<p>I realize 5 years graduation is probably where I'm headed now. Internships usually want juniors because they have classes that are actually relevant to the work they'll be doing but if I spend 5 years i'll be doing a mixture of both but I wont have a complete junior year under my belt.</p>
<p>Won't companies think I'm weaker then 4 year grads because I took longer to do what they did in 4?</p>
<p>You need for a 5th year is not clear. Is it because you fell behind? You are making it sound like you are doing 5 years because you are going to be doing internships, but you are also saying you can’t get internships because you won’t have a complete junior year. </p>
<p>Where are you in your studies today?</p>
<p>Well I’m behind and I wont have a complete junior year. I could just throw every class into one semester to catch up but I already made a thread got opinions and talked to people who know my skills and it seems I’m better off doing a lighter load and only a few classes here and there.</p>
<p>By the time its the summer I will only have fluids under my belt and maybe a CAD course if I’m lucky. I’m sure Internships want someone with Heat transfer and maybe vibrations and such but I wont have em till my senior year.</p>
<p>Sounds reasonable to me. But I wouldn’t be afraid to apply for internships after your less than complete junior year. Who knows. Maybe you end up with internships after your 3rd and 4th years.</p>
<p>I don’t want to be limited thats all. I mean I know age isn’t the issue me being a year older won’t hurt my chances(or else all these 30 years I see and study with wouldn’t be here). If I’m an employer and I look at this kid who has a good GPA and graduated in 4 years and I look at this other kid who did the same work but in more time. Why hire him? Even if I got a better GPA its only cause I took longer to do it.</p>
<p>I would need to do more.</p>
<p>Sounds like people who know you gave you advice that you are going to follow. Don’t drive yourself crazy with all the other stuff. I really don’t see it as a big deal. Just go from here and do the best you can.</p>
<p>Our S did an internship after his sophomore year as well as after JR year. We have a friend whose S did an internship even after freshman year, plus after all other years EXCEPT SR year. This summer, he is taking courses so he will have a masters in finance to go with his BS in chemical engineering & his BS in Finance. He does have a very attractive job that he will start in Aug/Sept.</p>
<p>No, they won’t care. A lot of people take more than 4 years.</p>
<p>I go to a fairly well-known state uni, nothing big and fancy like Berkeley or Michigan. A friend of mine (same uni) who is a double major in ME and English failed Calc 1, failed Calc 2 after retaking Calc 1, and then dropped statics this semester and is retaking it next year along with thermodynamics - he’s going to be a junior. So he’s pretty far behind (and according to his academic plan will be graduating in 5.5 years at least).</p>
<p>He got an internship with Chrysler this year, after getting an internship in the White House last year. His GPA is basically being kept afloat by English courses he’s taking. It just goes to show that companies aren’t as concerned with how you got your high GPA - as long as it’s decent (and you didn’t cheat to get it or something), your work experience and interviewing ability will probably be the deal-makers (or breakers) for internships and jobs after college.</p>
<p>Nobody will care you took five years. It’s the experience you have (internships/co-ops), personality (your “fit” with the team), and GPA… in that order.</p>
<p>Take six if you want. Just have a reasonable story. Don’t say “I didn’t want to burden myself with too much work.” or something stupid like that.</p>
<p>There’s perfectly good reasons to take a fifth year. Especially for engineering.
You don’t have to rush it unless you have a good reason to do so. Granted, there are a lot of good reasons, but nevertheless, you’re fine with 5 if you have a good reason for doing so.</p>
<p>A higher GPA and using 5 years would be more attractive than a low GPA and using 4 years.</p>
<p>I took 13 years from my my first class to graduation. Got offers from every company to which I applied. Time to complete degree is simply not an issue for most employers, they just care what you learned.</p>
<p>I hope so cause honestly this summer is so stressful trying plan out my future so I know a path to take. I just want to know I can get a job that will help me pay for the numerous things I’m gonna need and help my family.</p>