<p>Hi everyone. I just graduated with a BS in cognitive science from UCSC (lots of lab/research exp). I initially was a transfer student. </p>
<p>I realize now how badly I always wanted to become an chem or Bio engineer and extremely dislike the career path of my major. So here's my question:</p>
<p>How can I find my way back into an engineering school? I know a second BS for a UC is frowned upon and I have yet to talk to a counselor about it but it's something I REALLLY want to do in my life. I still need a fair amount of phys/chem/advance math classes (surely I can A'ce them at a CC.) However, when it comes time, what program is right for me? What schools will accept me for another BS? Should I go straight to a MS? I can get job experience through a friend. I really just need insight about how to get my BS in engineering. Will I have to retake ALL my courses. I know I have to disclose my educational experience but what channels can I take to achieve my goal and dream?</p>
<p>I really appreciate anyone offering advice as I feel I'm on the crux of my future. I'm 23 btw.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Almost no overlap. You’re looking at spending another nearly 4 years in school. Most electives for engineering programs are engineering electives. </p></li>
<li><p>Don’t underestimate CCs. You learn the same material in the same time frame. Depending on the CC, these classes might only be marginally easier than at a UC. What people don’t realize is that people at CCs are usually headed to the big schools, and CCs make a point to prepare them for that. The purpose of CCs is to transfer. Regardless, you will probably have to take some courses at a CC. Most reputable engineering schools will have specific course requirements for you.</p></li>
<li><p>Different schools will look at this differently. Look at some schools that you think are in your range, and check out their policies for second bachelor’s students.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It is very unlikely that a UC or CSU would accept you because of the budget crisis in California. Public universities are having to reduce enrollments because of the deep cut in the amount of money they receive from the state. In this environment the UCs and CSUs believe that they lack the resources to provide all qualified applicants with one bachelors degree so they give extremely low priority to applicants for second bachelors degrees, particularly in impacted majors like Engineering. You would probably be able to find a private university that would accept you without much difficulty where you could earn an engineering degree.</p>
<p>This is not uncommon at University of Michigan. It would be best if you lived here for a little and tried to get instate tuition, but doing well in the classes you took looks good for admission here.</p>
<p>What classes have you taken? You just need 1 semester chemistry, 2 semesters physics, 4-5 semesters math. Surely you’ve taken some of that?</p>
<p>I went back for a degree in ChemE after being in accounting. I did 89 credits, all math, science and engineering, starting in Jan 1990 and ending in April 1992 (at age 36).</p>
<p>I am starting Petroleum Engineering at the U of Kansas, Fall 2012, I am 34, i was accepted every place I applied, i hold a B.S in Economics, my GPA was 2.7, never heard of a 2nd bachelors being frowned upon.</p>
<p>The only thing that sucks about getting a 2nd bachelors is the fact that you don’t qualify for grants, other than that, it is pretty much like going to college for the 1st time.</p>
<p>Ah interesting Geo. Did you not find any work relating to the courses and projects you did at UF? How did you land in Software QA after a degree in che?</p>
<p>and bschoolwiz: What other schools did you apply to? Are you currently working or interning anywhere that gets you exp for your major?</p>
<p>Macrandle: I applied to Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Getting in was a lot easier than I had expected, none of these schools are Harvard or Yale, but they have decent Petroleum Engineering programs.</p>
<p>Petroleum Engineering is very different than other engineering disciplines because currently, there are only 19 universities that offer the program. I have read several articles about recent graduates starting at 85K or higher, sometimes with multiple job offers before graduation.</p>
<p>Most people don’t even understand or know what Petroleum Engineering is, many people refrain from majoring in PE because they think it will become an obsolete discipline in the near future or they may think it is a dangerous job, both are misconceptions and I hope it stays an “obscure” major.</p>
<p>Just to give you an idea, the University of Kansas was considering eliminating their PE department due to low enrollment a couple years ago, if it wasn’t for a sudden surge of people wanting to major in PE, they probably would have done so! Currently, KU graduates on average, 10 new Petroleum Engineers every year.</p>
<p>I have no experience in the oil industry, my stepfather worked for Phibro, a subsidiary of Occidental that does oil trading and that is how I became interested. They say most Petroleum Engineers have family members that work in the oil industry or some connections to the industry. It is a very small engineering discipline compared to Chemical or Biochemical Engineering.</p>
<p>Look outside of California and I am sure you will find a top 20 Chemical Engineering department that will accept you as a transfer. Don’t know much about Biomedical Engineering though.</p>
<p>I’m already considering out of state schools because my research is turning up that engineer programs are more impacted (quality of resources) in the California school system due to (budget cuts but not programs in are)</p>
<p>If that happens I’ll spend the spring researching schools I’m interested in outside Cali (and in Cal) and contact them about my interests. I’ll be sure to update this thread.</p>
<p>hey, when you say 10 new engineers every year, does it include the MS program ? do you have any idea how many applications they get for the MS program in PE and how many students are accepted ?</p>
<p>The average at Kansas according to LJWorld.com is about 10 new Petroleum Engineers graduating every year, don’t know how many people are getting Master’s in PE, but I would imagine about the same number or less?</p>
<p>“Though its current average over five years has the program at under 10 bachelors degrees per year, it is on track to graduate 13 students this year, and has 22 juniors in good standing ready for next year.”</p>
<p>There are about 19 Petroleum Engineering programs in the country, according to this article, all these schools are graduating about 1000 people every year including Masters and Ph.D, so that is about 50 new Petroleum Engineering degrees per school if they were distributed equally.</p>
<p>“About 20 schools offer programs in petroleum engineering, producing about 1,000 graduates all told per year, including masters and doctorates. Even if that number were to double or quadruple it would still be a drop in the bucket compared to the number of engineering jobs being lost.”</p>
<p>As far as getting in, I had no problems but I am a transfer student, non-traditional and I am also a minority, even at Oklahoma, which is considered one of the top Petroleum Engineering departments, their GPA requirements for a transfer student is only 2.5. Not too bad! </p>
<p>Schools like TTU, Texas, Texas A&M and Colorado School of Mines have more strict requirements, but I am sure you will find a decent program that will accept you.</p>
<p>A"h interesting Geo. Did you not find any work relating to the courses and projects you did at UF? How did you land in Software QA after a degree in che?"</p>
<p>Yes, I did find work in ChE. But I was off for a while, had a temp job in QA (in the accounting realm), really enjoyed it, and they needed a full-time employee and I was #1 on their list. I have been doing it for almost 10 years now.</p>
<p>Plenty of CSUs are accepting students for second B.S. degrees in all types of engineering. I know CSUN, CSULB and CSLA are among these, but there are probably more. I know from first hand experience because my fiancee applied (and got accepted to) both CSUN and CSULB for a second Bachelor’s in electrical engineering. She has since changed her objective to a Master’s in EE and is just taking the core courses, which amounts to less than half the classes that would be required for a second Bachelor’s. UCs tend to not accept people for second Bachelor’s degrees.</p>