Hi,
I’m currently 22 years old, and I’m about to finish an associate’s degree in electrical engineering at a local community college. The next step that most people in my classes are taking is to transfer to a local state university to get a bachelor’s/master’s, but I feel like this might not be the right choice for me.
To make it short, I chose electrical engineering because I started learning a little bit about it in my free time during high school and I thought it was interesting. I started at community college right after graduating high school, and it’s taken me four years to finish a two year degree because I’ve failed so many classes. I can understand the material but I’m a terrible student, I don’t have any discipline when it comes to studying. In these last four years I’ve just been getting more and more depressed and feeling stuck in life, and completely apathetic toward college in general.
I’ve been thinking maybe the reason I feel like this is because I go to a small commuter college where there’s not really a lot of student life and that going to a bigger college would help, but at this point it feels like it would be suicide to transfer. I’ve been thinking maybe what I need is to take a break, get a consistent job and get out of my parent’s house, then go back to college when I have a better idea of what I’m actually doing. Any advice?
If your head is not into college it is best to take a break. When you are ready to go back you will know.
Not everyone is cut out for college… Are you footing the bill through loans or some other means? While a different school might make the difference, going further into debt is only going to build more resentment. Do you have some underlying issue that affects your studying ability (dyslexia, ADD, etc)?
If you have the aptitude and interest, maybe look for a job in your field to capitalize on the education you have. If after 4 years, you really feel it is not your cup of tea, then look for something else in high demand and with options for advancement. Only you can decide what is right for you… Best of luck!!
It makes complete sense. If in few years, you feel like adding a degree, you can go back. Congratulations on sticking with current program and finishing it even though it was really tough for you. Good luck!
Yes heartfelt applause and congratulations for getting your AA degree! Yay! And you earned your degree in a field that you enjoy. That’s terrific.
As others have said, there’s no need to go to a senior college until you’re ready. Some people never do and that’s okay.
Best of luck to you! Congratulations again!!
Another congratulations for achieving your associate’s degree. Life is about overcoming obstacles and set backs. It sounds like you’ve had your share, and have hung in there in spite of it all. Very impressive.
Engineering requires daily diligence. You can only learn it one bite at a time. Not everything is like that. Even though I’m good at math and spatial relations, that kind of drudgery is certainly not my thing either.
Maybe engineering is not what interests you or excites you. If you have the resources, it might be worth consulting with a career counselor. Some testing could help you identify a field where you might be more strongly motivated.
I’m just curious why you chose electrical engineering. By any chance, do you enjoy tinkering with things and figuring out how they work? If you do, what about flipping over to the trade side of things? You can make good money with that skill set.
I, too, say congratulations on completing your AA degree. No matter how long it took, it is still an accomplishment.
Your plan to take a break from college is a good plan. Work for a while and see what you want to do. I have worked with several good engineers who took somewhat similiar paths and it worked out well for them.
One thing to consider: Some of the community colleges I am familair with are more of a high school type attitude than a 4 year college feel. You don’t focus as much on your studies. A 4 year college program in engineering will be intense. Some people respond to that environment by buckling down and paying attention to their studies. Without knowing you or your situation, it is hard to know how you will respond to the environment of an engineering program.
I agree with the idea of looking at becoming a master electrician. Coupled with your AS in EE is you would be in high demand. It’s very technical and huge opportunities. Entrepreneurship. Major electrical companies. Universities and institutions. Working for union shop or local contractor.
You can always continue in the future with your degree if you choose.
Electrical Engineer here:
If you had a tough time with Calculus, then you will have a tough time with upper level EE courses because they all rely on Calculus.
Or if you had a hard time with Chemistry , you might have a hard time with Physical Electronics.
One thing to consider is: What did you like about Electrical Engineering?
I personally liked the math and science…but turns out I didn’t like the hands on so much. I graduated with an EE degree but didn’t end up in a job where i was designing circuits.
If you have failed many classes then you may not be accepted to
Other things to consider:
-BS in Electrical Engineering Technology
-Becoming an Electrician
Talk to the Career office at your CC to talk about options.
First of all congratulations for your achievement.
Second, I would like to encourage you to transfer to your state college to complete your bachelor’s degree. Once you are in a college, the environment may be very different from a commuter community college. You will be among other students and will get motivated. This is assuming that the reason you were failing was lack of motivation. Electrical engineering jobs are well payed and not hard to find. You are already halfway through the degree. If at all possible, complete your college degree. You can also try summer jobs and internships, but I have had relatives realize pretty quickly that people with a college degree get better paying jobs.
Good luck and best wishes.