# Is it still possible for me?



## Cmcgarret (Jan 18, 2021)

I'm 25 and still at a community college taking general ed classes. I haven't taken any pre engineering classes and I'm currently in algebra and will be taking calculus 1 in the fall *fingers crossed*. I want to get a degree in computer engineering and I was wondering how long do u think that'll take me?


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## DoctorWho-PE (Jan 18, 2021)

Depends on how many classes you have still to take, and how many at a time you are taking. It took me 5 years to get my first bachelors degree (finished at 22/23), and another five to get my engineering degree (finished at 35) - granted that was one or two classes at a time while working almost full time.


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## leggo PE (Jan 18, 2021)

It's definitely still possible! If this is something you really want, don't give up. It may take a long time if, like vhab said, you're only taking one or two classes at a time. Really, you need to look at the required curriculum, and see how many classes you have to ultimately take, and what the schedules of those classes are. How can you fit this into your life, as it is now? Are you a full-time student, or are you working full-time? Or are you somewhere in between? This will help you figure out how long it will take you to get it done. But hey, anything is possible! There are definitely examples of people get into different types of engineering after having careers in something else.

Also, at 25, you're not that old! You have a lot of life left in front of you!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 18, 2021)

I had classmates in their 40s and 50s coming for their engineering degree. Def still have loads of time


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## Cmcgarret (Jan 18, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> It's definitely still possible! If this is something you really want, don't give up. It may take a long time if, like vhab said, you're only taking one or two classes at a time. Really, you need to look at the required curriculum, and see how many classes you have to ultimately take, and what the schedules of those classes are. How can you fit this into your life, as it is now? Are you a full-time student, or are you working full-time? Or are you somewhere in between? This will help you figure out how long it will take you to get it done. But hey, anything is possible! There are definitely examples of people get into different types of engineering after having careers in something else.
> 
> Also, at 25, you're not that old! You have a lot of life left in front of you!


Right now I'm only in 7 credit hours. And I'm not working full time at the moment


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## Ken PE 3.1 (Jan 18, 2021)

Took me about 8 years to get my BSEE going part time with a full-time job and family. You can do it if you want!


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## CE_2_CE (Jan 19, 2021)

Cmcgarret said:


> I'm 25 and still at a community college taking general ed classes. I haven't taken any pre engineering classes and I'm currently in algebra and will be taking calculus 1 in the fall *fingers crossed*. I want to get a degree in computer engineering and I was wondering how long do u think that'll take me



Yes you can. Gotta put your effort and full focus on it.

Here's a little about my academic history:
I went to a community College. Failed and repeated Calc 1,2,3, and Gen Chem. I transferred to a university. I had to retake a few classes there as well.
7.5 years later, I graduated with my BS in CE. I now have my PE.


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## ME_PE_WANNABE (Jan 19, 2021)

There is still plenty of time! I know myself and bunch of my college engineering buddies started our engineering studies at age 23 because we all spent time in the military. We all started at a community college taking remedial courses in math (surely not calculus) and were two prerequisite classes away from calculus 1. Needless to say we all graduated within 4.5 to 5 years because we were taking summer courses to make up our deficiencies. Most of us obtained our undergrad and graduate degrees as well as a PE licenses.

I don't know your schools's curriculum for computer engineering, but I would speak with your academic counselor at your community college and look into the potential universities you would like to transfer. Many times the university's engineering program would accept lower division classes from community college. There is a ton of variables but it should be reviewed so you're not taking the same class twice or take classes that would not transfer.


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## humner (Jan 19, 2021)

Cmcgarret said:


> I'm 25 and still at a community college taking general ed classes. I haven't taken any pre engineering classes and I'm currently in algebra and will be taking calculus 1 in the fall *fingers crossed*. I want to get a degree in computer engineering and I was wondering how long do u think that'll take me?


I took and passed the FE exam with just an AAS from a community college. It is not where you get your education, but what you do with it. Did I have to do extensive self study to cover areas I missed? Absolutely.


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## oates (Jan 19, 2021)

You can do it if you are willing to stick it out and sacrifice a lot of time and experiences. I went from having a full academic scholarship to getting the scholarship taken away because I had only a C average. I had to then work full time and go to school part time. Took me a total of 13 years after high school graduation to finish a "four year" bachelors'' degree. My wife was pregnant with our third child when she started her PhD program. Many younger, unmarried students with zero kids quit after a while because it was so hard but my wife stuck it out and is a semester away from graduating. You can do it too.


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## BlueBlueprintPE PMP (Jan 19, 2021)

You still have tons of time! Don't stress about at what age things "should be" done. I had my son at 20. I finally when to college when he started Kindergarten '05-06. I worked full time and went to school full time. It took me 6 years to get my engineering degree from start to finish (graduated in 2012). I didn't get a "real" engineering job for another 3 years. From there I had to get my 4-years experience to get my PE. Thankfully, I passed the PE Exam on the first try in October. Bottom line - you can do anything you put your mind to. Don't let age, numbers, or perceptions skew your view of what you want. Do the math. I turn 40 in a few weeks and just got my PE. But I have ZERO regrets.


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## MadamPirate PE (Jan 19, 2021)

I went back to school at 24, and graduated at 29. It's totally doable! I made a plan about what classes I was taking at community college, and what classes I needed when I transferred to Uni. It helped keep me on track, and helped me figure out how long it was going to take for me to graduate. I'm 35 now, and have my PE.


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## ME_PE_WANNABE (Jan 19, 2021)

MadamPirate PE said:


> I went back to school at 24, and graduated at 29. It's totally doable! I made a plan about what classes I was taking at community college, and what classes I needed when I transferred to Uni. It helped keep me on track, and helped me figure out how long it was going to take for me to graduate. I'm 35 now, and have my PE.


It seems you and I have the same background. Lol.


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## daydreambeliever (Jan 20, 2021)

It's totally doable if it's something you want. I went back to school at 26. I was working in Mortgage at the time and quite my job to bartend so I could work nights. One thing about starting a program in your mid twenties or later is that your maturity level is hopefully going to prevent you from goofing off. I mean I still had fun but with work and school I had to set my priorities straight. Also I had to take out student loans. I worked because I had to pay rent, utilities, car payment and so forth. There was no way I was going to rack up debt and not take the program seriously. I had to retake a 3 classes but still I got my degree in 4.5 yrs. 

This is something you have to dedicate several years of your life to but it's all worth it in the end.


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## Br_Engr (Jan 20, 2021)

Never too late.









A Bridge Not Too Far


Pursuing a civil engineering degree later in life has not left Virginia Feigles-Kaar ’99 behind the curve in her career.




magazine.bucknell.edu


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## PowerEngineer8587 (Jan 20, 2021)

In case you need any inspiration: I started taking classes at community college after high school. I would take 3 or 4 units a semester and I even had to repeat a few classes. All this time I was working full time. It took me from when I was 18 to being 35 to do about 2 years worth of full time community college work. At 35 I transferred to a public university and graduated at 39, again taking 4 years to do about 2 years worth of full time university course work while having a full time job. I passed my FE at 39 in Electrical and passed my PE at 40 in electrical power and got my license at 42. The moral of the story is obvious: it’s definitely never too late.
Sure if I could go back in time I wouldn’t take so long but I can’t go back in time so all I can say is it’s never too late.


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## FLOrida (Jan 31, 2021)

Cmcgarret said:


> I'm 25 and still at a community college taking general ed classes. I haven't taken any pre engineering classes and I'm currently in algebra and will be taking calculus 1 in the fall *fingers crossed*. I want to get a degree in computer engineering and I was wondering how long do u think that'll take me?


first, you don’t need engineering degree to get in that field,
i think you should focus on that career directly and have the degree secondary. i guarentee there are thousands of grads who cant find a job out there. if you are good at what you do, you could make good money without the degree at all. 
do you live with family? if so, this is a plus


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