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I disagree with your notion that anyone can become an engineer without much effort. As spe07, epoch_dreams, and unggio83 said previous, it requires a certain mind set, hard work, a sharp mind, and DEDICATION to succeed in becoming an engineer. I dare say that engineering is one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult majors at my undergrad school. My undergrad (ECE) was at a lesser known school, I am now a grad student at a top 10 engineering school. Back in my undergrad days, I seem to recall that only engineering students are routinely in a lab toiling away on saturday nights when everyone else is out partying. I rountinely spent 20-40 hrs a week studying outside of class (while holding a 25 hr/wk part time job to pay for rent). Only a small number of people, the ones that's truly dedicated, will put up with that kind of stress and sleep deprivation.
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<p>I don't think I ever said that ALL liberal arts students could become engineers. But the fact remains that many can. Again, I think the guy who gets a 3.0 in the liberal arts at a no-name school could probably have completed an engineering degree at a no-name school, even if it is with only a 2.0.</p>
<p>Nobody is disputing that engineering is more difficult than a liberal arts major, especially a cheesepuff one. But that's how life is. Think of it like daily exercise. It's hard to choose to wake up at 6AM every day to go to the gym and work out. It's far easier and pleasant to sleep in every day. But if you want to get in shape, you have to do things you don't really like to do. </p>
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All somewhat respectable (read: marketable) engineering schools are ABET accredited, and follow a minimum standard in order to keep their accreditation. I don't consider non-accredited graduates to be very marketable, personally. Last I checked, attrition rate is very high amongst accredited engineering programs. At my undergrad school, attrition rate was 71% a couple of yrs back. You must realize that the kids that go into engineering freshman yr are all "good at math" and "good at physics". These are some of the brighest in their highschools. Yet, a large % fail to graduate with an engineering degree. This is not simply at my school, but everywhere. Case in point:
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<p>No, this is a nonsequitur, because the fact is, the majority of ALL college students will not finish their degree. I seem to recall reading a recent study that showed that something around 2/3 of all matriculating college students, regardless of major, will not graduate. Hence, 71% of engineering students not completing an engineering degree is not significantly different. </p>
<p>Look, nobody is denying that engineering is difficult and that it's obviously easier to get a creampuff degree. But a lot of things in life aren't easy. I see it as like a smoker who chooses to quit smoking. Sure, it's hard. And a lot of people who try to quit are unable. But it's better for you if you do quit. </p>
<p>Besides, once again, nobody is saying that engineering is the greatest career in the world. I would be the first to say that it is not. But that's not the point. The point is that it's a lot better than most of the alternatives. What happens to a lot of those creampuff liberal arts graduates from the no-naem schools? A lot of them end up working at the mall. In fact, I can think of quite a lot of them that I know who are doing just that. And, like I said, many of them are now contemplating getting computer or Information Technology certifications and skills so that they have a better life than just working at the mall. In fact, a number of them have even decried why they even studied the liberal arts at all, and are saying that they should have been studying computers or something else practical. </p>
<p>Case in point. I don't know too many engineering or computer science graduates who wish they had instead studied a liberal art. But I know a LOT of liberal arts graduates who had wished they had studied engineering or CS instead. Just like I know a lot of smokers who wish they had never taken up smoking.</p>