<p>Talking to, shadowing, and interning with engineers during summers/school year in engineering/tech firms. I’ve seen dozens of classmates do this even during HS. </p>
<p>If one has family or close family friends who also happen to be engineers or working closely with them, they are also good resources into the realities of being an engineer. </p>
<p>Moreover, like CS courses…engineering courses don’t necessarily provide an adequate real world" picture of what working as an engineer or computer programmer/techie is like. </p>
<p>A reason why many engineering/CS majors who enjoyed studying it in college ended up not pursuing it as a career right after college. </p>
<p>On the flipside, some engineering/CS graduates I knew who hated studying it in college and considered dropping their majors during undergrad ended up loving working in their related fields because it’s much more engaging than the classroom version. </p>
<p>Granted, my uncle’s experience may have been atypical as he came from the ROC(Taiwan) education system when he started his 3/2 LAC/engineering program in the early '50s. </p>
<p>One advantage of that system for students who can pass muster is that one must have completed calculus by the end of 8th grade back then to be eligible to enter an academic HS necessary to be eligible to take the national college entrance exams or the exam for students hoping to go overseas for college. </p>
<p>In short, while he was an “immature laggard student” under that system by his own admission, his mathematical/science foundation was solid enough that not taking engineering courses until the last 2 years of his program wasn’t an issue. While he felt he could have worked harder during his undergrad, he did fine, graduated, stayed an extra year for his MSE…also at Columbia SEAS, and proceeded to have a 5 decade long career as a licensed PE. </p>
<p>Even in retirement, he still gets many calls to consult on engineering projects.</p>
<p>I agree with Colorado mom, that it may be hard for students to leave their friends as upperclassmen and transfer elsewhere. Also, sometimes once the student completes the required math/physics courses, they may be less enthralled with the field. And definitely agree that having to crunch in lots of engineering classes in 2 years, especially if some are the intro thermo or fluids classes with underclassmen, may be less desirable.</p>
<p>Excellent point by HiMom about today’s engineering universities being able to somewhat simulate a small college feel by Honors Courses, Major specific dorm floors, etc.</p>
<p>The 3/2 option has been discussed often here on CC. A few anecdotes say that it works well for some. But I’ve come down on the side of the opposition. Too many variables involved for a young person who may not be 100% certain of her career interests or plans.</p>
<p>During my sons freshman year he started research in one group and did this throughout the summer and into his sophomore year. The summer between sophomore and junior year he did an engineering internship. His junior year he started research for another prof and did this throughout the next summer. This ended up being his senior thesis and part of his senior project.</p>
<p>His freshman research ended up getting him full funding at Yale for a phd. His senior research was instrumental in getting him accepted into other phd programs. His internship gave him his full time job he has now.</p>
<p>4 years was barely enough to explore all the engineering and physics stuff he wanted. It was barely enough time to get to have great relationships with his advisors.</p>
<p>I do not know how one would fit this all in in two years…</p>
<p>Some students do 2+2 (CC->stateU) and then go on to top PhD programs in their majors, so it can be done. (Yes, it makes a 3+2 program look like a much more expensive luxury version of the cheap CC->stateU route that many students from poor families and non-traditional students use.)</p>
<p>Some schools do a 3+2 and you walk away with a masters but it’s all done at the same school and not 3 years at one and 2 at the other. I like 3+2 when they are at the same school.</p>
<p>I’d rather be a 23 year old with a masters than a 22 year old with only a bachelors but that’s my opinion.</p>
<p>for others interested in this thread, Trinity Univ. in San Antonio is a well regarded LAC, located in the southwest…my middle son recently graduated from there. THEY DO HAVE a DESIGN based engineering bach of science degree…in a brand new science building…interesting!</p>
<p>Has anyone ever identified the Columbia SEAS students who were unable to transfer to the college? My relative has only been at SEAS one year, but none of her classmates who applied to transfer SEAS to college were denied. Does this actually happen? It is spoken of often on this website but I have yet to read about someone being denied the transfer. Just curious.</p>