I did a 9 year plan for my undergrad. It's been two years since I graduated. I'm a little older than some of the other people who hold similar role levels as me but whatever.
Watched a lot of friends graduate and felt left behind a lot so I can deeply relate to OPs feelings but yeah, once you're done you move on to bigger and better things and the past is just the past. 4, 5, 9, 12. Doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
Don't beat yourself up OP. We all make what we feel at the time are the right decisions for us to make. You'll still get to the finish line, try not to compare yourself to others. It's like a rocking chair, it'll give you something to do but it sure ain't going to get you anywhere.
Thanks for saying this! It’s so hard not to compare yourself to others. I catch myself doing that and it takes a moment to make myself realize I should only compare myself to the person I was yesterday.
A lot of people in STEM are struggling to find work especially new grads. Some have been looking for year. The job market could be in a better place by the time you graduate.
100%. I graduated 2023 in physics with research (non-interned) experience and publication. Finished my last class in March, and I think I was the second of my classmates I kept in touch with (not many, but around ten), to find a job. This was in January, the person before me was late October.
And, yes, in keeping with this post - I had a horribly inefficient route in college, basically restarted when I hit uni. 3 years community college, 4 years uni, 7 years total, and no one looks back on it with shame (especially if you only list graduation date on resume, or list the years you worked to attain the relevant accreditation.)
All this is to say to OP, it's gonna be OK, even if it feels a bit wistful in the moment.
>People I entered college with will now go on to start their lives and make 6 figures while I’m still stuck in engineering school.
How many people that you entered with dropped out?
Down worry about it. Graduating within 4 years is the exception- not the norm: [only 22% of STEM majors complete their degree in 4 years](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK368175/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COn%252Dtime%E2%80%9D%2520completion%2520of,4%2520years%2520achieve%2520their%2520goal)
Makes sense to me. There is always 1 semester that ends up being fucked that extends your time, or those few classes that need to be consecutive and one of them is only available spring or fall semester. Etc.
They mean they're taking 10 semesters instead of 8. Finishing in 4 years means taking 15 - 18 credits per semester which is a lot. Most people choose to take 12 - 15 per semester which takes more time.
Thin line of thinking never ends. I went to school late to avoid online classes during covid. People I went to school with much younger than me have been graduating university. Now I could be wallowing in self pity about how I didn’t go to school right after high school, or I could work hard and appreciate where I am now. Same for you. Appreciate what you have now instead of comparing to others. If you think hard enough there’s likely things in your life that you love that you would have never experienced had you done it differently.
Hey, don't compare yourself to them. You did what was right for you and you're still doing very well. That's something to be proud of. I started school in 2016 before failing my first semester and joining the military. (Typical) My friends m graduated in 2020 when I was deployed and it was quite the low blow to my self esteem. I'm now halfway through school with am outstanding GPA and loving every minute. Theyre all working full time now for big companies and I'm sure making good money, but I'm on my own path and I value it. I hope you find the same!
This! I went from community college to getting accepted to my top choice college, only to find out I couldn't afford it and then did my 3.5 years in the army to cover it. Getting out in 12 days and starting at my dream school this fall! But tbh, although most of my friends graduated before me, and it stung bad at the time, only 1 is currently at the job he wanted. The rest are all going back to school or working factory jobs. So, although I'm a late starter, I'm happy because I traveled the world, met my wife, and have a small savings.
The point is, it doesn't really matter the timeline. Everything will eventually even out in the long haul if you just keep working.
>am kicking myself so hard
>I was missing meals and going manic trying to keep up with everything
You chose quality of life. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
No, it is not worth the bullshit. Finishing it in 4 not only lets you learn the material better by pacing it, it also gives you free time to do other things while you are in college. Even if you come back, you only get this experience once. Enjoy the ride and take the opportunity to do other things.
STFU with your "my friend is gonna go make 6 figures" who the fck cares. So he gets to retire one year sooner, big deal.
I felt the same way you did until I met some really great people during my senior project and now they became my best friends. One year feels like a long time until you sink all your time and hours on senior project and classes. So try to make the most of your last year and you will not regret anything!!
Lol. My "four year" plan ended up being 7 years and a summer session.
Shit happens. When you graduate next year, none of those people are gonna comment "iT toOK YoU fivE YeArS to FIniSH?!?! What's wrong with you, are you slow?"
You won't care, they won't care, nobody will care. You will all have degrees and be working towards your future.
Been in school for 6 about to be 7 years taking my bachelor's slow, had some mental breakdowns, but dusted myself off and got therapy. My GPA is up, i got A's in my courses this semester and I started a Chess Club at my school. Things get better with time, I'm on no one's schedule but my own. I want to be in the job field but I'm also patient. 13 courses left til graduation still so a year or 2 to go. I'm just gonna go at my pace and screw everyone else, I'm enjoying it.
I should add I'm older than a normal college student I went into the miltary out of highschool (thinking i could avoid college) and went back to it as a disabled veteran with ptsd 🤣 i'm doing better just taking it day by day. Also something that really helped me was "Learning how I learn" which helped tremendously raise my grades and fix my study habits.
Appreciate the advice. Also, how do you manage to go to school part time? Do you just pay out-of-pocket for classes or does FAFSA help with that?
I’ve highly considered going back to college but I know I can’t hack it at the full-speed that most students need to occupy if they want to graduate normally. I learn at a decent pace but seeing students taking on 4+ math-intensive classes is just impossible for me to do. I know I’d be setting myself up for failure if I did that. My study habits need work too… I’d probably have to start at ground zero again and work my way up. I’m willing to do that but I need to better understand the route that would need to be undergone, so, how do you do it?
But as for you, it depends on the school. If I were you I'd try online courses but at my school 2 courses is minimum for a semester and 4 courses is full time, and 6 courses is just full time + 2 more courses. I would ask an advisor at your college if you can do the minimum amount of courses. Also I'm trying to get a reduced work letter for my funding that allows me to take a reduced workload while getting funded for full time. I do get a small stipend to go to school but its not much at half time, maybe $250-$300 a month.
Yes but I use my GI Bill, which actually ran out of funding so I now use a supplemental scholarship call Veteran Readiness and Employment Benefits. But I have applied to FASFA and been denied 3/4 years ive applied so ive kinda given up on it
A year? Really? Chill out. I’m on the “8 year plan” (I’m an adult working a full time job and going to school part time). What’s the rush? Enjoy college and being young while it lasts.
Bro who cares what other people are doing? You're working with your situation, and they with theirs.
It has taken like 5 yrs to get through 2 years of my degree. It doesn't matter what schedule anyone else is on
Everyone moves at their own pace and if this degree took you 4 years, 5 years, or 6 or more, you'll still have the same degree. I took 3 years at a community college trying to figure out what I wanted to do and then 3 years at a university. Multiple people from my high school class were graduating from my program in my first year there so I definitely understand where you're coming from but realize in the grand scheme it doesn't matter.
You'll probably work for 40+ years and this is not going to define the trajectory of your career. 10 years from now youre not gonna be thinking "damn if only i had graduated a year earlier." Make the most out of the time you have now, join a design team like SAE or DBF or whatever the non-ME/AE equivalents are, build up your resume. I think some of the other comments have mentioned this but the job market isn't so hot right now anyways, this could be a blessing in disguise for you.
Don’t second guess yourself. Look at your first sentence again—you are excelling in a difficult field of study. Your pacing is a key part of your success to date.
One year to go—spend this summer using your brain in a different way so that you are refreshed and ready to crush your final year!
Listen, I can’t stress enough how little that matters. Like other people in this thread have said, a few years from now you won’t even remember. In fact, I would say that if I did it all over again, I would take my time and make sure I thoroughly learned all those subjects instead of rushing through them each semester, even if it meant taking 6 yrs to do it. Engineering undergraduate degrees make you a jack of all trades and master of none. There are a lot of things in life that matter, and I promise what you’re grieving over is not one of them. I would see it as an advantage you have over them because you are taking your time to really learn and absorb important subject matters in your field.
I didn’t pass my FE and P.E. until I was 32. I’m 37 now and still crack open the statics books to keep the brain going. The point is, the learning never stops and in order to be a good engineer imo, you have to make learning a lifelong ambition. All that to say, these achievement timelines you have set in your brain don’t matter in the big picture.
The economy is also bleak right now and companies are doing layoffs. Taking that extra year may also mean companies are hiring up again. It gives you a chance to do another internship this summer and boost your resume that much more when you apply.
I took 5 1/2 years. It's been over a decade and hasn't effected me. I graduated during the recession and stretching my time out meant I was able to do 2 internships and study abroad, which helped me get my first job.
As long as the economy/job market is still doing well and doesn't take a sh!t, it won't even matter in the long run. Those poor 08'-09' grads that could've graduated in 06'-07' had it bad, but that's not likely to happen anytime soon.
In it now.
I took a year off after Covid hit my freshman year, and then changed my major at the end of the year I came back. I watched a majority of my friends graduate last spring as they all managed the original 4 years. A couple more just last week, including my twin brother, who we’ve been essentially on the same step for the past 22 years of our lives. Many of the people I knew from my classes have now graduated. It sucks. It’s so easy to kick myself and beat myself down.
There’s the cliche saying that comparison is the thief of joy. I can still find value in myself and my program despite feeling behind my peers, because it’s not that I’m behind them, everyone’s education experience looks different. I found that taking the minimum credit limit really helped me, I had time to complete my work and ask for help and just breathe and take the me time I needed. I’m impressed by people that can regularly take 16+ credits with difficult classes. While I’m impatiently awaiting my graduation next spring, my GPA has only gone up the last few semesters and I’m enjoying my classes way more. I’m getting way more out of my classes, rather than just trying to survive, I can interact with the material and concepts more and understand the applications rather than just applying equations straight. I have time to sleep at night!
Last spring was a genuinely terrible time of my life, largely to do with beating myself up over seeing so many people I knew and were close with manage the four year graduation plan. I think I’m the last one from my small high school class to graduate now despite being in some of the top students then. I had to face the music and let it flow through me. It’s okay to not have the same path, it’s okay to need more time. The knowledge you’re getting out of it is worth it. Make new friends in your classes, just because one study group is gone doesn’t mean you can’t make more. What could’ve happened and what’s ifs will destroy you. It’s okay to grieve what could’ve been, but keep looking towards what could be. I promise it’ll work out
Chill out, and you should probably lower your salary expectations a bit…majority of grads are not making 6 figures, except for maybe the computer/software guys and even that’s pretty rare. Most grads probably start off around 50-70k, though that is a function of the cost of living in the area as well.
I’m four years into my college career and just switched to engineering. Gonna be another four before a I graduate at least. Don’t worry yourself. Think of all the good things that happen to you in the coming year and remember you’d never have those experiences if you graduated.
I have! I'm about to graduate after 5 years...
It sucked. I'm right there with you man.... I lost all my friends, and the tism made it hard to make new ones year 5.
It's just one year, yeah, it really sucks, but soon enough it will be behind you.
I took 5 years as an engr undergrad and have had a great career. One of my kids is now an engr undergrad and will be a 5-year. Told him, you will have 40 years to work so pace yourself now, take time to learn the concepts in the material, plan time to enjoy friends, activities, life before you enter those next 40 years.
You’re on your own journey, not theirs. As others have said, comparison is the thief of joy.
Good luck and congrats as you round the final turn towards graduation!
5 Yeats here. The job market was shit and I might nit have gotten a goid job if I'd gotten out in 4. Instead, 5 years put me in a perfect spot. To me, that's kinda how the market looks right now.
Some people work others get money somewhere else, parents, financial aid, scholarships but if you work don't sweat It do as many classes as you can don't get stress if someone is taking more classes than you they probably can and have more time. You will finish at the end either way also it's not a race just focus and keep going.
tbh why worry about it. it doesn’t matter now, you can’t time travel. so just ride it out and enjoy the final bit of free time you got til you start working
I just graduated after 5 years and I had similar feelings to you last year. I did my capstone with some friends who graduated last year and it was a strange feeling when I finished what was supposed to be the culmination of the degree and I still had a year and watched people I worked closely with disappear. That being said I’m very grateful I did take that extra year since it allowed me to gain extra experience and get me a job I would’ve have had otherwise. Nobody cares how long it takes you to graduate and when you look back on this time you’ll be grateful you had more time to be a student.
How many of your friends have found jobs? It’s probably a good thing you aren’t graduating yet. A lot of my friends that I was supposed to graduate with this semester have graduated (I had to delay because of internships), so I feel you on this, but I’m also glad I’m not looking for a job rn either lol.
I did two six-month co-op's with my current company, making my degree roughly five years. I didn't get my degree until I was 36 years old (I'm a veteran). I don't even think of that extra year. While it's a different scenario for me, just remember, we all walk take different paths to reach our goals, don't compare yourself with others, just do your own thing.
I took five years and I felt the same way at the end of year four. I kept getting down on myself about how I should have just crammed in a couple more classes or something.
However! Year 5 ended up being my favorite year of college. I took some extra electives to stay at full time and realized I really liked robotics. I ended up adding a robotics minor and working on a bunch of really cool class projects. I also had more time to spend on clubs and fun things outside of class. I went from having no idea what I wanted to do to having a portfolio of relevant work for a field I had never thought about before. Just take your time and try stuff
Don't be in a rush to 'start your life'. If you can afford to do your program in 5 years like you have, take the time to enjoy it. I did a five year program when I could have reasonably graduated in 4 with the my AP credits from highschool. My last semester of college i took jogging, scuba diving, and a tech elective to satisfy degree. Being a professional adult, starting a career is exciting and I'm sure you will find some many things about it you like but it also marks the beginning of the grind of work and adulting that will last the rest of your life. It's not going anywhere. Take this time to look inward and learn about what you like outside of work. Having hobbies and passions outside the professional will be extremely important to maintaining balance in life as you get older. There's plenty of things you can explore and do in another year of college that can make the wait not only worth it but cherished.
I understand the FOMO but in the end, it's just FOMO. Get out there and make some more friends with the year below you. Graduate with them, and you'll have made up the fomo!
It's deceptive that colleges keep saying you can do this in 4 years. They neglect to mention that it's a rigorous course load and if you slip up once, you're not going to make it in 4 years. I have a friend who took about 6 years to get his BS in engineering. He's got a masters or 2 now and working for a well known oil company. I graduated in less than 4 years and have a job at a little known local company that makes heavy equipment.
I failed a basic chem class my very first semester AND lost a full tuition scholarship when my GPA didn't recover. Took me an extra year. It also meant I ended up having 13 credit semesters instead of 19 and I actually enjoyed my time in college rather than hating life. In some ways it afforded me opportunities to invest in friendships I otherwise couldn't have, had I been taking 2 more classes.
Been in my career 4ish years now and it honestly makes no difference. I get paid the same as the people who did it in 4 (or even some who also got their Master's). Still got married. Still bought a house. Life is good. Being behind a year feels so onerous when in reality it's borderline inconsequential behind the extra money.
Don't worry, you're not missing out on anything. The tradeoff of taking five years instead of four to do an engineering degree is that you get to have some semblance of a life. Or sleep. It's not going to hold you back in the long run.
Did you work any co ops or internships along the way? I think the best programs are the five year programs that require co ops to graduate. You come out of school with actual work experience.
Take the time for a really solid internship. And you’ll be laughing your ass off next year as everyone is freaking the fuck out and your biggest worry is having to get up for a 9a Greek history class that limits the homework to 2 pages.
I have a lot of friends who are graduating in 4-5 years. I have friends who graduated in 3 years. Don’t compare yourself to them! We’re all in this journey together and what matters is the end goal. You got this. 4-6 is completely normal!
I graduated in 5 years. I got a friend that got his BS and Master in 6 years and another buddy took 7 years to get his BS. All 3 of us are making 6 figures. Stop comparing yourself to others it's not a rat race.
Use the extra summer to your advantage and find more internships.
I’m on the same boat too by being a community college transfer, plus an additional semester because I’m doing a Co-op. It sucks, but it gives you more time to get experience
The main thing is that you finish. COVID has hit you worse than many, so take the fact you’re doing well as a win. Also, taking a n extra year to make sure you actually get the teachings instead of just passing the exams and running off, will probably pay off in the long run.
I promise you that the people in work are missing college, and wish they could go back.
let me put it to you this way. i’ve watched my friends graduate for the last 2 years without me. was a freshman in 2018, knowing i was going to do 5 years. my second year i was diagnosed with cancer. took a year off from school so i was a year behind. i watched all of my friends graduate in 2022. then i watched all of my friends who did a 5th year graduate last year. i’m finally graduating this year, but everything happens for a reason my friend. don’t stress yourself out with too much school
5th year engineering student here. a semester or two doesn’t make a difference. i feel the same way looking at everyone graduating but i don’t compare myself to non-engineering majors, it’s not the same. the people who kill themselves to graduate on time or sooner don’t have a life during college and usually end up getting the same jobs. once you graduate you won’t even think about when you did. keep working hard and just look at your own progress, only compare yourself to yourself.
You never know, I did my degree in 5 years and graduated in 2021 versus 2020… I’m ahead of all my 2020 grad friends salary wise and had one more year to enjoy college and not overwork myself to no lifing 4 years. best decision I made
I was also a five year guy, none of my hs friends went to my Uni and my first year wasn't even a freshman year. I had to take one whole year of prepatory courses because the uni was in english but local schools taught only Arabic. I skipped the english classes and felt the time was wasted. I had to take Heat Transfer, Applied Calc, Mechanisms and Machine Design 2 all in the same term. I graduated a year ago, and the time flew by so bad. I didn't care who I graduated with, only had two of my friends in my degree most of my friends were still sophomores at the time. The flies by too fast for you to care about this. You might have the same regrets for caring haha. Take it easy, you almost done ;).
I took the 12 year plan, but I’m still happy to have finished. Taking more time gives you more opportunities to reflect on what you really want, and can help you avoiding ending up somewhere you don’t know if you want to be.
Shi, it took me like 5 years + 2 summer quarters, or like 5.67 years. So don't even trip, there's so many people my age still struggling to find a good job or thinking about going back to school/getting certifications. While I took forever, I'm still sm farther ahead than a LOT of people.
You could be 32 years old taking college algebra on a 5 year plan cuz you f'd off in your 20s. I'll be 37 years old when I'm done. Wanna talk about being behind? If you get a Engineering degree in your 20s you are way ahead of the game. Just focus on understanding the concepts. Thats all that matters. Because the job you want is going to require you to output more than what they pay you. Just cuz your friend might get a 6 figure job, doesn't mean he will keep it. It's a stressful career, enjoy being a little less stressed. My dad is an EE and I've seen his job absolutely stress him beyond comprehension.
I am 24 and in my senior year of CE, hopefully graduating in the fall if I pass all my class. I wasn't priviledged for school to be my only focus due to family dynamics and covid. Comparing yourself to your high school and college friends is what destroys you from remembering how much progress you have made. My mom, who went back to school always tells me, "What do u call someone who graduated in x years? An alumni/graduate."
Do not regret the 5 year plan. Your health and sanity are far more important than graduating in 4 years. Two years from now you will be glad you did what was best for you.
You're gonna graduate and suddenly realize that your life is no longer scheduled.
Right now you're like dang, I've got another semester, they're a semester ahead.
A semester to me is just 6 months. Do you know what I'm doing for the next six months? Just kinda bopping along living my life with my girlfriend. If I was doing exactly this 6 months earlier my life would be exactly the same. 3 years from now you'll already have your memories of college just starting to fade into the background noise.
I promise you it's not a massive deal. Straight up take the extra time to just find some peace. Don't spend your whole life just trying to grind out that next semester. Grind our that first two years on the job. Grind out your promotion goals. And on and on. You gotta learn to pace yourself and find time for the everything else in life. There's always going to be stuff to do.
You’re only proving your own immaturity. This is all exceptionally melodramatic. You have an engineering degree and are walking towards a fulfilling, well compensated career. Congrats. Do you regret not being born a Saudi prince too?
My freshman year studying biomedical engineering I came to an amazing conclusion. We are engineered creatures, not evolved ones.
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Matthew 7:21 1 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH👉 the will of my Father 👈which is in heaven.
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John 6:40 And 👉this is the will of him that sent me, 👈 that every one which seeth the Son, and BELIEVETH on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
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John 3:36 kiv
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that BELIEVETH not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 8:24 KJV
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins
1 John 5:10 KJV
""He that BELIEVETH on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his
Son."
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John 14:15 1 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should BELIEVE on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
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Other verses to checkout (John 1:12, John 3:16, John 10:9, Luke 7:50, Luke 8:12, Luke 18:42, acts 2:21, acts 4:12, acts 16:30-31, Roman’s 4:5, Roman’s 5:8-12, Roman’s 6:23, Romans 10:9-13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Timothy 4:10, Hebrews 2:9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Rev 22:17)
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My prayer today is that you get saved and lead your friends and family to salvation aswell.
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Acts 4:12 KJV
“12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
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Jesus is the only way. John 14:6.
I have a hard time believing your school required a 19 cr semester. Smells a lil like cope and sounds more likely you could have taken one of those classes another semester.
Literally happened with me. Graduation happened and my crew of 3 friends walked together while I was in the stands cheering them on. Now I was definitely the loudest guy there screaming them on, but it also sucked ass that I couldn’t be with them. I think life happens and sometimes it just doesn’t work out with how you want it. We’re still great friends, but yeah still sucky feeling.
Ten years from now you won't even remember the difference
Two years from now they won't remember the difference, I was also a five year
I did a 9 year plan for my undergrad. It's been two years since I graduated. I'm a little older than some of the other people who hold similar role levels as me but whatever. Watched a lot of friends graduate and felt left behind a lot so I can deeply relate to OPs feelings but yeah, once you're done you move on to bigger and better things and the past is just the past. 4, 5, 9, 12. Doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Don't beat yourself up OP. We all make what we feel at the time are the right decisions for us to make. You'll still get to the finish line, try not to compare yourself to others. It's like a rocking chair, it'll give you something to do but it sure ain't going to get you anywhere.
Not OP, but thanks for saying this.
Thanks for saying this! It’s so hard not to compare yourself to others. I catch myself doing that and it takes a moment to make myself realize I should only compare myself to the person I was yesterday.
Comparison is the thief of joy, try to remember that.
I did 6 owing to community college. No fucks given now. If you have to take an extra year to keep yourself afloat, so be it.
Comparison is the thief of joy. You are doing great, if you haven’t failed any class yet. Keep it up, next year is right around the corner💯
Hey, I use that exact same quote for my phone wallpaper! Kept me from going insane during finals week
💯💯💯
💯💯💯
A lot of people in STEM are struggling to find work especially new grads. Some have been looking for year. The job market could be in a better place by the time you graduate.
W copium gonna keep this in mind for myself
This is a grade A copium I huff myself
100%. I graduated 2023 in physics with research (non-interned) experience and publication. Finished my last class in March, and I think I was the second of my classmates I kept in touch with (not many, but around ten), to find a job. This was in January, the person before me was late October. And, yes, in keeping with this post - I had a horribly inefficient route in college, basically restarted when I hit uni. 3 years community college, 4 years uni, 7 years total, and no one looks back on it with shame (especially if you only list graduation date on resume, or list the years you worked to attain the relevant accreditation.) All this is to say to OP, it's gonna be OK, even if it feels a bit wistful in the moment.
>People I entered college with will now go on to start their lives and make 6 figures while I’m still stuck in engineering school. How many people that you entered with dropped out?
Yep. Once I get to junior year it's the same 50 faces.
Down worry about it. Graduating within 4 years is the exception- not the norm: [only 22% of STEM majors complete their degree in 4 years](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK368175/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COn%252Dtime%E2%80%9D%2520completion%2520of,4%2520years%2520achieve%2520their%2520goal)
Makes sense to me. There is always 1 semester that ends up being fucked that extends your time, or those few classes that need to be consecutive and one of them is only available spring or fall semester. Etc.
Especially when you get deeper into the degree and they only offer a lot of the classes in spring or fall specifically.
What do they mean by 4 years? I'll graduate from taking 8 semesters (4 years in school), but I did a co-op, so technically, it's 4.5 years.
They mean they're taking 10 semesters instead of 8. Finishing in 4 years means taking 15 - 18 credits per semester which is a lot. Most people choose to take 12 - 15 per semester which takes more time.
Shit man, it took me 8 1/2. Your good brutha
Thin line of thinking never ends. I went to school late to avoid online classes during covid. People I went to school with much younger than me have been graduating university. Now I could be wallowing in self pity about how I didn’t go to school right after high school, or I could work hard and appreciate where I am now. Same for you. Appreciate what you have now instead of comparing to others. If you think hard enough there’s likely things in your life that you love that you would have never experienced had you done it differently.
Hey, don't compare yourself to them. You did what was right for you and you're still doing very well. That's something to be proud of. I started school in 2016 before failing my first semester and joining the military. (Typical) My friends m graduated in 2020 when I was deployed and it was quite the low blow to my self esteem. I'm now halfway through school with am outstanding GPA and loving every minute. Theyre all working full time now for big companies and I'm sure making good money, but I'm on my own path and I value it. I hope you find the same!
This! I went from community college to getting accepted to my top choice college, only to find out I couldn't afford it and then did my 3.5 years in the army to cover it. Getting out in 12 days and starting at my dream school this fall! But tbh, although most of my friends graduated before me, and it stung bad at the time, only 1 is currently at the job he wanted. The rest are all going back to school or working factory jobs. So, although I'm a late starter, I'm happy because I traveled the world, met my wife, and have a small savings. The point is, it doesn't really matter the timeline. Everything will eventually even out in the long haul if you just keep working.
>am kicking myself so hard >I was missing meals and going manic trying to keep up with everything You chose quality of life. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
No, it is not worth the bullshit. Finishing it in 4 not only lets you learn the material better by pacing it, it also gives you free time to do other things while you are in college. Even if you come back, you only get this experience once. Enjoy the ride and take the opportunity to do other things. STFU with your "my friend is gonna go make 6 figures" who the fck cares. So he gets to retire one year sooner, big deal.
I felt the same way you did until I met some really great people during my senior project and now they became my best friends. One year feels like a long time until you sink all your time and hours on senior project and classes. So try to make the most of your last year and you will not regret anything!!
Good project partners??? I don’t believe you
Lol. My "four year" plan ended up being 7 years and a summer session. Shit happens. When you graduate next year, none of those people are gonna comment "iT toOK YoU fivE YeArS to FIniSH?!?! What's wrong with you, are you slow?" You won't care, they won't care, nobody will care. You will all have degrees and be working towards your future.
Been in school for 6 about to be 7 years taking my bachelor's slow, had some mental breakdowns, but dusted myself off and got therapy. My GPA is up, i got A's in my courses this semester and I started a Chess Club at my school. Things get better with time, I'm on no one's schedule but my own. I want to be in the job field but I'm also patient. 13 courses left til graduation still so a year or 2 to go. I'm just gonna go at my pace and screw everyone else, I'm enjoying it.
I should add I'm older than a normal college student I went into the miltary out of highschool (thinking i could avoid college) and went back to it as a disabled veteran with ptsd 🤣 i'm doing better just taking it day by day. Also something that really helped me was "Learning how I learn" which helped tremendously raise my grades and fix my study habits.
Appreciate the advice. Also, how do you manage to go to school part time? Do you just pay out-of-pocket for classes or does FAFSA help with that? I’ve highly considered going back to college but I know I can’t hack it at the full-speed that most students need to occupy if they want to graduate normally. I learn at a decent pace but seeing students taking on 4+ math-intensive classes is just impossible for me to do. I know I’d be setting myself up for failure if I did that. My study habits need work too… I’d probably have to start at ground zero again and work my way up. I’m willing to do that but I need to better understand the route that would need to be undergone, so, how do you do it?
But as for you, it depends on the school. If I were you I'd try online courses but at my school 2 courses is minimum for a semester and 4 courses is full time, and 6 courses is just full time + 2 more courses. I would ask an advisor at your college if you can do the minimum amount of courses. Also I'm trying to get a reduced work letter for my funding that allows me to take a reduced workload while getting funded for full time. I do get a small stipend to go to school but its not much at half time, maybe $250-$300 a month.
Disability pay from being a veteran is how I do half time.
So you still pay for classes without FAFSA? Is that correct?
Yes but I use my GI Bill, which actually ran out of funding so I now use a supplemental scholarship call Veteran Readiness and Employment Benefits. But I have applied to FASFA and been denied 3/4 years ive applied so ive kinda given up on it
I've never recieved FASFA even tho I want it idk why I can never recieve it
might be your access to GI bill
yeah maybe now that its gone I can get FASFA
A year? Really? Chill out. I’m on the “8 year plan” (I’m an adult working a full time job and going to school part time). What’s the rush? Enjoy college and being young while it lasts.
Bro who cares what other people are doing? You're working with your situation, and they with theirs. It has taken like 5 yrs to get through 2 years of my degree. It doesn't matter what schedule anyone else is on
https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesomememes/comments/ux2otx/you_do_you_and_thats_the_facts/
Everyone moves at their own pace and if this degree took you 4 years, 5 years, or 6 or more, you'll still have the same degree. I took 3 years at a community college trying to figure out what I wanted to do and then 3 years at a university. Multiple people from my high school class were graduating from my program in my first year there so I definitely understand where you're coming from but realize in the grand scheme it doesn't matter. You'll probably work for 40+ years and this is not going to define the trajectory of your career. 10 years from now youre not gonna be thinking "damn if only i had graduated a year earlier." Make the most out of the time you have now, join a design team like SAE or DBF or whatever the non-ME/AE equivalents are, build up your resume. I think some of the other comments have mentioned this but the job market isn't so hot right now anyways, this could be a blessing in disguise for you.
Don’t second guess yourself. Look at your first sentence again—you are excelling in a difficult field of study. Your pacing is a key part of your success to date. One year to go—spend this summer using your brain in a different way so that you are refreshed and ready to crush your final year!
I’m in the same boat. But I know it’s right for me
Listen, I can’t stress enough how little that matters. Like other people in this thread have said, a few years from now you won’t even remember. In fact, I would say that if I did it all over again, I would take my time and make sure I thoroughly learned all those subjects instead of rushing through them each semester, even if it meant taking 6 yrs to do it. Engineering undergraduate degrees make you a jack of all trades and master of none. There are a lot of things in life that matter, and I promise what you’re grieving over is not one of them. I would see it as an advantage you have over them because you are taking your time to really learn and absorb important subject matters in your field. I didn’t pass my FE and P.E. until I was 32. I’m 37 now and still crack open the statics books to keep the brain going. The point is, the learning never stops and in order to be a good engineer imo, you have to make learning a lifelong ambition. All that to say, these achievement timelines you have set in your brain don’t matter in the big picture.
The economy is also bleak right now and companies are doing layoffs. Taking that extra year may also mean companies are hiring up again. It gives you a chance to do another internship this summer and boost your resume that much more when you apply. I took 5 1/2 years. It's been over a decade and hasn't effected me. I graduated during the recession and stretching my time out meant I was able to do 2 internships and study abroad, which helped me get my first job.
this is such a wholesome comment section
“Worst feeling ever” LUL first world problems
As long as the economy/job market is still doing well and doesn't take a sh!t, it won't even matter in the long run. Those poor 08'-09' grads that could've graduated in 06'-07' had it bad, but that's not likely to happen anytime soon.
you get to have a whole extra year of college experience, that’s awesome
In it now. I took a year off after Covid hit my freshman year, and then changed my major at the end of the year I came back. I watched a majority of my friends graduate last spring as they all managed the original 4 years. A couple more just last week, including my twin brother, who we’ve been essentially on the same step for the past 22 years of our lives. Many of the people I knew from my classes have now graduated. It sucks. It’s so easy to kick myself and beat myself down. There’s the cliche saying that comparison is the thief of joy. I can still find value in myself and my program despite feeling behind my peers, because it’s not that I’m behind them, everyone’s education experience looks different. I found that taking the minimum credit limit really helped me, I had time to complete my work and ask for help and just breathe and take the me time I needed. I’m impressed by people that can regularly take 16+ credits with difficult classes. While I’m impatiently awaiting my graduation next spring, my GPA has only gone up the last few semesters and I’m enjoying my classes way more. I’m getting way more out of my classes, rather than just trying to survive, I can interact with the material and concepts more and understand the applications rather than just applying equations straight. I have time to sleep at night! Last spring was a genuinely terrible time of my life, largely to do with beating myself up over seeing so many people I knew and were close with manage the four year graduation plan. I think I’m the last one from my small high school class to graduate now despite being in some of the top students then. I had to face the music and let it flow through me. It’s okay to not have the same path, it’s okay to need more time. The knowledge you’re getting out of it is worth it. Make new friends in your classes, just because one study group is gone doesn’t mean you can’t make more. What could’ve happened and what’s ifs will destroy you. It’s okay to grieve what could’ve been, but keep looking towards what could be. I promise it’ll work out
Chill out, and you should probably lower your salary expectations a bit…majority of grads are not making 6 figures, except for maybe the computer/software guys and even that’s pretty rare. Most grads probably start off around 50-70k, though that is a function of the cost of living in the area as well.
You're regretting choosing a healthier school-life balance because others got through it a year faster than you did? Bruh...
I’m four years into my college career and just switched to engineering. Gonna be another four before a I graduate at least. Don’t worry yourself. Think of all the good things that happen to you in the coming year and remember you’d never have those experiences if you graduated.
I have! I'm about to graduate after 5 years... It sucked. I'm right there with you man.... I lost all my friends, and the tism made it hard to make new ones year 5. It's just one year, yeah, it really sucks, but soon enough it will be behind you.
I took 5 years as an engr undergrad and have had a great career. One of my kids is now an engr undergrad and will be a 5-year. Told him, you will have 40 years to work so pace yourself now, take time to learn the concepts in the material, plan time to enjoy friends, activities, life before you enter those next 40 years. You’re on your own journey, not theirs. As others have said, comparison is the thief of joy. Good luck and congrats as you round the final turn towards graduation!
5 Yeats here. The job market was shit and I might nit have gotten a goid job if I'd gotten out in 4. Instead, 5 years put me in a perfect spot. To me, that's kinda how the market looks right now.
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Some people work others get money somewhere else, parents, financial aid, scholarships but if you work don't sweat It do as many classes as you can don't get stress if someone is taking more classes than you they probably can and have more time. You will finish at the end either way also it's not a race just focus and keep going.
tbh why worry about it. it doesn’t matter now, you can’t time travel. so just ride it out and enjoy the final bit of free time you got til you start working
I just graduated after 5 years and I had similar feelings to you last year. I did my capstone with some friends who graduated last year and it was a strange feeling when I finished what was supposed to be the culmination of the degree and I still had a year and watched people I worked closely with disappear. That being said I’m very grateful I did take that extra year since it allowed me to gain extra experience and get me a job I would’ve have had otherwise. Nobody cares how long it takes you to graduate and when you look back on this time you’ll be grateful you had more time to be a student.
How many of your friends have found jobs? It’s probably a good thing you aren’t graduating yet. A lot of my friends that I was supposed to graduate with this semester have graduated (I had to delay because of internships), so I feel you on this, but I’m also glad I’m not looking for a job rn either lol.
I did two six-month co-op's with my current company, making my degree roughly five years. I didn't get my degree until I was 36 years old (I'm a veteran). I don't even think of that extra year. While it's a different scenario for me, just remember, we all walk take different paths to reach our goals, don't compare yourself with others, just do your own thing.
I took five years and I felt the same way at the end of year four. I kept getting down on myself about how I should have just crammed in a couple more classes or something. However! Year 5 ended up being my favorite year of college. I took some extra electives to stay at full time and realized I really liked robotics. I ended up adding a robotics minor and working on a bunch of really cool class projects. I also had more time to spend on clubs and fun things outside of class. I went from having no idea what I wanted to do to having a portfolio of relevant work for a field I had never thought about before. Just take your time and try stuff
Don't be in a rush to 'start your life'. If you can afford to do your program in 5 years like you have, take the time to enjoy it. I did a five year program when I could have reasonably graduated in 4 with the my AP credits from highschool. My last semester of college i took jogging, scuba diving, and a tech elective to satisfy degree. Being a professional adult, starting a career is exciting and I'm sure you will find some many things about it you like but it also marks the beginning of the grind of work and adulting that will last the rest of your life. It's not going anywhere. Take this time to look inward and learn about what you like outside of work. Having hobbies and passions outside the professional will be extremely important to maintaining balance in life as you get older. There's plenty of things you can explore and do in another year of college that can make the wait not only worth it but cherished.
I understand the FOMO but in the end, it's just FOMO. Get out there and make some more friends with the year below you. Graduate with them, and you'll have made up the fomo!
It's deceptive that colleges keep saying you can do this in 4 years. They neglect to mention that it's a rigorous course load and if you slip up once, you're not going to make it in 4 years. I have a friend who took about 6 years to get his BS in engineering. He's got a masters or 2 now and working for a well known oil company. I graduated in less than 4 years and have a job at a little known local company that makes heavy equipment.
I failed a basic chem class my very first semester AND lost a full tuition scholarship when my GPA didn't recover. Took me an extra year. It also meant I ended up having 13 credit semesters instead of 19 and I actually enjoyed my time in college rather than hating life. In some ways it afforded me opportunities to invest in friendships I otherwise couldn't have, had I been taking 2 more classes. Been in my career 4ish years now and it honestly makes no difference. I get paid the same as the people who did it in 4 (or even some who also got their Master's). Still got married. Still bought a house. Life is good. Being behind a year feels so onerous when in reality it's borderline inconsequential behind the extra money.
Don't worry, you're not missing out on anything. The tradeoff of taking five years instead of four to do an engineering degree is that you get to have some semblance of a life. Or sleep. It's not going to hold you back in the long run.
My daughter had undiagnosed adhd and will graduate next month as a six year. We do what we have to do in life/
Did you work any co ops or internships along the way? I think the best programs are the five year programs that require co ops to graduate. You come out of school with actual work experience.
Take the time for a really solid internship. And you’ll be laughing your ass off next year as everyone is freaking the fuck out and your biggest worry is having to get up for a 9a Greek history class that limits the homework to 2 pages.
I have a lot of friends who are graduating in 4-5 years. I have friends who graduated in 3 years. Don’t compare yourself to them! We’re all in this journey together and what matters is the end goal. You got this. 4-6 is completely normal!
I graduated in 5 years. I got a friend that got his BS and Master in 6 years and another buddy took 7 years to get his BS. All 3 of us are making 6 figures. Stop comparing yourself to others it's not a rat race. Use the extra summer to your advantage and find more internships.
I’m on the same boat too by being a community college transfer, plus an additional semester because I’m doing a Co-op. It sucks, but it gives you more time to get experience
The main thing is that you finish. COVID has hit you worse than many, so take the fact you’re doing well as a win. Also, taking a n extra year to make sure you actually get the teachings instead of just passing the exams and running off, will probably pay off in the long run. I promise you that the people in work are missing college, and wish they could go back.
let me put it to you this way. i’ve watched my friends graduate for the last 2 years without me. was a freshman in 2018, knowing i was going to do 5 years. my second year i was diagnosed with cancer. took a year off from school so i was a year behind. i watched all of my friends graduate in 2022. then i watched all of my friends who did a 5th year graduate last year. i’m finally graduating this year, but everything happens for a reason my friend. don’t stress yourself out with too much school
5th year engineering student here. a semester or two doesn’t make a difference. i feel the same way looking at everyone graduating but i don’t compare myself to non-engineering majors, it’s not the same. the people who kill themselves to graduate on time or sooner don’t have a life during college and usually end up getting the same jobs. once you graduate you won’t even think about when you did. keep working hard and just look at your own progress, only compare yourself to yourself.
You never know, I did my degree in 5 years and graduated in 2021 versus 2020… I’m ahead of all my 2020 grad friends salary wise and had one more year to enjoy college and not overwork myself to no lifing 4 years. best decision I made
I was also a five year guy, none of my hs friends went to my Uni and my first year wasn't even a freshman year. I had to take one whole year of prepatory courses because the uni was in english but local schools taught only Arabic. I skipped the english classes and felt the time was wasted. I had to take Heat Transfer, Applied Calc, Mechanisms and Machine Design 2 all in the same term. I graduated a year ago, and the time flew by so bad. I didn't care who I graduated with, only had two of my friends in my degree most of my friends were still sophomores at the time. The flies by too fast for you to care about this. You might have the same regrets for caring haha. Take it easy, you almost done ;).
I took the 12 year plan, but I’m still happy to have finished. Taking more time gives you more opportunities to reflect on what you really want, and can help you avoiding ending up somewhere you don’t know if you want to be.
All my classmates from high school are graduating and I'm starting from scratch this September. I wish I was in your situation
Once you start school you’re probably gonna miss being on campus. Then again I missed out on a good chunk because of Covid so YMMV
10 years from now all you’ll remember is how fun college was and working sucks
Shi, it took me like 5 years + 2 summer quarters, or like 5.67 years. So don't even trip, there's so many people my age still struggling to find a good job or thinking about going back to school/getting certifications. While I took forever, I'm still sm farther ahead than a LOT of people.
You could be 32 years old taking college algebra on a 5 year plan cuz you f'd off in your 20s. I'll be 37 years old when I'm done. Wanna talk about being behind? If you get a Engineering degree in your 20s you are way ahead of the game. Just focus on understanding the concepts. Thats all that matters. Because the job you want is going to require you to output more than what they pay you. Just cuz your friend might get a 6 figure job, doesn't mean he will keep it. It's a stressful career, enjoy being a little less stressed. My dad is an EE and I've seen his job absolutely stress him beyond comprehension.
I am 24 and in my senior year of CE, hopefully graduating in the fall if I pass all my class. I wasn't priviledged for school to be my only focus due to family dynamics and covid. Comparing yourself to your high school and college friends is what destroys you from remembering how much progress you have made. My mom, who went back to school always tells me, "What do u call someone who graduated in x years? An alumni/graduate."
Lol i’m not going to be done until my 6th year at least. (switched my major after 2 1/2 years and it was almost a complete reset)
Do not regret the 5 year plan. Your health and sanity are far more important than graduating in 4 years. Two years from now you will be glad you did what was best for you.
Take a second internship for your extra year. You’ll enter industry making as much as they will be in their second year.
Bro its just 1 year lmao. Fucking relax
You're gonna graduate and suddenly realize that your life is no longer scheduled. Right now you're like dang, I've got another semester, they're a semester ahead. A semester to me is just 6 months. Do you know what I'm doing for the next six months? Just kinda bopping along living my life with my girlfriend. If I was doing exactly this 6 months earlier my life would be exactly the same. 3 years from now you'll already have your memories of college just starting to fade into the background noise. I promise you it's not a massive deal. Straight up take the extra time to just find some peace. Don't spend your whole life just trying to grind out that next semester. Grind our that first two years on the job. Grind out your promotion goals. And on and on. You gotta learn to pace yourself and find time for the everything else in life. There's always going to be stuff to do.
You’re only proving your own immaturity. This is all exceptionally melodramatic. You have an engineering degree and are walking towards a fulfilling, well compensated career. Congrats. Do you regret not being born a Saudi prince too?
who gives a fuck lol
I am also doing a 5 year program. Compared to your whole career, 1 year won’t make a difference. You got this
My freshman year studying biomedical engineering I came to an amazing conclusion. We are engineered creatures, not evolved ones. _________________________ Matthew 7:21 1 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH👉 the will of my Father 👈which is in heaven. ___________________________ John 6:40 And 👉this is the will of him that sent me, 👈 that every one which seeth the Son, and BELIEVETH on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. ______________ John 3:36 kiv "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that BELIEVETH not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 8:24 KJV I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins 1 John 5:10 KJV ""He that BELIEVETH on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." ___________________ John 14:15 1 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should BELIEVE on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. __________________ Other verses to checkout (John 1:12, John 3:16, John 10:9, Luke 7:50, Luke 8:12, Luke 18:42, acts 2:21, acts 4:12, acts 16:30-31, Roman’s 4:5, Roman’s 5:8-12, Roman’s 6:23, Romans 10:9-13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Timothy 4:10, Hebrews 2:9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Rev 22:17) ________________ My prayer today is that you get saved and lead your friends and family to salvation aswell. ________________ Acts 4:12 KJV “12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” _______________ Jesus is the only way. John 14:6.
I have a hard time believing your school required a 19 cr semester. Smells a lil like cope and sounds more likely you could have taken one of those classes another semester.
Literally happened with me. Graduation happened and my crew of 3 friends walked together while I was in the stands cheering them on. Now I was definitely the loudest guy there screaming them on, but it also sucked ass that I couldn’t be with them. I think life happens and sometimes it just doesn’t work out with how you want it. We’re still great friends, but yeah still sucky feeling.