Engineering Degree

[imported_nerve]

I have been wanting to go back to school but having a family and a full time job I always put it on the back burner.

I have the motivation to go back nights and work full time. I want to get a BSEE

Does this look like a good school/route to take?T hey have a continuing education department.
Northeastern



I live in the Boston area.. there are many schools to chose from, I just need one for night classes..

let me know if Northeastern is a good place..

Thanks!

nerve

 

[LordSnailz]

no idea if NE is any good, but I admire your drive. Good luck and go at!!

 

[fbrdphreak]

Can't speak to Northeastern, but if it is a decent EE curriculum doing that and working will take you forever. I'd imagine night classes also are not taught by the better professors available.

I would examine what jobs are in demand where you want to live and see if something might better suit you.

 

[NoMoMoney]

I have my BSEE from NU. I say go for it!

EDIT
I graduated in 2002, and as far as I know NU has been moving up in status since then. I took a few night classes while I was there (I was full time) and they seemed ok, a little less homework since everyone has full time jobs, but still worth the time.

 

[davestar]

I also admire your drive, but do you know what you're getting into? My BSEE took ~150 credits to complete. At 6 credits/semester and 3 credits/summer semester, you'd be looking at 10 years to complete the same courseload. granted, you could probably trim that to ~120 credits, but that's still 8 years...

 

[Achtung]

If you're into rankings (and you have to take them with a grain of salt, of course), look into that US News and World Report college ranking guide that comes out each year. From what I know about Northeastern, its a good school.

 

[BKLounger]

i'm from Boston myself and am actually looking at Northeastern for my masters. Depending on how your grades were Northeastern is a middle to high level school for ee. Unless you are REALLY good there is always M.I.T. that is if you are really good and got the grades to back it up as well.

 

[CanOWorms]

I never heard of Northeastern until I went to Boston, but when I was there I thought good things of it. It might not be ranked extremely well, but I thought its engineering students were good.

BTW, that program is not an Electrical Engineering program, it's a Electrical Engineering Technology program. It's "below" a BSEE.

 

[NoMoMoney]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
I never heard of Northeastern until I went to Boston, but when I was there I thought good things of it. It might not be ranked extremely well, but I thought its engineering students were good.

BTW, that program is not an Electrical Engineering program, it's a Electrical Engineering Technology program. It's "below" a BSEE.

They have both a BSEE and a EE Technology Program. At least I hope they have a BSEE program, because that is what I tell people I have

 

[Tiamat]

I have just graduated with a BS.ChE from Northeastern University and am working on my Master's. It is a decent school, but pretty pricy. Typically the only thing going for it (to justify the price) is that:

1. if has a campus
2. Cooperative education

If you cannot make use of either one of those 2points, there are similar quality schools for less money.

If you can think of another reason why NU would be good for you, then that would be enough as well.

I enjoy my education at NU, but its main caveat is its Price.

 

[Triumph]

Good catch on the EE "technology" program. It is NOT an engineering degree and you will be limited by it.

I knew several people who were older than the usual college students when I was in school. People with a wife and kid. I will tell you the best piece of advice that I learned from them - take as many core classes as you can at a community college (or equivalent). Find out first for sure if they will transfer. You will save a TON of money, have more flexible time offerings, and when you eventually graduate you will have a degree from the fancy college and no one will be the wiser.

Does your wife work? If I was to do what you are doing, I would seriously consider quitting to become a full time student, and getting some sh!t low stress job like graveyard shift security guard or something. If you take a credit hour here and there, you'll never get it done. Just bite the bullet and endure the pain for a few years. And if you're doing this for a career change, who cares if you quit your current job anyway?

 

[senseamp]

Seems OK, just make sure to take the right technical electives to develope a depth in something. I recommend at least 3 course sequence in the specific area of EE you want to do. And make sure you aren't just cramming formulas but doing projects that will give you specific skills, at least for your chosen area.

 

[imported_nerve]

I noticed the EE "Technology" part aswell. I wasnt 100% what that meant.
My guess is that its just EE in general. I might have to look elsewhere.. I dont know..

It is a career change. I am in desktop support now and have climbed to get here for the past 5 years. I feel like ive hit the ceiling..

Here is a little background..

Im 24, I have a daughter.. and a girlfriend whom I live with in an apartment. I have supported us for the past 3-4 years while my girlfriend when to school for her degree.
She has just graduated and I never went to college but feel like that part of my development is missing and I must pursue...
Since this is her first job its entry level and low paying. she cant afford to support us both.
Cant move in with parents there is no room on either side.

I was planning on having a degree in 5-6 years, thought that part-time would be about that many years.. If its another two its no big deal.. I am 24, degree at around 30 isnt too crazy..

Maybe I should look elsewhere for a BSEE, Wentworth has nights I believe.. but im not sure if they have EE program.. Im SOL...

=(

 

[imported_nerve]

btw..

does anyone know what a EE "technology" is?

 

[LordSnailz]

Originally posted by: nerve
btw..

does anyone know what a EE "technology" is?

Best is prob. read their catalog or setup a mtg. with one of their counselors to work things out.

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: NoMoMoney

They have both a BSEE and a EE Technology Program. At least I hope they have a BSEE program, because that is what I tell people I have

Oh, I just meant that the one he linked to was a EET program

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: nerve
btw..

does anyone know what a EE "technology" is?

It usually trains you for a position to be an assistant to an engineer or a technician.

 

[imported_nerve]

Oh no!

Well, Electrical Engineer Technology is all they have for night classes " Continuing Education"

See link from OP /\

 

[engineereeyore]

I understand your problem. I was 25, married with 2 children, and went back to school for a degree in EE. I'll tell you, EE is dang hard to do while working full-time. I dropped to part-time and took government assistance instead. People can bicker all they want, but I'll be back into society paying plenty of taxes much sooner. If you could get by working part-time instead, it would make things much easier on you. Just a suggestion.

If not, don't give up. You can do it. It'll be hard, but well worth it. I'd still with EE though, not EE Technology, but again, that's just me.

 

[imported_nerve]

I am looking for a local college for a EE degree, one I can take at night..
No luck yet..

Northeastern looks to be the only one with somewhat im looking for but would rather not get EE Technology Degree...

 

[skimple]

I started taking classes in 1989 and finally finished my BSEE in 1996. That was taking two classes at a time and working full-time. You are in for a long haul, but it is worth it.

I disagree entirely with the comment that night professors aren't the best the college has. At my college, the professors that taught at night also taught during the day. In fact, I found that because the student population at night is older and usually full of working people, the professors are usually more interactive. I've even has a professor that invited the class out for drinks after exams.

There are a LOT of colleges in Boston. Talk to all of them that offer EE degrees including MIT. Pick the college that offers the best services and flexibility for part time students. Online classes and materials from a reputable college can really help you cut down on the amount of time that you have to spend on campus.

Stay away from BSET degrees. The Technology degrees are "applied science" degrees. meaning that you will be a glorified tech, with some understanding of theory.

But before you do that, ask yourself what you want to do. Design IC's? Design Power Systems? Design firmware? An EE degree may noy be the way you want to go, unless you are really into electrical theory (maxwell's equations, thevinen equivalent circuits, kirchoff's current laws) It's a lot of stuff that very few EEs use, but you must have as a basis for the later stuff. Unless you are into that type of stuff, you might want to think about computer science, or software engineering)