Help!

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I wanted to put this topic in a more general section but I had no idea where that was and since my question had partly to do with engineering I decided to put it here.</p>

<p>Ok, 2006 BA in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.</p>

<p>Since then, I have been a doing part-time jobs. I had an awakening months ago and wanted to sort my life out and put everything I have into doing that.</p>

<p>I'm not going to fill up this post with complaining about how our department should have been giving out BS's for what we did (they told us they were just going to switch to that) or how the professors were bragging about how grad students they taught knew something in a lecture that somebody from Harvard didn't (too bad our degrees don't say Harvard on them). </p>

<p>What does it say when some science graduates only make one third of these police officers? BTW, I have nothing but respect for police officers but why the hell did I study for four years? In fact, they may be making more than many engineers.
N.J</a>. police salaries rank highest in nation with median pay of $90,672 | NJ.com</p>

<p>Anyway enough of that cynicism. I'm just looking for help.</p>

<p>I always did well in school and up until midyear of junior year in college where I switched into the MBB major for no reason, and as a result of a whole bunch of problems and ended up with a cum GPA of 3.1. It's not that I ended up with that because of trying. I always get A's when I put at least half an effort into studying.</p>

<p>For some reason, along the line, I was not advised not to major in a science major.</p>

<p>I had a great SAT score and should have went into engineering which had at least some modicum of job security after graduation. I know some of you folks are going to take affront to that but honestly my brother graduated as an engineer a year ago and he got a fine job (and other offers) right out of college.</p>

<p>I want to make out well in life (do I sound wrong if I define that as making as much money as possible, ie, possibility of six figure income?). I know how much money you make is not a good reason to go into something but I don't care. I feel like I owe it to my younger self.</p>

<p>I've had some strange days recently and have considered everything from one of those cops (what did I go to college for?), to an air traffic controller, a mercenary for Blackwater, or a patent lawyer (which from what I hear, correct me if I'm wrong, you really need a Ph.D. now).</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm commuting distance from NJIT and I was thinking of going back and getting a second bachelor's in Chemical Engineering. What do you folks think? I figure many of my classes would carry over. I know you reading this are thinking, "looks he like saw X magazine's list of top paying bachelor's degrees . Wonder why he hasn't mentioned petroleum engineering?" Believe me, I considered it but all the programs are out of state and they don't give grant money for second bachelors. I don't know how I could scrounge enough aid money for out of state and housing.</p>

<p>You might be asking why, doesn't he just get a Masters or a Ph.D? Well, to answer that, I have no idea how to get into such a program from where I am right now and I have heard stories about how people go through that just to end up with 30,000 a year.</p>

<p>If some things don't seem to add up, feel free to bring it up.</p>

<p>I know my post seems like it's looking for somewhat general guidance so feel free to tell me if there is a better website or forum for this.</p>

<p>Forgive any spelling errors or typos. I just zipped through while typing this.</p>

<p>I'm just looking for some positive, constructive information for somebody who wants to just put work into every waking hour of every day for the rest of his life.</p>

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<p>

All right, I’ll correct you - you don’t need a PhD. It helps, don’t get me wrong, but is it not required.</p>

<p>

I think that is a long, expensive path with minimal assistance. It will give you a broad foundation, and give you a lot more freedom in selecting the direction of your career, but I do think a graduate degree would be at least worth a try. An MS in ChemE would take less time (or the same), provide better oppotunities for funding, and while it would provide fewer job opportunities they would be better paying. Your biggest problem is not your major but your GPA, but I still think it would be worth a try - apply to both grad and undergrad programs, see what you get.</p>

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<p>Thanks for answering cosmicfish.</p>

<p>I didn’t know you could jump into a MS Chem E like that? How does that work out with licensing? </p>

<p>I’m not even sure I could get into one right now and if I did would they allow remedial catchup for any classes a Chem E undergraduate would take?</p>

<p>I’m not so worried about having few job opportunities as having any job opportunities.</p>

<p>By the way, the whole reason I didn’t ask about petroleum engineering was the most inexpensive school for out of state students (ULL) came in at $ 10,000 for tuition alone where I don’t know how I could cover everything even with ROTC, etc.</p>

<p>What do you think about MS programs in Petroleum Engineering?</p>

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<p>It probably seems obvious that I need some general direction as well so I would appreciate any suggests in another forum on this site or other websites.</p>

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<p>People change fields all the time when going into grad school. The trick is that the closer you are, usually the easier it is.</p>

<p>Many of the things the schools are looking for are not dependent on the field - discipline, focus, interest, etc. These show in your GRE, GPA, and letters of recommendation. The other big thing they are looking for is academic preparation, but they are only really interested in a very narrow area that corresponds to the focus of your prospective lab group - as an electrical engineer interested in computational electromagnetics, they were not interested in my competence at circuit design or signal processing, even those are core parts of EE undergrad programs. This is why people can jump fields - if you have those 3 or 4 relevant classes you are qualified, regardless of the major on your diploma.</p>

<p>So as an MBB major going into ChemE, you simply need to identify those research areas where you are mostly or entirely prepared. I say mostly because it is not uncommon to need some “remedial” study even if you are NOT changing fields, so they account for that in admissions. There are limits, however, which is why you do not see too many English majors going into grad engineering programs - too much remedial study to allow. You may find that you will get into a slightly lower quality program in ChemE than you would in MBB - to beat out the ChemE grad’s superior preparation you will need to demonstrate superior discipline and maturity (i.e., GPA, GRE, etc.), which means finding a program where your scores are exceptional. But you might get in at very good programs regardless - grad admissions are always a crap shoot.</p>

<p>Don’t worry about licensing - a masters will get you a license, even without the undergrad in engineering.</p>

<p>I cannot speak in any specific manner about petroleum engineering, but there are several on here. Search for the field and you will find many useful comments and contacts.</p>

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<p>Hi, cosmicfish, in my situation, my options as far as getting a second bachelor’s are either commuting to NJIT, or going to UL Lafayette, or BYU. Are my salary prospects in chemical engineering the same regardless? Also, what are my chances of working in NJ/Pennsylvania regardless?</p>

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<p>You are outside my personal field, so there is only so much I can tell you about yours. I do not know the relative national rankings of those programs, but undergrad salaries vary roughly with those rankings so you can use them as a rough guide - there will not be a huge difference, but you will make more on average graduating from the #5 school than you will graduating from the #25 school. </p>

<p>As to work location, NJIT would give you a leg up on that area. You can get a job on your own or through on-campus recruiting, but the latter is easier and usually more successful. Most companies will recruit from nearby schools as a matter of course - even if they are not the highest quality or the best match, the reduced cost of recruiting means that it is worthwhile to pick through the graduates for the few that are good matches. When they recruit from more distant schools it is more expensive, and so they go after those schools that produce high-quality graduates with educations that more specifically match their needs.</p>

<p>Not knowing the strengths of those schools, or in what areas of ChemE they excel, I can predict which schools would be recruited from the NJ/PA area other than to say that NJIT is likely to be recruited by a number of companies in the area simply from proximity. If you went with one of the others, intent on working in NJ/PA area, you may have to pursue it individually through their online recruiting system, open job fairs (if any), and the like, all of which are much less likely to land you a job.</p>

<p>Again, though - I would recommend at least TRYING to jump straight into a masters program.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the advice, cosmic fish. I know you don’t have to mention it.</p>

<p>A question:

  1. Is there likely to be the possibility of voluntary overtime at an employer as a chemical engineer? As in if I wanted to do so?</p>

<p>2) Getting into a Master’s program would be great especially with the aid but it’s just that I would have to prepare for and take the GRE. Also, I know NJIT has something like it and a transfer counselor there actually told me I should be doing something like that, actually mentioning bridging. If I knew for sure that the whole process would take as long as a getting a second bachelor’s (three years) then I would definitely have chosen that already. There are these people in my life pressuring me to do something as soon as next semester and I don’t know what to tell them.</p>

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<p>Yeah, so many good jobs don’t require college at all. Air traffic controller, elevator repairman (both very high-paying), etc…</p>

<p>You should read the book “The Idea Factory” by Pepper White. It brings a humanizing side to “surviving failure.”</p>

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<p>

That depends - do you want to get paid for that extra time? You can stay late if you want, and depending on the company it may not be voluntary. Staying late and getting paid extra requires both that your company compensate you for overtime (some don’t) and that there is a need for those extra hours to be worked. Most companies that will pay for overtime typically have some people doing so, but it varies considerably by department.</p>

<p>

This wasn’t really a question, so forgive me if I answer the wrong part. Go when you are ready, not before - you get a limited number of chances at this sort of thing. Also, a masters should almost never take more than 3 years, and usually less - most masters programs have a two year target.</p>