Just wondered, I've heard that it's becoming more common for people to graduate from college in five years or more instead of the typical four, wasn't sure if it was just my college, the state of Pennsylvania, or nationwide. How many of you have been in college five years or more befoer getting your bachalors degree?

Are you currently attending UPenn?

No, I attend La Roche College which is in the state of Pennsylvania.

[Perna]

I guess it depends on what one is studying; there are so many harder courses now that often take 5 years like engineering, architecture, etc. I thought you were going to comment on how college is "dead" now, getting that way, for liberal arts graduates as they aren't specially enough trained for the job market now; people have to take out loans and then can't get a job without specific skills. Looks like La Roche has that pretty well covered though.

True, makes sense.

Originally Posted by LR15

No, I attend La Roche College which is in the state of Pennsylvania.

Oh, is pennyslvania in the midwest?

Originally Posted by Perna

I guess it depends on what one is studying; there are so many harder courses now that often take 5 years like engineering, architecture, etc. I thought you were going to comment on how college is "dead" now, getting that way, for liberal arts graduates as they aren't specially enough trained for the job market now; people have to take out loans and then can't get a job without specific skills. Looks like La Roche has that pretty well covered though.

do all engineers have to make stuff or no?

[The_little_didgee]

At my university, most students complete a four year degree in five and half years. Some take less time, while others take more. It is highly individual.

I have a disability that affects my studies so I cannot take a full course load. It will probably take me six years to finish. This doesn't bother me one bit.

[spondiferous]

I think there are many factors. Tuition and other related costs have gone up and a lot of people need to work their way through school, which prevents them from being able to focus 100% on their studies. And yeah...things like disability, definitely a factor. I want to return to school but I estimate it'll take at least 6 years to finish my undergraduate.

[adam_k]

It took me 5 years to get through engineering school. You won't have much free time if you do it in 4. A lot of work and studying.

[Perna]

Originally Posted by heyitsme7

Oh, is pennyslvania in the midwest?

No, each state has lots of different colleges and universities in it, private and public ones, not just the "State" ones like UPenn. Pennsylvania is on the East Coast of the US, only an hour and a half from Washington, D.C. but it is very "wide" and LR15s school is way to the west in Pennsylvania, almost to the next state, Ohio, which is next to Indiana which is pretty midwest :-)

There are a lot of kinds of engineers but they don't make stuff generally, they tell other people how to make them, they do all the drawings and stuff, the route the wiring should take for electricity in buildings or how to build a computer, how to make the parts if they are electrical engineers; or where to put the road, sidewalk, sewers, telephone poles, etc. for civil engineers. Nuclear engineers tell people how to build and run nuclear power plants, train engineers, how to run the train :-) Engineering is a LOT of math and physics, knowing if the bridge will support the weight and resist the weather, etc. Here's what happens when engineers don't do their engineering right:

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse

Engineers often "fix" stuff, but don't usually assemble/build it, they know how it all is built so if something breaks, they know how to figure out what that part is and how it broke/fits in with all the other parts. The train engineer doesn't build the train but knows how it runs/all its pieces and how to get it running again if something isn't working right.

I think time in college will get longer and longer for people with specialized knowledge because things are getting so much more technical/complicated and there's more to learn as time passes.

[Fresia]

Most of the students I've talked to are on an extended time plan for two reasons: 1. the number of credits/hours have increased for the degrees, which is taking longer (4 year plan at a supposed 18-21 credits/hours a semester is unrealistic), and 2. they are having to work at the same time so they are having to to reduce the number hours they can take each semester, which draws things out as well.

[healingme4me]

I took 5 years, I was juggling working and school, and because I went 5 years, ended up with extra credits, more than I needed to graduate.

Makes sense. I finished three years and have two years left. Yeah it is definitely becoming harder to finish in 4 years. Soon people won't finish for 8-10 years.