- #1
AstroEmma
- 15
- 5
Hi all! So I think I need some outside perspective on this.
I'm a very non-traditional student. What I mean by that is, I started college back in 2002 as a MechE major, but life happened and I eventually graduated with a BA in Poli Sci. Haven't done anything with that at all, and ended up working in web dev and the video game industry for a while, and eventually got admitted to an online MS in Computer Science at an okay-ish regionally-recognized school. Was a mess when I started it, so didn't do well the first year, and took a leave of absence for a while. Got my act together after finally getting an ADHD diagnosis, and have since resumed the MS and am doing much better now, set to graduate in December.
While all of this has been going on, I started thinking about returning to engineering, and started taking classes at the local community college. Joined the robotics club, fell absolutely in love with it, and have since decided that that's where I belong. So while I'm working to finish my MS, I'm also still taking undergrad math/physics/etc classes, as I figured it couldn't hurt to improve my knowledge there.
Here's the part I'm having trouble with. While I like the software side of things, I really want to be more hands-on with the hardware side, and I've been proceeding with the intent to work my way through as much of an ECE program as I can. I had originally intended to just do this as a non-degree student, but it's becoming apparent that that is going to be more difficult than I thought, for a few reasons. First, I'm in California, and engineering majors at most schools are heavily impacted, so actually getting a seat in a class isn't guaranteed, and I need a lot of classes. Second, the red tape involved in not being a "real" student means that doing anything else, like research, clubs, etc., involves jumping through more hoops. Unfortunately, the school I'm doing my MS through doesn't offer any sort of engineering, so I can't just go there.
So I've thought about applying to a few schools for an actual second bachelors degree. Again, slight problem, it's really hard to do that in California with few exceptions, and the exceptions don't really offer much in the way of robotics activity. I've been heavily weighing a few other options, namely BU's LEAP program, but I'm not super keen on spending that much, nor on the idea of only taking a handful of the undergrad classes before starting the Masters program. Another option I'm considering is the University of Arizona and possibly doing a 2nd bachelor's as a dual major in ECE and MechE - that's actually where I started back in 2002, getting readmitted shouldn't be a problem, and because I went to high school in AZ, I may be eligible for the 150% resident tuition rate rather than out of state, which is good because I'd be paying for this out of pocket.
So the struggle and the part that I need help with is this: which would be the better option? If I stay in California as a non-degree student, I have access to the excellent UC system, but getting the classes is not a guarantee, I have extra red tape to deal with, the cost of living is atrocious, and after all of that, I won't have an actual degree. If I try for BU, again, very expensive, but I get a MS or MEng out of it, but with less undergrad prep (if I even get in). If I go to Arizona, I get a degree and all the great things that come with being an actual degree student, including opportunities for research, etc. (and they're doing some really cool stuff that I'm extremely interested in), but I have to move to Tucson (honestly, this feels like the only real downside here, as doing the full degree would take roughly the same time as the other two options). If it matters, I don't have a problem with really heavy workloads (I actually think I do better when I'm busier, something to do with the ADHD, I suspect) - I'm actually taking 28 credits between the MS and community college classes right now and doing well.
All of that being said, again, I'm finishing my MS in CS in December. My GPA isn't great because of the first year, but I'm focusing on CV/AI/ML and have done pretty well since resuming the program. The DREAM is something at JPL or similar, but obviously that's a huge stretch in my current situation, and I feel like getting actual credentials and possibly pursuing a PhD later on improves the odds of that or anything remotely close to it, hence the interest in research opportunities. I'm actively looking for internships and might have something for the fall that looks promising, but I don't know how likely it is I'd actually find something in the field full-time after graduating.
Sigh, sorry, that was really long. I guess one thing I have going for me is that I'm single and don't have anything tying me to anywhere, so if I need to move, it's easy. At the same time, I'm not getting any younger. Ugh.
TL;DR: Non-traditional student, trying to decide what to do to get into robotics. Do I (1) go back for the 2nd bachelors, (2) continue my slog as a non-degree student, (3) try for the BU LEAP program, or (4) do none of the above and just try to find a job after I finish my MS in CS?
I'm a very non-traditional student. What I mean by that is, I started college back in 2002 as a MechE major, but life happened and I eventually graduated with a BA in Poli Sci. Haven't done anything with that at all, and ended up working in web dev and the video game industry for a while, and eventually got admitted to an online MS in Computer Science at an okay-ish regionally-recognized school. Was a mess when I started it, so didn't do well the first year, and took a leave of absence for a while. Got my act together after finally getting an ADHD diagnosis, and have since resumed the MS and am doing much better now, set to graduate in December.
While all of this has been going on, I started thinking about returning to engineering, and started taking classes at the local community college. Joined the robotics club, fell absolutely in love with it, and have since decided that that's where I belong. So while I'm working to finish my MS, I'm also still taking undergrad math/physics/etc classes, as I figured it couldn't hurt to improve my knowledge there.
Here's the part I'm having trouble with. While I like the software side of things, I really want to be more hands-on with the hardware side, and I've been proceeding with the intent to work my way through as much of an ECE program as I can. I had originally intended to just do this as a non-degree student, but it's becoming apparent that that is going to be more difficult than I thought, for a few reasons. First, I'm in California, and engineering majors at most schools are heavily impacted, so actually getting a seat in a class isn't guaranteed, and I need a lot of classes. Second, the red tape involved in not being a "real" student means that doing anything else, like research, clubs, etc., involves jumping through more hoops. Unfortunately, the school I'm doing my MS through doesn't offer any sort of engineering, so I can't just go there.
So I've thought about applying to a few schools for an actual second bachelors degree. Again, slight problem, it's really hard to do that in California with few exceptions, and the exceptions don't really offer much in the way of robotics activity. I've been heavily weighing a few other options, namely BU's LEAP program, but I'm not super keen on spending that much, nor on the idea of only taking a handful of the undergrad classes before starting the Masters program. Another option I'm considering is the University of Arizona and possibly doing a 2nd bachelor's as a dual major in ECE and MechE - that's actually where I started back in 2002, getting readmitted shouldn't be a problem, and because I went to high school in AZ, I may be eligible for the 150% resident tuition rate rather than out of state, which is good because I'd be paying for this out of pocket.
So the struggle and the part that I need help with is this: which would be the better option? If I stay in California as a non-degree student, I have access to the excellent UC system, but getting the classes is not a guarantee, I have extra red tape to deal with, the cost of living is atrocious, and after all of that, I won't have an actual degree. If I try for BU, again, very expensive, but I get a MS or MEng out of it, but with less undergrad prep (if I even get in). If I go to Arizona, I get a degree and all the great things that come with being an actual degree student, including opportunities for research, etc. (and they're doing some really cool stuff that I'm extremely interested in), but I have to move to Tucson (honestly, this feels like the only real downside here, as doing the full degree would take roughly the same time as the other two options). If it matters, I don't have a problem with really heavy workloads (I actually think I do better when I'm busier, something to do with the ADHD, I suspect) - I'm actually taking 28 credits between the MS and community college classes right now and doing well.
All of that being said, again, I'm finishing my MS in CS in December. My GPA isn't great because of the first year, but I'm focusing on CV/AI/ML and have done pretty well since resuming the program. The DREAM is something at JPL or similar, but obviously that's a huge stretch in my current situation, and I feel like getting actual credentials and possibly pursuing a PhD later on improves the odds of that or anything remotely close to it, hence the interest in research opportunities. I'm actively looking for internships and might have something for the fall that looks promising, but I don't know how likely it is I'd actually find something in the field full-time after graduating.
Sigh, sorry, that was really long. I guess one thing I have going for me is that I'm single and don't have anything tying me to anywhere, so if I need to move, it's easy. At the same time, I'm not getting any younger. Ugh.
TL;DR: Non-traditional student, trying to decide what to do to get into robotics. Do I (1) go back for the 2nd bachelors, (2) continue my slog as a non-degree student, (3) try for the BU LEAP program, or (4) do none of the above and just try to find a job after I finish my MS in CS?