<p>whats the difference between a 3-2 engineering progam and a direct 4 year major. what are the advantages and disadvantages of each????</p>
<p>In a 4 year major, you specialize in engineering from the outset and graduate with one degree - a BS in engineer. In a 3-2, you spend 3 years at a liberal arts school (taking a math, physics, chem, and such in preperation for your engineering degree as well as courses towards a liberal arts major). At the end of 5 years, you graduate with a BA and a BS.</p>
<p>Advantages of a 3-2: wider array of courses that you get to take, can experience two different universities, you end up with two degrees...</p>
<p>Disadvantages: if you keep your grades within reason, you might get an MS in engineering in 5 years. At the end of three years, you might not want to leave your LAC just one year before you would otherwise graduate...</p>
<p>There have been some previous threads on this topic that you might want to take a look at.</p>
<p>A few other disadvantages of 3-2 are that you might not be able to take extra engineering electives or study specialized areas of engineering due to the shorter time you are taking your engineering courses; if you are interested in studying a more specialized area of engineering that is not offered at all engineering schools (ie something besides the basic EE, ME, ChE etc) you may not be able to complete such a program in 2 years. </p>
<p>I would also be concerned about missed research and networking opportunities by not starting engineering until your upper years at a new school. </p>
<p>Also, you are not going to benefit all that much from having that extra BA in math or science if your goal is to be an engineer.</p>
<p>You will be paying an extra year of tuition for the 3-2 program.</p>
<p>Statistically, I am not sure how many people who start out in 3-2 programs actually complete them...</p>
<p>Personally, I feel that if you have to do a 3-2 program....might as well get that basic math/science out the way at a reputable community college (for much cheaper) and finish up at a mid-ranked school for the degree.</p>
<p>Calculus 1 at school A = Calculus 1 at school B = ...well you get the picture.</p>
<p>"might as well get that basic math/science out the way at a reputable community college" </p>
<p>This completely misses the point of 3-2 programs; with 3-2 programs there is generally an existing relationship between the LAC and the engineering school which pretty much guarantees admission into (often top level) engineering school if the student has the prerequisites and grades. The whole point of 3-2 is for students to be able to benefit from a good LAC education and get a degree in math or the pure sciences (not just take a couple of required courses) and also get an engineering degree. </p>
<p>If all you want is an inexpensive degree then sure, go to a cc for a couple of years and try to transfer to an in-state university engineering program (but don't be surprised if it takes more than 2 years to get the engineering degree going this route).</p>
<p>"If all you want is an inexpensive degree then sure, go to a cc for a couple of years and try to transfer to an in-state university engineering program (but don't be surprised if it takes more than 2 years to get the engineering degree going this route)."</p>
<p>Some states have the community college and 4-year colleges tied together so well that you can complete your program in 4 years.</p>
<p>I live in Maryland. The "county" community colleges have Associate Degree programs that are the mirror images of the first 2 years of engineering at Univ of Maryland. They now have it planned that every single credit transfers and course requirement fits the U of Maryland program.</p>
<p>Now is it tied to every 4-year school in Maryland?...No, but in Maryland, many of the 4-year universities are now under the "University of Maryland System" which allows students to take many courses that are the same content at all schools in the state.</p>
<p>Univ of Wisconsin has it....Penn State has it...SUNY has it.</p>
<p>thanx a lot for your advices. the real problem is that i am an average B grade student and an international student as well. colleges which provide a direct 4 yr engineering are mostly tough colleges like cornell, mit, caltech etc which are out of my reach and the other colleges which have 4 yr program do not provide much aid to int. students. therefore i am forced to do a major in engineering via a 3-2 route. i have found only 3 colleges which fulfill my requirements. smith, trinity and laffayette. can u please suggest me other colleges which fulfill my requirements? i need a college for ED application which one do you suggest me?</p>
<p>at caltech:</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Bowdoin College (ME)
* Bryn Mawr College (PA)
* Grinnell College (IA)
* Haverford College (PA)
* Mt. Holyoke College (MA)
* Oberlin College (OH)
* Occidental College (CA)
* Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)
* Pomona College (CA)
* Reed College (OR)
* Spelman College (GA)
* Wesleyan University (CT)
* Whitman College (WA)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>There are a number of others for various schools though.</p>
<p>DONT EVER rely on the 3-2 program if you are international student needing aid. Financial aid is either non, existent (Caltech, Case Western etc) or limited ( WashU, Dartmouth and all the other schools) .. in either case, it is never guaranteed. If you plan to pursue this route to engineering, keep in mind that there is quite a bit of a chance that you wont get financial aid and ull graduate with only a BA.</p>
<p>I am an International student and I am a Mathematical- Economics Major at an affiliate LAC. I am certain that I want to get into the business world eventually but a part of me wants to pursue something science related atleast at the undergraduate level. Keeping my goals of getting into business in mind, do you think the 3-2 program at Columbia is good for me? I guess my biggest question is, do you think the additional engineering degree will enhance my resume when I apply for jobs or a MBA program?</p>
<p>I doubt that I will want to work as an engineer after the completion of the 3-2. However, I think I will really enjoy learning about engineering. This is something that I really want to do because I think it is interesting, not because I want to become an engineer. As a result, it is important for me to know whether the additional degree in engineering will look good on my resume in the business world. Can you please let me know whether the engineering degree will make a difference when I apply for Graduate schools for Business/ Economics or for jobs?</p>