I noticed there are quite a few people discussing what I am doing so I figured I would post and help out a few of ya’ll out if I can with my situation. I know several people have questions about whether they should/shouldn’t do this and whether or not its for them, so please feel free to post here and I will try to check back when I can. I am currently in the middle of going through the process right now. I will come back and edit this with my results.
I spent my freshman year at Purdue University as an aeronautic engineer. I then transferred to Texas A&M where I decided to leave engineering after a year there, again mostly B’s in engineering coursework. I completed a Degree in Sports management with a minor in Business and a cognate in Cultural and diversity Management. I am now applying to return to finish my engineering degree, in aeronautical/mechanical engineering.
I have completed the following relevant coursework:
Calculus I & II (AP Credit @ Purdue)
General Chemistry I (B@Purdue)
Calculus 3 (B @ TAMU)
Differential Equation (D, B @ TAMU)
Physics I (B @ TAMU)
Physics 2 (B @ TAMU)
Engineering Statistics (C @ TAMU)
Engineering Design/Graphics I (B @ Purdue, A @ TAMU)
Computer Programming I (B @ TAMU)
Finished with an overall GPA of 3.295
If anyone knows of any engineering schools that take second bachelor’s degree applicants, feel free to post here as well! I’ll be posting where I get rejected/accepted here when I hear back.
@MechanicalFox I clicked on this thread because I enjoyed reading your posting today on the Texas A&M forum. My son is a freshman engineering major at A&M and was also accepted at Purdue. So far, he loves A&M and is doing well. But it is definitely a huge school and not always user-friendly. My second son is also interested in engineering, but he will more likely end up at a much smaller school.
Quite a few years ago, I was considering getting an engineering degree after my less-than-stellar undergraduate career at Michigan State. (I later added a law degree and and MBA, so my search was more motivated by self-fulfillment than any desire to practice engineering.) What I learned is that it made sense for me to go for an on-line or on-site masters degree. At that time, I looked at both Montana and Massachusetts. Basically, I had the physics, math, and chemistry prerequisites. I was told that if it took and passed a couple of semesters worth of engineering courses (5 or 6) at the 300 level or higher, they would guarantee admission into the masters program and count the credits. I have no idea if this would still work, but I suggest that you check with some of the mid-tier engineering schools to see if you could work out something similar. And a masters degree would sure beat a second bachelors.
Another possibility would be to take the courses needed to complete an Engineering Associates/Technology degree at at community college and then apply to an engineering school.
Someone recommended looking at the accelerated masters in Mech E at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (?). Definitely consider a Masters. There is a growing trend of non-matriculating registration for courses at universities. You could fill in the upper division courses required for the master’s this way (if there are not too many of them).
@Beaudreau @ItsJustSchool Thanks for the advice and input! I am not against a Masters, I just need to take the GRE which I am hoping I can take in the Spring. I have been too busy this past summer and fall carrying out a bunch of entrepreneurial endeavors that killed my GRE study time. I had been thinking about this for months after reading about second bachelor’s degree students and figured I had the money for the apps, I can probably help a lot of people out by just applying and seeing what happens and posting about it until I can study for the GRE. I did not think to look at Online Masters Degrees though, I am definitely going to start looking into that. I did not know about a growing trend in non matriculating students either. I assumed I would have a harder time getting into a Masters than a bachelors because of the lack of degree. The only point I could find people all agree on is that if you someoen is going to go back for a second bachelors, its only worth doing for engineering.
@Beaudreau I am glad to hear that about your son! Honestly, if I came to A&M straight off as a freshmen engineer, I probably wouldn’t be in this predicament. Transferring between schools really disrupted the credits I had and gave me administrative nightmares to deal with my first few semesters at A&M with credits and degree plans. I was getting so burned out having to fight administrators about credits I already had and what degree track I should/shouldn’t be on and how many years it would take me to graduate that I ultimately left it due to exhaustion with the administration. I went from Aero Engineering @ Purdue to Ocean Engineering @ TAMU because TAMU’s Aero adviser and students at the time flat out told me the degree plan was technically in 4 years, but if I tried to take the plan as was when I transferred, the workload would kill me because of the credits I was behind. I like to think if I hadn’t transferred and attended A&M as a freshman aero major, I wouldn’t have had any of those problems. I went through the same credit issues with OCEAN and the upper level courses weren’t what I was hoping they would be so I ultimately left it altogether. Best of luck to your other son when applies! I have come to learn that smaller schools are just as awesome as the big ones! I am sure it will be exciting for him to look at all his options!
@fea2020 definitely have been, it goes case by case. Some tell me I am a transfer student and to apply as such, others say they only take second applicants if the second degree is in a different school (liberal arts vs engineering) than the original degree, others flat out reject second degree applicants, and some have a unique process for second degree applications.
One thing to keep well in mind: cost. You will be ineligible for most forms of financial aid if you pursue a second bachelor’s degree. It will likely be a more economical path to pursue a semester or two of post-bacc and/or non-matriculated studies to attain the remaining prerequisites, then go for the masters.
If you feel that it is essential to pursue the bachelor’s degree, then you may find it more economical to look abroad where the full-tuition costs are lower. There is a well-blazed trail left by US graduates who pursue a second baccalaureate in the UK. While the tuition for foreign students there is not free, it can present a significant bargain compared to the unsubsidized cost of a US institution.
I am starting a second degree in mechanical engineering next semester. While I could get a master’s (I have a closely related degree), my options are limited, and I need my undergrad courses anyways. Trying out a bachelor’s first and transferring into a master’s program if you feel you are up to it is a great idea. But don’t feel pressured to jump into graduates studies if you feel you aren’t ready… I know I’m not!
Just about every college will take a second bachelor’s student, though.
Thank you for the post! Mind if I ask here you are starting your mechanical engineering degree next year? I’ve applied to a mix of mechanical or aero degrees.
Alright, I have finalized my list of schools I am applying to. It should be diverse enough for people to get a general idea of what the process is like for different kinds of schools, if you have any questions feel free to post or message!
Here is my list of schools I am applying to:
Lehigh University
Bucknell University
Drexel University
Emory College (2+2 engineering program w/ georgia tech)
NYU
SLU
Binghamton
University of Denver
University of Miami
University of Rhode Island
Washing University - St. Louis
Long Beach State University
University of Utah
Rensselear Polytechnic Institute
Cooper Union
Case Western Reserve University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Good list, @MechanicalFox! I am starting of U of Alabama in a few weeks. I went to a school my freshman year which had a 3+2 program with GA Tech (it is a women’s college, sorry, you can’t apply ), and GA Tech is an awesome school in an awesome city. I really enjoyed it and made a lot of friends over there.
Utah - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Drexel - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
URI - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Denver - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
SLU - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Purdue - Denied (Do not take transfer/returning students into Mechanical Engineering)
NYU - Awaiting
CUNY - Awaiting
Cooper- Awaiting
RPI - Awaiting
WPI - Awaiting
Hartford - Awaiting
WASHU - Awaiting
Binghamton - Awaiting
Case Western - Awaiting
Bucknell - Did not Complete
Lehigh - I really have no idea what is going on with my application there
Miami - Contested, will not accept the CommonApp College report the same way other colleges have accepted it
Villanova - Awaiting
Case Western - Awaiting
Emory - Another one where I don’t really know what is going on with my application.
LBSU - Accepted into Aerospace Engineering
So I guess a quick word of advice for anyone applying for a second bachelor’s in engineering: The rolling admissions schools for transfer students should be your first priority, some of them you hear back pretty quickly and a lot of them are surprisingly very reasonable with application requirements for 2nd bachelor’s applicants (it is very expensive pulling archived SAT scores, high school transcripts, and college transcripts for each school. $32 to pull old SAT scores each time you order a score report).
The more selective schools won’t let you know until April/May it seems like. Start applying early in November, December and you will have plenty of time to get all of your applications done and finances together.
I’ll come back in May/June when I have heard back from everyone else. Good luck to all of ya’ll doing this!
Hi @MechanicalFox thank you for the comprehensive list. Your post has helped me tremendously. I am pursuing a second bachelors in Electrical Engineering and am having a hard time trying to figure out which schools would accept second bachelors (its very limited in california) so your lists helps a lot. Have you heard back from the other schools yet? Also do you have any recommendations/advice for someone thats applying for a second bachelors in engineering?
Great to hear! Sure thing! Let me update my list of schools so far:
Update:
Utah - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Drexel - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
URI - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Denver - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
SLU - Accepted Mechanical Engr.
Purdue - Denied (Do not take transfer/returning students into Mechanical Engineering)
NYU - Rejected
CUNY - Rejected
Cooper- Rejected
RPI - Accepted Mechanical
WPI - Rejected
Hartford - Accepted Mechanical
WASHU - Rejected
Binghamton - Rejected
Case Western - Accepted Mechanical
Bucknell - Did not Complete
Lehigh - Pulled My Application
Miami - Accepted Mechanical
Villanova - Rejected
Emory - Another one where I don’t really know what is going on with my application.
LBSU - Accepted into Aerospace Engineering
For California, the Cal state system has a pretty reasonable application system that accommodates second bachelors degree applicants. I think Loyola Marymount accepts applications as transfer students as well. I am not sure about the major ones like UCLA USC.
For me, what made me competitive is I have completed mathematics through differential equations and physics I & II in my first run through college. If you haven’t completed those, I would try to take them at a recognizable community college. The trick is for a second degree applicant, you will have to apply as a transfer student most of the time which sometimes will make you meet the transfer requirements which typically includes Cal I & II, Physics I, and different science requirements. You can probably get most of it done in half a year between a summer semester and fall semester. You might even be able to take them in two ten week summer semesters.
I don’t know much about your background, if you have already completed credits or not. Credits make the world go around for transfers and second degree applicants. Most CC credits can be applied to most school’s degrees. If you can ace those courses in community college, even better. If you can join a club there and become a leader, I would do it. These are things that you can do to show any potential university you aren’t doing this on a whim, you have taken relevant coursework, you have completed it, and you have thrived while completing it. You want to do anything extra like leadership/organization membership/community service to show you will be a valuable/respectable student/alumni from the university. The closer it is to the degree you want, the better but not necessary by any means.
Hope this helps! feel free to respond whenever if you have any other questions or I can help out. I tend to check this during the weekdays.
Hey,
I know this is old, but I wanted to say that at my community college there were a number of people who, like myself, are going back for a second degree in engineering. I’m doing Chemical Engineering not MechE.
), and GA Tech is an awesome school in an awesome city. I really enjoyed it and made a lot of friends over there.