I started to have real interest in engineering around the end of my junior year of HS, and I do not have much college math done. I will graduate HS with my A.A., but only up to trig done. I talked to an advisor and she told me I should stay at the local college because the classes are smaller and it is easier. She told me to get an A.S. Degree in something called Chemical Technology. My only two worries is that this requires Gen Chem II and for my engineering major I only need Gen Chem I. My other worry is that I need four classes a semester for financial aid and when I transfer to any university that I end up paying more money because of excess credits. Should I just take PreCalc in the summer and then transfer to the University or stay for the A.S. degree and get all my math and physics done?
I suggest you go the cheaper route and get your math and physics done which will be the test if you want to continue into engineering. Mech E only requires one semester of Chem at some schools but others want 2 or the second semester fills a Natural Science requirement.
I don’t get what you mean by paying extra money for excess credits. You mentioned going for a Chem technology degree but what kind of engineering do you think you want to pursue? Chemical Engineering or another? Are there other Engineering related majors there such as CAD or Mech tech you could also go for if you don’t want to be a Chem engineer?
@Lakemom the advisor said if you go over 180 credits in your major then you’ll have to pay extra. The Chem technology was recommended so I was labeled and all the math and physics are in the degree, so she said I should just add the degree for a resume booster. The only problem is that it requires Chem 2 which I don’t need for my bachelors. My major is either MechE or Civil
Does your school require an additional natural science? My son’s did and the choice was Physics 3, Chem 2 or more math. In any case that is one one 4-5 credit class (depending on whether you need a lab) so I don’t see it is a deal killer to take it. They will only charge you extra for what you go over of the 180 credits not all of them. He is a MechE major.
My school does not, and I am also worried since I would need 4 classes per semester to qualify for financial aid
Thanks for all the help so far 
@John4671
Take pre calc over the summer regardless so you can get up to speed on the Math. Mech Engineering requires 3 semesters of Calc and 2+ semesters of Physics and 1 semester of Chem (at my son’s school} I don’t know what Civil requires…
The thing is, it would be very challenging to take Calc 1, Physics 1 and Chem 1 all at the same time unless you are super strong in Math.
Is that what the Chem tech program requires?
Paste the curriculm here or what school are you talking about and where?
I just googled Chem tech and this is what I found from this school. Is your curriculm the same?
http://catalog.weber.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=2&poid=731&returnto=617
@Lakemom http://www.easternflorida.edu/academics/career-technical-programs/our-programs/chemical-tech/curriculum-as.cfm
Okay. I pulled up the CC course catalog and the ME requirements at UCF. Florida CC’s have a transfer agreement with a number of Florida schools.
UCF’s ME requirements are here:
http://catalog.ucf.edu/content/documents/programs/Mechanical_Engineering_BSME.pdf
- The first thing I see is you need to make sure the Chem you take for Chem Tech will meet the UCF's ME req.
They say:
Select one of the following sequences of courses:
***-Preferred course
CHS 1440 Principles of Chemistry
or- First alternative: Select all of the following: 6 hrs
CHM 2040 Chemistry Fundamentals IA and CHM 2041 Chemistry Fundamentals IB
or- Second alternative
CHM 2045C Chemistry Fundamentals I
So before you go any further. You need to know if your Chem transfers. For all you know, they may require you have taken both Chem 1 and Chem 2 as they show above in the First Alternate since the cc does not offer a comparable course to CHS 1440. So find that out tmrw. You may actually need both Chem classes to meet your requirement.
- Next go over the ME curriculum at UCF and make sure every other course in the Chem Tech program at the cc with the ENGINEERING OPTION will transfer so you will know exactly how many additional course you have to take. Match them up to the ME prereqs and make sure they transfer.
EGN 1007 Engineering Concepts and Methodologies 1
EGN 2312 Engineering Analysis - Statics 3
EGN 2322 Engineering Analysis - Dynamics 3
EGS 1006 Introduction to the Engineering Profession 1
PHY 2048 General Physics 1 4
PHY 2049 General Physics 2
.
3. You will notice that you do have General Ed courses that must still be met at the school you transfer to. So here for Science, they require Physics but you would have to ask if they only require 1 semester of Chem, then can you use your second semester of Chem 2 to meet the additional Science Foundations course. This is what I meant by meeting a Natural Science requirement. My son took a 3rd semester of Physics to meet that requirement.
E: Science Foundations
Required PHY 2048C Physics for Engineers & Scientists I
Select one class from Science Foundations
@Lakemom will do, thank you so much!
@John4671 Good luck! It looks like either way, you may need that second semester of Chem to meet either the Chem for Engineering or the Science Foundations requirement. Hopefully every class from your cc will transfer and lighten your load.