<p>I know, another selfish and ill-advised request for advice. But that's why I need the help so bad- because I'm clueless. </p>
<p>I earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Oklahoma 2006-2011. BMusic in Composition and BSci in Neuroscience. It was fun and I did well. Magna cum Laude designation, GPA was 3.68. I was a participator, but according to passion rather than ambition. I played in the symphony and performed in/produced recitals, and worked on a long, hard research project. No honor societies or pre-professional orgs, which bore me to death. Awards like "Best Funk Contrabassoonist" instead of "Farty McHighFlyerson IV Scholarship for Excellence in StudentLeaderGenerousGeniusSchoolSpiritEtcship"</p>
<p>I've realized, out here in the job market, how bad I blew it. I had fun and pursued what I was interested in instead of thought about my future. I believed the idiots who say "do what you do best and the road will reveal itself to you. The world needs a one-of-a-kind scientist-composer, not another competent, interchangeable professional." This is a tragic lie. I hold no grudge against those that told it to me, they were just trying to brighten my day, but I would ask you to NEVER tell anyone something similar. They might take it to heart and be as screwed as I am. </p>
<p>Now I want to be an engineer. There are lots of jobs for engineers. I'm smart enough to be an engineer. I like engineer-type work, solving problems, design and implementation, identification of failure modes, that sort of thing. S'great! I would succeed and enjoy my life. And not live in my parents' house. Sigh. </p>
<p>BUT my bachelor's degrees are not in engineering. I don't think I can get into an MEngr school with what I've got. So I guess that means I have to go get ANOTHER bachelor's degree, this one in engineering. I'm full of questions: will the fact that I already did a full slate of GenEds be any help at all? Will it still take 4 years and $100k? </p>
<p>I'm looking for any ideas and suggestions. Seriously, anything you've got to say. Even if it's not nice.</p>
<p>You shouldn’t have to spend 4 years to an engineering degree, your gen-ed requirements would be done, and you should have some science courses you could apply. Hopefully you took calculus. You would have to take all of the engineering courses in whatever major you pick of course, and perhaps some extra math. I’m guessing 10 or 12 courses.
I would talk to the admissions office of your nearest state college or university to see what your options are.</p>
<p>Yes, I am doing that with the Dept. of Engr. at my old college. But I have a feeling I won’t like what I hear. I wonder about other possibilities.</p>
<p>Go to the OU site and look up degree requirements. Here is one I found: <a href=“Checksheets”>Checksheets; See what classes you already have filled.</p>
<p>"I had fun and pursued what I was interested in instead of thought about my future. I believed the idiots who say “do what you do best and the road will reveal itself to you.”</p>
<p>The only idiot here is the one who thought that advice meant that he didn’t need to do anything else in order to figure out his next steps after college. No internships. No visit to the career center. No informational interviews with alums in his senior year to check out fields he might want to work in. No pre-professional societies because they were ‘boring.’ In short, the idiot didn’t look ahead to see what else he was supposed to be doing WHILE he was having fun and waiting for the revelation.</p>
<p>Seriously, for any student who is entering their senior year of college, there are lots of resources on any college campus for which your tuition is paying. If you don’t use them, you have only yourself to blame. This is what being an adult is about - not blaming others for your lack for foresight. </p>
<p>Apparently, your time out of school has been helpful since you seem to have found that new direction - engineering. Going back to school to take a few more classes so you can change directions is what lifelong learning is about. Most of us will have to do it at least once in our lives. And this time, use the resources around you to anticipate the job market and where you fit in it.</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad, I’m afraid the answer is almost all of them. None of the AMEs, only the Gen-Eds and the math up to Calc II. </p>
<p>M’s Mom, thank you for a thoughtful response. I know I messed up. But I need to say I’m not the only idiot (though, because it’s my life, I’m certainly the <em>biggest</em> one.) The biggest and most dangerous part of the lie was that the job for me was in academia, and that I would get that by acquiring research experience and pursuing a lifestyle of culture and knowledge. It wasn’t until it was far too late that it truly dawned on me that the warnings (coming from the people I thought at the time were the idiots, the ones who focused on making money and appeasing capitalists and not what life is all about) weren’t frivolous; there are indeed no real academia jobs. </p>
<p>I certainly intend to do just as you say, “use the resources around you to anticipate the job market and where you fit in it”, when I go back. </p>
<p>BUT what I’m still looking for is more technical advice about HOW exactly I should go back? Do I need to do a whole new Bachelors from square 1? Can I do a Masters? Is there some middle course?</p>
<p>You have a BSci in Neuroscience. What do other people who completed that degree end up doing with their lives? Start with that old department. They may be able to help you find a quickie MS in a biotech/bioengineering field that will land you a job. Heck, they also should have pals who could use a BS-level lab technician which could mean you’d have a job sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>I’m sure they aren’t the only ones out there. Try googling “engineering transition programs” or something similar. Looks like 12 courses, all specific to the major. </p>
<p>I got a second bachelor’s in CS after my initial bachelor’s in Biology. I think I only needed 10 courses - I already had calculus and all gen ed’s. I did it two courses at a time at night while I worked during the day.</p>
<p>BeanTownGirl, thankyouthankyouthankyou! This is extremely valuable intel! </p>
<p>happymomof1, unfortunately, it was a planned program. There is no program. The closest thing to my department is zoology. They send 50% of their graduates to medical school, 20% to ecology-related jobs, and fewer than 1% to engineering programs. They had no ideas for me. </p>
<p>curiosity, thanks for that eminently helpful response.</p>