Thinking of giving up on college

[Tyrion101]

I'm not understanding the math here: you have one class plus six hours of homework and a part time job...so, what are you doing for the other 50 waking-hours each week instead of taking 4 more classes?

My "part time job" more or less at times feels like a full time one, I had two months where it was every weekend 8 hours most days, 12 a couple in a row, plus on top of that someone volunteered me for a few things I couldn't get out of. Lately though it's more normal, I literally spend most of my time focusing on this one class, even when I'm not doing homework I'm worrying or studying. If I could figure out a way to just transfer to someplace where I could take a degree I wanted I'm all for it. I'm open to the idea of being an interpreter if I can pay the bills with it. It's just that thing seem pretty bleak at the moment, I wish I could be faster at comprehending math.

 

[symbolipoint]

You are employed. Stay employed. School is not so urgent. Find out what kind and amount of Mathematics will be necessary for an undergraduate program, and complete that only; and change your major field choice, UNLESS you know exactly what job and career you want in science or engineering. The suggestion to switch to a language education and career is because you are interested in that and are possibly more talented in that area. Earlier, you discussed having dyslexia, so how this affects your career choices is not clear.

If you were to become an interpreter, you would still need to write a significant amount; if you were to be a translator (not what you seem to want), you would naturally need to write as a big feature of the work. The reason for the suggestion of ESL or TESOL teacher is because (1) you are a people person, able to communicate, (2) good job-finding possibilities both into public schools and into private schools. You might very well be able to teach well. You on your own are the person to explore this idea and decide how you relate to it; learning to teach language (or being taught how to teach) might contain many details but is not entirely difficult to do. Reject the teaching idea ONLY if you know you are not a people-person and do not like helping people to learn. If you are worried because of not being comfortable preparing and giving speeches, be aware that YOU prepare a plan to follow in order to present and deliver lessons. Basically, you design a plan and then you follow your plan.

 

[Tyrion101]

Maybe I should explain what my plans were in the beginning. I was hoping to get the lowest degree that I needed for finding a decent job, then pick up shop and move to Europe, preferably some spot that is safe and I'd come in contact regularly with the languages I'm either studying or know. It's my understanding that you can't just move to another country with the main reason being: learn the language. French is my best language at present, as I use it most often. I'm highly interested in aircraft (or spacecraft like satellites) I am also interested in astronomy, and you may notice that all of these require mathematics. I'm going to tough out this semester and see what the end is, but I would like to ask is my plan at all flawed?

 

[lisab]

Trouble is there isn't really anything here at this school that interests me, I chose EE because it sounded interesting and I'd be able to get a job with a lower degree. What's killing me is the pure amount of homework my professor is giving me. He said at one point he believes that homework should take 6 hours outside of class to do. It generally takes me an entire week of doing nothing else. Is this overkill for a trig class?

How do you spend your study time - do you read and re-read the chapter? Or do you work on the problems? Or something else?

 

[CalcNerd]

Look into Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ. This is a state college that has a distance learning and online program that offers a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. It HAS no upper limit of transfer credits unlike most colleges who cap off their incoming transfer credits at 64 ie you might be able to transfer 90 or more semester credits.

An Engineering Technology major is not nearly as math intensive as a regular Engineering degree which may also help you complete your studies. They have a couple of ways to pay for your courses and they accept other state accredited courses to transfer even after you are enrolled. And some of their enrollment schemes can actually be comparable to instate tuition.

Do I consider Thomas Edison State College to be a top tier school? No, but it can be as good as YOU make it. ie you are the one taking the class and learning the material. Once you graduate, you represent the school. However good or bad your own education is, is dependent more on yourself than the school. What classes, how much you learn, and where you take the classes are on you.

Check this school out, it is oriented towards the older non-traditional student such as yourself. They will look over your transcripts for modest fee and tell you where you are really at. IT is NOT a diploma mill, unlike many other private programs, it is a state funded college with a real campus as well!

 

[Tyrion101]

Would I get the same job if it was ET vs E? My study time is either homework, reading how to do homework or seeking outside help with things I don't understand.

 

[Travis_King]

You need a plan, not a degree.

 

[CalcNerd]

Would I get the same job if it was ET vs E? My study time is either homework, reading how to do homework or seeking outside help with things I don't understand.

Maybe. Maybe not. That depends upon how good of a student you are. Your knowledge will show when you interview for that next job, if you study.
The reality is, an Eng Tech degree IS easier to obtain than an Engineering degree. However, if you cannot get ready access to math when you need it, you should certainly give the Eng Tech degree consideration.

My own boss is an Electrical Engineering Technology major. He is a smart guy and the company has promoted him quite quickly (and it is a midsized engineering firm). However, I suspect he is the exception. Engineering Technology majors generally do NOT have to take the difficult math courses, and trigonometry or pre-calc is usually sufficient for their degree. Their course work often includes many of the same classes, but all will be non-calculus based. The degree is focused more on the practical aspects of the design vs theoretical issues. He is compensating for this by being enrolled in a Masters of EEng program (and over half way through). This type of education will dispel any issues of his theoretical background.

However, you will be at a handicap vs having an engineering degree. Not sure what your state board of engineers requirements are for a licensed engineer, but these rules kind of spell out what the industry feels about an Engineering versus an Engineering Technology degree.

In my state an Engineer with an Engineering degree needs to only wait 4 years before being allowed to take a PE exam. With an Engineering Technology degree, the engineer has to wait 8 years before he gets to take that same PE exam.

But, you will be allowed to take the PE exam, it is just that you will need more experience to compensate for the lack of advance theoretical study you will not get as an Eng Tech major.

 

[Tyrion101]

Is it possible to get hired by an international firm and request overseas work?