<p>I'm starting Civil Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona this fall, and was wondering if anyone knew the difficulty of graduating in four years. People often say it's the easiest of all engineering, but it's still engineering where most people graduate in 5 or so years. That being said, is it extremely difficult or not much harder than a typical 4 year degree?</p>
<p>It’s not hard at all. </p>
<p>Make sure to take math classes first (Precal or Cal1), that seems to be the struggle for kids at the start. Take notice of prereqs for classes, and form a degree plan that will work (or just use the sample one from their website). Also, take advantages of summer classes. I’m going to be a sophomore in MechE, and my summer classes right now are more enjoyable than the normal ones. You can definitely graduate in 4 years, but if you don’t, oh well. Just be happy you aren’t majoring in something dumb.</p>
<p>It really depends on your natural ability and work ethic. If you’re pretty good (not necessarily great) at math and you’re willing to work, 4 years can be done.
From my experience in Civil (some work, not a Civ major), it’s not exactly easy, but things just tend to be easier to grasp.</p>
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<p>It’s better to get work experience in the summers (if you can) than to take courses. Graduating in 4 years with no work experience is much worse than graduating in 4+ years with relevant internships. Of course, if you can somehow do both logistically, then that’s a home run.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how it works at your school, but many offer certain engineering classes only in the fall/spring semesters (ie CE 200, 201, 202 in the fall and CE 203, 204, 205 in the spring). This means if you fail one of those courses, or get a low grade that might make you repeat the course, you’ll have to wait until the next year just to take that course. Of course try not to fail any courses, but it would be wise to check which courses are offered only in certain semesters and focus on them, as they can really mess up your schedule and possibly lead to a 5+ year degree.</p>
<p>It should be easy. Most engineering programs are designed to be completed in 4 years</p>
<p>civil engineering isnt that hard but the profession needs passion or would seem very boring and technical to you. So anyone majoring in civil must like it</p>
<p>Cal Poly Pomona has a [Four</a> Year Graduation Pledge](<a href=“http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/programs/grad_pledge/index.shtml]Four”>http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/programs/grad_pledge/index.shtml) program if you follow the recommended course plan for your declared major and do not need remedial course work. The university gives registration priority and coordinated advising to ensure that you will not be delayed by taking the wrong courses or not getting them because they are full.</p>
<p>There are plenty of unemployed Civils who graduated from Cal Poly between 2008 and 2012, and you want to become one?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your replies. I just applied to the four year pledge the other day and just have to wait and see if I was accepted.
I am taking advantage of summer classes (taking one at a CC right now, hopefully in the future I can do an internship or both).
rheidzan: The field really interest me so yeah I want to become one, can I ask to see some proof?</p>
<p>The proof is in the downturn of the housing market.</p>
<p>Of course, what economic and industry conditions are like four years from now is anyone’s guess.</p>
<p>The many students who went into computer science in 1999, at the height of the tech bubble, graduated into the depths of the crash in 2003. Those few who dared to go into computer science then graduated into one of the few job markets that was little affected by the 2007-current downturn.</p>
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There are plenty of unemployed civil engineering graduates, many of them went to CPP, at CSULB doing their MSCE because they couldn’t find a JOB.
I’ll introduce you to them if you’re interested.
I myself am a very few lucky ones graduating at the right time, starting at the right place and 5 years later is already making low 100s working an easy job for the government. Not just a government job, but a unionized government owned public utility company where we can always jack up the rate every year. Courtesy of yous rate payers… that when everyone else is not getting pay raises we’re guaranteed 5% raise every year… yee ha!!!</p>
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My guess is that it will be bad since the US is in the decline. I’d bet $1000 for anyone who comes to me 4 years from now and proof me otherwise.</p>
<p>These days, the economy cycles through about every 10 years. A decline right now might be gone in 5 years.
But that’s only a very small part of the story.</p>
<p>The construction industry here in the NYC area has improved significantly over the past few years. Rather than just give my personal experiences and opinions, here’s an article that I came across recently: [Top</a> Contractors Expect More of Same in the Next Year | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction](<a href=“Resources | Construction Industry Trends, Tools, Interviews”>Resources | Construction Industry Trends, Tools, Interviews)
" Total 2011 regional revenue for the [top] 50 firms climbed to $10.7 billion, up 15% compared with the prior year."</p>
<p>While things are not near the levels from before the recession, there definitely is not a “doom and gloom” atmosphere around here anymore. People are no longer worried about being laid off; instead, people who do leave are doing so voluntarily to take higher paying jobs elsewhere. Our company has a newsletter that lists new hires, and there have been quite a few entry-level and interns recently. Headhunters have contacted me more frequently as of late as well. </p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s all sunshine and roses. As some of the CEO’s interviewed in the above linked article mentioned, infrastructure projects will be delayed if funding isn’t secured. Maybe the economy will take another nose dive… who knows.</p>
<p>For the time being, I know I won’t be laid off and I know I have other companies to go to if I don’t get a high enough raise.</p>
<p>EDIT: I only made references to the NYC area because that’s what where I am and what I’m familiar with.</p>