Going to college before uni for engineering?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential benefits of attending college before university for students pursuing engineering, specifically in the context of gaining practical experience versus theoretical knowledge. Participants explore the implications of this choice within different educational systems, particularly comparing experiences in Canada and the US.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that attending college first may provide practical experience beneficial for engineering, while others question the validity of this claim.
  • Another participant emphasizes that colleges and universities are both academic institutions but notes significant differences in the education received, particularly in engineering.
  • Concerns are raised about the transferability of coursework from college to university, especially in Canada, where it is suggested that college may not provide the necessary theoretical foundation for a four-year degree.
  • Some participants argue that completing post-secondary education quickly is preferable, as it reduces costs and allows for an earlier start to one's career.
  • One participant mentions that engineering departments can vary significantly, and that practical skills can often be obtained within university programs, questioning the need for prior college experience.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the value of attending college before university, with no consensus reached. Some believe it may offer practical benefits, while others argue it could delay educational progress without significant advantages.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the educational context varies by country, which affects the relevance and transferability of college coursework to university programs. Specific assumptions about the nature of practical experience and its distinction from theoretical knowledge are also highlighted but remain unresolved.

Kenny Bala
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Hey guys,

I'm a senior in high school and I recently finished all my university applications, all of which revolve around computer/electrical engineering and computer science. While I plan on going to university and then possibly grad school, I keep hearing however that it would be a great benefit to go to college first, in order to gain some practical experience rather than largely theoretical experience. Would going to college prior to university be of any benefit for engineering or is there no real benefit to spending an extra year or two in school?
Thanks!
 
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Apparently, you must not realize that colleges and universities are both academic institutions.
 
SteamKing said:
Apparently, you must not realize that colleges and universities are both academic institutions.

I do realize that, however to my knowledge there are significant differences in the education you receive at least in engineering. I'm just curious if college before university would be of any help for engineering
SteamKing said:
Apparently, you must not realize that colleges and universities are both academic institutions.
 
It would be very useful to know what country you are in. I assume you are not in the US. If you are, see SteamKing's answer above. Otherwise it varies so widely from country to country that nobody can really answer the question without more information. I'm a bit familiar with Canadian colleges and the problem there is that you won't take much coursework that transfers to a university. You will basically learn how to be a programmer or computer technician but you won't learn any theory and you won't take any of the math or physics necessary. So basically you're just spending an extra 2 years in school and not really getting anything that benefits you. I have no idea why anyone would do that if their goal is a 4 year degree.
 
IMO, it's better to get thru your post secondary education as quickly as possible. It's less expensive and more importantly, the quicker you are finished with school, the quicker you are in starting your career and the rest of your life. It's pointless spending six or eight years getting a four-year degree, especially if you plan on post-graduate work.

And you haven't made clear how going to college would give you 'practical' experience instead of 'theoretical' experience.
 
alan2 said:
It would be very useful to know what country you are in. I assume you are not in the US. If you are, see SteamKing's answer above. Otherwise it varies so widely from country to country that nobody can really answer the question without more information. I'm a bit familiar with Canadian colleges and the problem there is that you won't take much coursework that transfers to a university. You will basically learn how to be a programmer or computer technician but you won't learn any theory and you won't take any of the math or physics necessary. So basically you're just spending an extra 2 years in school and not really getting anything that benefits you. I have no idea why anyone would do that if their goal is a 4 year degree.

Yeah, I should have specified that. I'm in Canada and here our colleges are somewhat the equivalent of community colleges in the US. I was just curious, as I'd been hearing from people who graduated that going to college first allows you to gain more practical and hands on knowledge about engineering and I was wondering what truth there was to that.
 
Oh lucky guess. I'm in the US and I've noticed that engineering departments can be very different from each other. Even though engineers don't really make an official distinction between theory and application you will find that informal separation in many departments. I know engineers who can design and engineers who can build. I, personally, would look closely at the departments you are interested in and see if their curriculum matches what you want. If you want hands on programming skills you can find that. If you want bench skills you can find that. I don't really see the benefit of what you call "practical experience" because you can find that in your university program at the same time you are getting your 4 year degree and save a lot of time and money.
 

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