Does it matter how long it takes to get a degree?

[psixninja]

I may be looking at 6 years to get my engineering degree. I've thus far spent the first 3 (third year ends in 2 weeks) d*cking around in different majors while still taking mostly math, physics, and chemistry.

I finally decided to finish off engineering, but it will take 3 more years due to the fact that the department offers certain classes once a year. I.E., Eng 120 only offered in fall, but you need Eng 110 as a pre-requisite. Eng 110 is only offered in spring, so you have to wait until next fall to take Eng 120.

Does it matter how long you take to get your degree?

Since I have sub-par grades my first 3 years (below 2.5 but above 2.0, ), assuming I keep a nice GPA for the last 3, can I use a "lack of direction" excuse to explain the lengthy time I took to finish?

 

[rocadelpunk]

get a co-op, somehow...someway.

Personally, I don't think it really matters. I would say most engineers are in the 4.5-5.5 yr range.

I have a computer scientist friend who just graduated after 6 yrs. Cycled between CS/english/psych...eventually settled on psych and cs...got a perfectly fine job.


and those ENG courses you listed are probably just intro courses...considering they are marked ENG and not ECE or CS or something like that. It's probably just a group work/intro to drafting/build a robot or rollercoaster course.

It would definitely help if you knew what field you wanted to go into...assuming you already have the calc/physics/chem pre-req's out of the way...I don't see why you couldn't start on your field's core classes.

 

[everman]

The only problem is that if you take too long then they'll just do your diploma in crayon

 

[ChaoZ]

I've just finished my 4th year. I'm looking at another year or maybe a bit longer before I get my BA in Business. Basically almost all of my friends are taking way longer than expected to get their degrees also. I'm guessing 4 year universities are going to be a thing of the past very soon.

 

[psixninja]

Hmm, sounds like I don't really have much to worry about.

And no, the ENG courses was the example. Hence, the "I.E." part. I'm in structural engineering, so the courses I took have SE in front of them.

 

[helpme]

I don't think companies care how long you take.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: psixninja
Hmm, sounds like I don't really have much to worry about.

And no, the ENG courses was the example. Hence, the "I.E." part. I'm in structural engineering, so the courses I took have SE in front of them.

Not to nit pick or anything, but I think you technically meant to use "e.g.," then.

Ok, yeah, I'm nit picking.



Edit: to address your OP, I think it'd matter more if you were planning on applying to grad school than if you're going to be heading straight out into the job market.

 

[LS20]

took me 2 years of CC and 4 of Uni to get mine

bad part? more time = more accrued debt. do i regret it? not a single minute. i was very young when i started, and would have wanted to stick the college scene during my true college age anyway. texas 4 year graduation rates are something like 40%, by the way

 

[RadioHead84]

No. The only part that really matters is if it matters to you. I am graduating this summer (finishing some classes), and its been 4 years. College is fun, and yeah its cool, but I am really sick of it. Doing homework and stuff that doesn't really matter to anyone else other then the teacher is getting annoying as hell. I am also 22 and feel like a baby...this isn't real life, and there is a lot more I can be learning/doing to get me to the places I want to be. If I did 6 years I would be 24/25 when I graduate...thats just too old for me....for others thats fine.

 

[RossGr]

It does matter. Most Universities will not apply course credits over 7yrs old to a degree.

about 20yrs ago I had all the credit hours I needed for a MS in Applied Math. Life intruded and I did not complete my thesis. Now I have no degree and no credits.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I've helped hire people for software development positions rather than engineering, but for those:

6 years is fine, and "wasn't sure what you want to do" is a valid excuse, but: below 2.5 is low for a technical hire. I don't think we've even considered someone with a below-3.0 overall GPA for either my current or previous employer.

Since you'll be saying "just look at my last 3 years" and/or "just look at my major GPA" you need to make sure those are very good numbers. Stop slacking off and take it seriously, or don't bother.

It's true that "GPA doesn't matter" after you have a couple of years of full-time experience, but you're going to be looking much longer and taking much less attractive jobs for the first couple of years unless you improve that GPA a lot.

 

[psixninja]

Whisper, I will take that into consideration next time. Is there a proper time for "I.E."?

LS20, thank you for your two cents. I've also thought about the possible incurred debt but I feel it will be worth it.

DaveSimmons, yes I do realize that I can't just parlay off those 3 years as lack of direction without having any evidence to argue against it. I'll really have to keep my GPA above 3, and preferably as high as possible, in order to be able to show anyone that I can succeed in school. I'll be 21 in August, so my immature/rebellious side is still here, but I've been adamant about keeping it out of academics.

 

[CycloWizard]

Chris Farley: "Lots of people go to school for seven years."
David Spade: "Yeah, they're called doctors."

 

[Ricemarine]

Originally posted by: helpme
I don't think companies care how long you take.

Well they actually care about your age... They want those fresh rookies who they can turn into gems and become those happy little workers that they have made very experienced with not a big raise .

 

[psixninja]

I laughed at that, yet I know the underlying meaning. Irony is a b****.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: psixninja
Whisper, I will take that into consideration next time. Is there a proper time for "I.E."?

Yeup; use e.g., when you're giving general examples of something, and use i.e., when you're instead giving specific examples and are listing all possible options.

So something like...

"New cars come in all sorts of colors (e.g., red, green, or blue), makes, and models."

vs.

"Toyota only makes the Scion in three colors (i.e., green, red, and blue), none of which I like."

Not the greatest examples, but hopefully you get the idea.

The trick I've always used that helps me is to mentally replace either expression with the equivalent English translation ("that is..." for i.e., and "such as..." for e.g.,); that should help you decide which one fits a certain situation.

edit: Here ya go

Wiki does a better job of explaining the difference, and includes a blurb on elaboration/clarification, which I forgot to mention in relation to i.e.,

 

[imported_hscorpio]

I took over 6 years to finally get my EE degree! Somehow I managed to spend 4 years at a community college before getting serious and transferring to a university and completing my BSEE in about 2.5 years. It took me awhile to figure out what discipline I wanted to go into even though I always knew I wanted to do engineering so I took way more units than I needed to transfer.

I was really worried that I would never get hired after employers saw how long its taken me. However it didn't hurt me as far as I know since I got the third job I interviewed for a few months prior to graduating. None of the people I interviewed with asked me how long I'd been in college. All they were interested in was my GPA and what I've done/learned.

I think your major GPA needs to be good and you need to have some valuable experience either through school projects or internships. I had no internships but I had a couple interesting projects on my resume that I think helped.

At my school (a CSU) the average is 5.5 years to get a BSEE, but I know quite a few of people that took around 7 years! I think that more prestigious schools have a much lower number.

 

[Orsorum]

Took me four years to get my B.S. in Economics and B.A. in Business Administration (Accounting). Another year to get my masters in tax. In all honesty, it doesn't make much of a difference except for the fact that I'm 23 and looking at senioring projects. What difference does that make? Maybe not much, maybe I'll skip a year or two, maybe I'll fail and get back on the same timeline as my peers.

You have to make a timeline that fits for your ability and maturity level. Anything else and you'll struggle more than you must.

 

[pennylane]

I really don't think anybody cares. Maybe it matters in that you can't make any money in those years, or you're older when you get out, or whatever. But I doubt companies pay attention. You only put the year you graduated in your resume anyway.

 

[psixninja]

What was your GPA hscorpio?

I had a feeling that it wouldn't make a difference if I took 6 years, and I'm thankful that ATOT confirmed that for me. :laugh:

 

[Midlander]

If an employer has a choice between two candidates who have roughly the same GPA and one took 6 years to get the degree and one took 4, they will take the one who took 4 years. It shows the ability to focus on work, get more done in a shorter period of time, and the delivery of a goal.

That said, you really never find equally qualified candidates for a job. If your GPA is good (better than 3.0), it won't matter much.

Good luck.

 

[Rubycon]

With a Bunsen burner one can get three degrees in about a second.

 

[Bateluer]

Seems like a lot of schools orientate their class schedules to make it take longer to complete degree programs.

 

[jlbenedict]

Even the NCAA is having a dispute over whether to allow 5-year eligibility.

Football coaches renew call for 5-year eligibility

American Football Coaches Association Grant Teaff pointed out "that it's now the norm for college students to take more than four years to finish degrees."

 

[txrandom]

Should take me 3.5 years to get a Comp Sci degree with a business minor. I'm doing summer school all the summers, but also working 20hrs a week.