<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I am accepted to USF as a freshman into the college of Engineering for this fall 2013 term. I am thinking to apply for this program. I wanted to know the advantages of this program and is it really worth to be graduating from college in 3 years? Insights from current students who are participating in this program are much appreciated!</p>
<p>Have you been to Stampede? I went to the seminar for the College of Engineering and in the seminar they gave us a packet full of a suggested four year course plan. It’s packed. Jam packed with classes galore. I would not advise an engineering major to rush through the curriculum. Take your fourth year and study abroad, get an internship, develop a minor in something you enjoy, but please don’t rush through engineering pulling out your hair because you need to graduate in three years. There’s no rush :)</p>
<p>I am not a fan of rushing through college in two or three years. No matter how you slice it, three years of college is not the same as four years of college. I can’t image doing engineering in only three years, it’d be too much of a rush. USF professor Glen Besterfield, who taught mechanical engineering at USF, says the same in below linked newspaper article. I could have completed an undergraduate degree at USF in two years because of dual enrollment credits I had from high school, I would have graduated at 19 years old. I wasn’t anxious to be dumped on the street looking for job at 19. Instead, I got two bachelor’s degrees in four years. I was able to swing four years financially, if money had been tighter for me I would have considered finishing college in less than 4 years. Use all four years to experience full offerings at USF, including research opportunities and study abroad.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/move-toward-three-year-college-degree-gains-momentum/1061601[/url]”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/move-toward-three-year-college-degree-gains-momentum/1061601</a></p>
<p>well most students don’t even qualify for engineering provost unless they’ve taken physics 1 and 2. Calc 1, 2 and 3</p>
<p>It is true that most students don’t qualify for engineering provost, but it is not impossible to walk into your freshman year of college and only have to take Physics II and Calculus III</p>
<p>Thanks lizard and others for replies. </p>
<p>I am an international student from Pakistan. The tuition fees for international students is around $16000 per year and I have been awarded a total scholarship of $ 12500 which includes $ 500 of honors college. The rest I can pay. But, the living costs are really too much. Can international students work on campus and earn for the living costs? And how are the job prospects for USF engineering graduates? Do they easily find jobs after graduation? And how about internships and co-ops?</p>
<p>Is it worth for international students to invest money for the education at USF? I am just concerned about my future.</p>
<p>A common way to help pay for college expenses is trough the work study program, but I don’t believe that is open to international students. If you have a student visa then you can only work on campus jobs. I’m not 100% sure about this so I’d check on some realiable so websites. </p>
<p>I feel the job prospects arevery well if you take advantage of your resources. USF has many opportunities that will not only give you the education to be able to do your job correctly, but they offer you a lot of experience that will help your in your career. Participate in co-ops (which engineers do participate in their third or fourth year), internships, research, etc. A degree can only hold so much merit, but if you have a lot of experience in the areas I stated above, you’re highly recruitable. </p>
<p>Is USF worth, for an international student, to invest in? It all depends on what you do. If you plan on getting an education and moving back home or getting an education and staying in the US. It all depends on your plan.</p>
<p>Well, I plan to stay and work in US after graduation.</p>
<p>Some more responses please? Anyone?</p>
<p>SAT, I wish I could help you more, but I’m hardly an expert on assisting international students with questions like working legally here with a student visa. All I can suggest is contact the advisors at USF’s International Services office for assistance with your concerns and questions. You know your financial situation better than anyone, if you attend USF all year for spring, fall, and summer semesters instead of just two semesters, it might make financial sense for you to complete your undergraduate engineering degree in only three years…it can be done.</p>
<p><a href=“USF World | University of South Florida”>USF World | University of South Florida;
<p>I agree with lizard,
these aren’t general enough for me to answer, but I do know that for a normal in state student, there are tons or work study programs as well as scholarships and for engineering you can apply for paid internships. But I’m not sure about international students</p>
<p>I know I’m replying a little late, but I’m currently in the Provost Scholars Program (PSP) at USF, and I can answer any questions you have about it.</p>
<p>Basically, if you apply and you’re able to meet the requirements (basically if you qualify for the honors college and can get you degree done in three years you qualify), then you’ll have a meeting with the Dean of the Honors College and he explains the program more in depth. It is true what everyone else is saying that the program isn’t applicable to all majors; there’s no sense in doing PSP if you’re never going to get the chance to enjoy the college experience.</p>
<p>The plan is for PSP students to graduate in three years, so they’re given priority registration, advising through the Honors College that helps map out their entire three years at USF, and the 4th year of their merit scholarship is divided between the two summers they’re in the school. </p>
<p>For example, I got the 8k scholarship, which means I receive 2k a year, or 1k a semester. Since I won’t be at USF for a 4th year, I get to use the last 2k of the scholarship for the summer terms (13’ and 14’), so I’m receiving 1k this summer and 1k the next. </p>
<p>The program doesn’t want you to rush though. They won’t make it so you have to take 18 credits each semester so that you finish on time, they know it’s important that you enjoy the college experience. They have a lot of events through the Honors college that you attend, such as dinners, lectures and networking opportunities. Last semester we had dinner with the President of the university, and the Provost. </p>
<p>PSP also provides students with a study abroad scholarship, and they require all students in the program to complete a study abroad, but it can be any program the student chooses. Overall, I think the program has given me everything that I wanted to get when I went to school: I knew I wanted to leave early, but I didn’t want to feel like I was missing out on anything, and thanks to PSP, I’m not. </p>
<p>Let me know if you want to know anything else!</p>