<p>My son is in his 4th year in ME at Cal Poly. He had Calculus BC is high school and came into Cal Poly with an average amount of AP credit. He is on the 5 year plan. It started off with him on the 4 year plan but he overextended himself one quarter. So, with the redo’s he ended up quickly on the 4 and 1 quarter plan. Then he had problems getting started on some of the sequences of classes he had to take because the classes were filling quickly, primarily because of those students having to redo a class. Once he got by the first class in the sequence, the class availablity seemed to improve (as some students dropped by the wayside). So, he was then on the 4 and 2 quarter plan. </p>
<p>Last Thanksgiving he informed me that he was now on track for the 5 year plan. Not a lot of difference between the 4 and 2 plan verses the 5 year plan. You have to rent a place to stay in 12 month increments, so we’re into the rent money anyways. He is renting a house and has 3 roommates in various departments. 2 others are on the 5 year plan (1 engineering, one not) and the 3rd roommate (engineering) is waivering between the 4 and 1 and the 4 and 2 plan.</p>
<p>The goal of getting the students out in 4 is a good one. HOWEVER, there seems to be an inconsistant story. If you want to get the kids out, offer the classes they need. But, on the other hand, they are saying that they need to cut classes for budget reasons.</p>
<p>I’m currently in the middle of my first year at Cal Poly as a business student. I took 6 AP classes in high school and I’m on track to graduate in 3 years with 16-18 units each quarter so graduating in four years for an engineer should be possible. Also, you can apply for the 4 + 1 program for engineers which counselors aid you to graduating with your bachelors in four years and then your masters in one. Don’t let the statistics scare you, it’s possible if you don’t slack off and try to take classes at a community college or cal poly over the summer.</p>
<p>From what I have heard about engineering and business, they really don’t compare as far as the workload goes. A friend is in the ME program and he said that he has a lot more work than his friend in business. Engineering students have 3 hour labs that are only 1 unit courses. That takes a big chunk of time. The level of math and science classes are also very rigorous. I don’t mean that business is easy, but the amount of time needed on classes is not the same. I would think that would be true for any degree with a lot of labs and projects. I know that some students are slacking off, as you said, but some are just overwhelmed by the amount of time and hard work that is needed. If classes are not passed and need to be redone, that causes even more problems. There is a reason that engineering majors have the highest stats needed to get in. It is that hard.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I am sure that some very dedicated and hardworking students can finish in 4 years. I just don’t think they should have to go to summer school to do it.</p>
<p>You’re right momofmv, the course load for Business is not even in the same ball park as the engineers at CP. </p>
<p>My son’s freshman year Winter Qtr schedule (typical for engineers) was 18 units consisting of:</p>
<p>CHEM-128 General Chemistry II (with 3 hour lab)
COMS-102 Prin Speech Communication
MATE-120 Intro Materials Engr Design II (3 hour lab)
MATH-143 Calculus III
PHYS-141 General Physics (Engineers version)
POLS-111 Calif Constitution/government </p>
<p>The same quarter Business majors would be taking 2 GE’s, STATs, and a free elective (Engineers don’t get ANY free electives).</p>
<p>This isn’t meant to slam Business majors, Cal Poly’s Business program is very highly regarded. It’s just meant to shed some light on why so few Engineers graduate in just 4 years.</p>
<p>Good news for your son, momofmv. They’ve modified the Materials Engineering flowchart so that the load is reduced freshman year. My son (started in 2007) was following the 2007-2009 flowchart which has 17 units per quarter the first year. Now, on the 2009-20011 flowchart, MATE’s take 13 units in the Fall, 17 in the Winter, and 15 in the Spring. Hopefully this lighter load will allow more engineers to keep up with the flow chart. Freshman year was pretty overwhelming in 2007. My son (who made a 5 on the AP chem exam in H.S.) made a D in his firt Chem class at CP. </p>
<p>Best wishes to your son. My son is very happy with the MATE department and is now really enjoying his upper division MATE classes. I think getting past all the support classes in the first 2 years was the hardest part. Now he mostly has upper division MATE and GE classes.</p>
<p>ralph4~ You are so helpful! Thank you! It is so great to hear that your son really likes the MATE program. It just sounded like the most interesting and flexible program to my son. He is really getting excited! </p>
<p>that is a good thing to see the flowchart has changed some for the freshmen. I want my son to feel successful and be able to do well. He will be adjusting to living away from home and getting used to college life, so the lighter load will help. </p>
<p>We were treated very well by the MATE department on our short tour a couple of weeks ago. The cleanroom was cool!<br>
Thanks again and any other tips for my son (and others who read the posts) would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I was in the GENE/BMED program for 2.5 years. I have taken all of my support courses, and GE’s and left with a 3.4, but couldnt take the high amount of pressure and stress. I loved metal shop in high school, and math and physics came easily to me; so i figured engineering was the way. But I hope seniors in HS realize that SLO is a whole 'nother beast, and a freshman must really 100% know that they want that engineering degree.</p>
<p>I dont know what was going through my head as a freshman, but I think I wanted out of house first and foremost. That is not enough of a reason to stay motivated for 5+ years of engineering school. </p>
<p>Now I am trying to find ways to apply everything I have accumulated up to this point to a topic that I am actually interesting in studying in order to get a degree. Transferring all of these is next to impossible and changing majors to anything besides Physics seems next to impossible. I am considering returning this fall to just finish up an move on. Hopefully I can find some interesting courses that fulfill the tech electives for Gene degree…</p>
<p>Good luck to you ahofasho. Please keep posting by starting a new thread if you’d like to toss around ideas or get some advice from the posters here who are parents, current students and grads.</p>
<p>Closing this thread as it’s over 3 years old.</p>