adamechanical

I just heard back from Alabama, Fall 2023! So excited!

Anyone else starting this fall? Would be interested in starting a group for us distance learners. Mechanical Engineering PhD - 2023

I think as long as you meet their minimum requirements, your application is fair game. They're judging you on the totality of your application and your potential for success in the program. If they don't explicitly say it's a requirement, it isn't one. Good luck @birdie10!! I know I'm a broken record about this but I'll keep repeating it: did you happen to apply to other schools (i.e. your local public university) besides BU? They're not the only option for people with a non-engineering background. Either way, go chase your dream! You can do it! ?

Great news! Best of luck! Engineering is the coolest.

@elbclimbs, I wouldn't bother reapplying. Ever since I finished my MSME program at my local state university (note: I started with a BA in English), I never gave a second thought to my BU rejection and I'm REALLY glad I didn't go even if I did get in. I'm not trying to knock down BU, but they're not the only game in town and definitely not as good a deal as your local state school. Even with all the mishmash of community college classes (I went to 10 different schools moving around), I still got my degree and had no problem getting a job and also got my PE license in Mechanical Engineering with no additional explanation. Don't let BU's decision discourage you, you can do it! Give your local school a chance, mine definitely changed my life. Eventually, as you progress in your engineering career, where you went to school will be the least of anyone's concerns.

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've logged in. But I wanted to have a chance to reiterate my past points for the new-to-engineering folks: While LEAP is a great program, going to an expensive private university like BU is NOT YOUR ONLY OPTION. I've been there, and I know it must feel that way (B.A. in English and French, MS Mechanical Engineering). Give your local public university a chance to look at your application, or even your local private university. Even though BU has a somewhat streamlined process for people without an undergrad engineering degree, you can mimic the same academic trajectory with almost any university. I took all the math, science, and lower division engineering classes at my local community college, and was accepted to almost every MSME program I applied to, at a tiny fraction of the cost of BU! If you think about it, it seems pretty silly to pay for Calc I, II, III, Diff. Eq, Linear Algebra, and lower division engineering courses at BU when they're offered elsewhere. The content is the same, and going to an expensive school won't make the material any easier. If anything, for those who are rusty in math, community college teachers offer much better access/office hours if you need additional help, without the intimidation of being surrounded by other students who may or may not know any more than you do. I encourage you all to keep at it, engineering (in any discipline) is a great career choice and opens many doors to stimulating and well-paid work. Stay with with it! Feel free to PM me if there are specifics. For context, I live in California and took most of my classes at community colleges here. Lastly, don't forget to take the FE exam as soon as you're eligible. More and more employers are asking for you to have the EIT (engineer-in-training) certificate (some state call it an "EI" or engineering intern), and even if they don't, it's a nice plus on your resume.

Hello Citrus00, There have been many posts on this issue, if it helps please check out my post regarding my approach: It's worked out well for me, having started out with a BA in English and French, now finishing with MS in Mechanical Engineering. Take as much as you can at your local community college. It's cheaper and you generally have good access to the instructors for when you (inevitably) have questions. I just powered through all the math and sciences, sat in front of class, and asked all the questions I needed to. Keep your head in the game, you can do it!

MrDavid, I have a BA in English and French. I'm just finishing my MS in Mechanical Engineering this semester. Here's a link to my post on this topic. I'm proof that it's possible. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions. Best of luck to you.

Hello everyone, I haven't followed this topic in a long time, but I wanted to drop a line for those who are still reasearching this program. I think LEAP is a really cool idea, but it is also very, very expensive. I also don't believe it's the ONLY recourse for students who have decided to make a career change into engineering. I just don't want people to think that shipping over to Boston is the only way they can break into the field. I have a BA in English and French, but then made the switch right away to engineering. I took evening classes at my local community college taking the full physics series, chemistry, the full calculus series, linear algebra, and some lower-division engineering. I also studied hard and took the GRE exam and got a good score (just to improve my chances and demonstrate good numeracy). I now finishing my MS in Mechanical Engineering at my local public university and doing it on time, too (two-year masters). I also have a full-time job as a mechanical engineer where I've used my liberal arts background to take ownership of all technical writing, technical communications, and report writing tasks at work. Being able to leverage my English degree as an asset and not a weakness is valued in the office. Being multilingual has also helped bridge certain communication divides that exist in the office. If nothing else it gets my resume noticed. Best of luck to everyone, our country and our society needs more engineers so don't give up! Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

Salut Melodie, I think LEAP is a good idea, but only one of many options. I applied to LEAP several years ago, but instead I ended up attending a public university who accepted my coursework earned at my local community college. I have a bachelors in English and French language, and then made the switch to engineering right away. I took evening classes in calculus, chemistry, physics, and engineering to gain admission to the public university where I'm finishing my MS Mechanical Engineering this year. In summary, I don't think LEAP is the only option for you and it is certainly a VERY expensive route to take. You may want to research and see if you can take some classes online to build up your quantitative background. I encourage you to take the GRE exam as well and study very hard for it. Best of luck to you. PM me if you have specific questions.

Hey Armoluv7, I'm taking Calc I and Physics I this semester just as prep. I'm killing my coursework now, and it's not hard at all once I sit down and actually study. I've never been a math-y person, but I've been fortunate to have good instructors. We'll see where it takes me. I sure wish they'd get back to me though... As much as I would like to, I'm hesitant to keep bugging Helaine.

Hey Armoluv7, No word yet. I'm checking my email five million times a day. I'm going to email them sometime this week, but in the meantime I'm just focusing on getting good grades in my coursework now. I really need to know soon because I need to make preparations to move. Are you going to take any coursework over the summer?

No updates from me, wish I had better news. While BU's rankings are not super high (as far as engineering), I for one don't really buy into it. I'm convinced of this because a good friend of mine earned his degree in EE from BU and has really done well for himself. Really well. In a practical field like engineering, employers really care about what you know how to do and that you can back up claims to your abilities. They expect results and no amount of degree waving or high rankings can replace getting the job done (quickly!). This is a particularly sensitive topic for me. I work with engineers who come from all flavors of universities with different rankings and reputations. The common thread is/was excellent study habits and a drive to really know the material. Being a lowly lab technician, I do what I'm told. But I can plainly see their training was, while not identical, largely homogeneous. My boss encouraged me to apply to BU (really, any school), get the training, and return to industry as a "real" engineer. I think that's what we all want from our education whether from BU or anywhere else. I came to engineering from a purely practical standpoint after working side-by-side with engineers. It is such cool work and its completely up to you if you want to do hands-on stuff (which I prefer) or crunch numbers (I'm sure some prefer this). While studying engineering doesn't guarantee a job, engineers are always in demand somewhere and the work is as fun or boring as you're willing to make it. I have my fingers crossed for all of us. Best of luck to all of you. I. Want. That. Degree.

Check out: http://www.cheme.cornell.edu/cheme/graduate/researchareas.cfm#CP_JUMP_2343 http://neon.materials.cmu.edu/energy/#

I didn't apply anywhere else(for an MS), I didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket so BU is my top (and only) choice for an MS. But in case I don't get in I'll keep my job with the engineering company and try again later while I continue to take some coursework for some BS programs that still award second Bachelors degrees (e.g. UC Davis) because the CSU system doesn't award them anymore. It's okay though, I love my job and it's really good experience. I just want the (engineering) training so I can be more productive and contribute more at work as far as engineering stuff. I can't make them love me!