<p>I would greatly appreciate some brutally honest opinions on my situation. I am currently 29 and have already completed my Bachelor's degree(Humanities) some years back but have always regretted not going for Engineering instead. Although I don't have a math background, I am still confident of my ability to succeed in quantitative courses. My plan is to take as many prerequisite courses as I can at a community college full time as I will use my savings and take some family/federal loans. The main dilemma is deciding between pursuing a second Bachelor's or Master's and I just cannot make a decision.</p>
<pre><code> Would a BS or MS be more practical(or realistic) in my scenario? To my understanding: A BS would enable me to finish the degree faster as I have already completed my IGETC from my first degree. In addition, I would qualify to pursue a PE license in the future. Meanwhile, jumping to a MS seems unrealistic as I would not have the base knowledge that the BS provides. However with my age, I can't help my desire to try and move forward with an advanced degree as it has more bang for the buck.
My other concern is my age. I should be in the range of mid 30s by the time I graduate and likely with no experience. My eventual goal is to have enough expertise to work on projects overseas. I talked to an engineering adviser about a BSME and he told me that with the current economy, I would not find a job unless I achieve at least a 3.5gpa. It was a brutally honest answer but that is exactly what I need at this time. With my current situation and goal, do you believe that pursuing a BS or MS in engineering is simply an unrealistic or unwise move?
Please chime in and do not worry about hurt feelings.
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<p>Being brutally honest, I can’t imagine any MS program admitting you with a humanities background. So, it seems like a non-issue.</p>
<p>As far as a BS, I wouldn’t worry too much about being 29. First of all, that’s not old! Second, one of the things about engineering is that it often attracts older students (second bachelor’s students and former military), so you tend to see older students than you do in other majors. </p>
<p>As far as the “no job with a <3.5 GPA comment”, that’s highly dependent on the school. Also, keep in mind that with the same GPA, you’d be a more desirable candidate. The biggest concern with a 22 year old graduate is that they’ll get into the field, decided they don’t like it, then leave at 25 to pursue an MBA. With someone that’s a little older, that’s less of a concern.</p>
<p>And how old will you be if you don’t earn the engineering degree? 4 or 5 years from now, you will have a greater change of landing a good job with the engineering degree than without one, so don’t let people discourage you. I have worked with people who didn’t finish their degrees until they were in their late 30’s, and it never held them back. </p>
<p>I would recommend sticking with the BS to start, and decide on whether or not to do a Masters at a later date. Many engineers earn second degrees midway through their careers, whether they be MS or MBA’s.</p>
<p>Good luck to you, don’t let people psych you out. Engineering demands more than just a high gpa, it also demands people skills, creativity, and hustle.</p>
<p>My husband was 28 when he went back to get his BS. Then he came down to Texas to get his MS, which is how we met! So if he hadn’t been adventurous, we would never have found each other. That was 25 years ago! He’s never regretted his decision.</p>
<p>I agree with UCLA - go for the BS and see what happens! I bet you’ll do well, because you’ll be more motivated than the young kids!</p>
<p>Definitely go for your BS! A friend’s husband who was a music major in college went back for his undergrad electrical engineering degree at 28 years old. Two years into his major, he got a co-op position, earning good money, while working on his degree. He graduated with his BSEE in four years, with a starting salary of 75K. And this was 20 years ago! Imagine what you can do now! Definitely go for it!</p>
<p>I just attended a transfer orientation at the (engineering/tech heavy) uni I will be attending in the Spring, and about 25% of the people there were 25+ non-trad students. At least 10-20 were over 40yo.</p>
<p>48 isn’t REALLY old. I’ve known some 60+ graduate students. They retire and then go back to school for the sake of learning, not necessarily as a career path. Some run into situations where they’re offered retirement from a downsizing company and the package includes paying for college.</p>
<p>I’m glad to see I’m not the only one struggling with this kind of decision. I’m 26 years old and finishing up the second year of my master’s degree but am seriously considering going back to school and getting a second B.S. in environmental engineering (my previous B.S. was in natural resources management), so by the time I graduate I will likely be 30-31 years old.</p>
<p>Frankly, from my experience (I’ve been in college for the last 6 years) I have seen people’s ages range from 18 to 60 and no one really cares how old or how young you are. Do what feels right to you, or 5 years down the road you’re going to regret not taking the chance.</p>
<p>I agree with most people here, but I believe that I have also gotten some bad reception from younger students (around 18 years old) who look down on people in their mid to late twenties having not finished college yet.</p>
<p>I like all the support on this thread for the OP’s plan. Go for it, OP!</p>
<p>But I do have a question for all of you knowledgeable posters - I thought that many schools will not let students earn a second bachelors degree?</p>
<p>Is that just not a second BA if had a prior BA? But can come back and get a BS?</p>
<p>I’d just like to benefit for all of your superior knowledge and experience on this point and clear up my own confusion/misunderstanding.</p>
<p>Some schools do not accept second degree students due to lack of room. I believe the CSU and UC systems do not admit 2nd degree applicants for this reason. A lot of other schools will accept 2nd degree students as long as the degree you’re pursuing is significantly different from the first (i.e. no admittance for a Biology major who wants to study Biochemistry). However, you’re usually last to be considered and must have an above average GPA or work experience.</p>