold on the material. You want to go into a very math-intensive subject; you don't want to stumble right out of the gate.

 

[hptorres]

Hello,

I am at High School graduate and 26 years old. I try other forums as for suggestions. They did say it is well certainly still possible but I might need to work harder or sitting around people that is younger but it's still possible because of my age.

I want to go for Nuclear Engineering. Before I can tackle that, I will have to put effort on the basic foundations.

I know for a fact Math placement will be placed in one of the lower classes. Same thing with English and Reading. Yes English is my first language and the only language I know. As for Reading, Of course I can read but reading and writing about it, that is when I am slow at it.

Here is the main link for CCP (Community College of Philadelphia). My question is, on that link everything I need plus Sciences. What would be a good route to take so PSU can accept me?

http://www.ccp.edu/site/academic/

Hi php111,

Just read your post and wanted to share a bit of my current situation in hopes that it'll encourage you to pursue your dream.

I am 32 yrs old, married and have two kids and in the Spring of 07 I went back to a JC to begin pursuing a BS in Computer Science (I work as an IT Tech) Although I had some GE classes under my belt and an IT certification, I was FAR from being able to transfer to a 4year University. When I took my math placement test, I placed one level ahead of where you are, Begining Algebra. Today, I am taking First Semester Calculus and I have been able to Ace every math course I've taken including, Int Algebra, Trig and Pre-Cal. Calculus is harder and requires way more effort but YOU CAN DO IT! Today, I am working on my major prep courses and should be able to transfer next year. The biggest piece of advice I'd give you is that you don't stop, take at least one class every semester. I finished 24 units last year but I am only taking Calc this Spring, but I will go to summer school and of course the Fall semester. Even if it takes me 3 more years to graduate, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. Just go for it! One of my favorite quotes comes from the movie The Pursuit of Happiness it goes "don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something, sometimes, people tell you can't do something only because they can't do it themselves." I love that quote becasue I've encounter people that don't agree with what I am doing so I just don't listen. You know your limitations better than anyone, if you feel this is your dream, hang on to it...good luck to you.

 

[carstensentyl]

I have a few friends who are struggling with their math scores.

What amazes me is that there are a lot of older men in my department, who had to relearn all of their math, up to differential equations. Many of them are now the highest-scoring individuals in our classes, thanks to their discipline and ability to overcome challenges.

Just keep plugging away at the math and science. Take the hard stuff at the CC, the easy stuff at your university, and you won't have any regrets.

 

[RasslinGod]

i know i shouldn't be asking this, but how are the job prospects for a nuclear engineer? I've considered studying nuclear science, but i donno much bout what u can do?

 

[Prologue]

I'd like to through some info about myself out there too. I'm 24 and currently enrolled in a university and a community college, I am finishing up 55 credit hours right now that I have taken at the CC, 5 now at the university. Then I'll being doing 10 hours in the summer at the CC and onto full time at the university.

Anyway, here is my advice, coming from from what I have seen in myself. I was a huge slacker in school and avoided doing any work at all costs, so my math was rather poor coming into college. Leave time for everything (mostly math in the beginning), you may (will?) become very frustrated with some of the math speak and concepts. Math is a new language so it takes a lot of time to get used to it, it took me a solid year of math classes to really get into the terminology/conceptual swing of things. The vast majority of the concepts that you will be learning in those algebra classes you WILL have to use everyday in an academic/scientific career, so keep your motivation up and remember that you are human just like everyone else, it takes everyone time to learn, so give yourself that time too. (I might be talking to myself now)

I have one quick math tip that is ridiculously useful to me all the time in my math courses: when a statement in math is made, something like y=x+2 , it can literally be read as y is the exact same thing as x+1. So anywhere you see a y you could put an x+1 and it would be true, and anywhere you see an x+1, you could put a y, there is nothing false about it. It is that sort of basic grounding that will help immensely in math (and takes a long time to get), so make sure if there is any doubt in your mind about a problem, reason it out, take the time. It will pay off in the end in a much better understanding, I see it all the time with older students especially.