I’m a prospective engineering major, and the culture/environment at LACs seems pretty cool, so I’ve been looking into 3-2 engineering programs. However, I’m not too keen on spending five years in college/undergrad.
Is finishing a 3-2 early allowed by colleges? Is it physically possible (in terms of credits)? Has anyone done this before?
Any thought about 3-2 engineering in general?
Thanks!
You need to be really on the call to finish a 3-2 in five. It really helps to be focused on this path from first term freshman year.
Questions to ask -
Is admission to the “2” school guaranteed or competitive?
Is financial aid at the “2” school guaranteed? How will you know if you are going to be able to afford years 4 and 5?
How many kids actually graduated from this in the last three years? Which “2” school did they attend (if program offers more than one)? You want to know if the program exists in the brochure or is used in practice.
If you want to do the “3” in part in two years, investigate how your AP and IB credits will be counted towards that.
Also consider smaller engineering schools such as Rose-Hulman and New Mexico Tech. Some medium sized research U’s like WUSTL have good opportunities in the humanities as well and offer opportunities for a well rounded education for those who want to pursue that.
Good points above. Also read some of the other threads here about 3-2 programs. At first they seem appealing, but this group generally agrees it’s usually not a good option.