SAIT Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma?

[xopher]

I am currently a third year mechanical engineering student at the UofC,however, im not doing the greatest this year. Ive talk to the student advisor and she recommended looking into the Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma at SAIT.

Anyone here with previous in this program? Hows the difficulty? would you recommend it?

Ive looked at the curriculum on the SAIT website and it appears alot of our courses are similar. Im hoping some of them will carry over.

[HiTempguy1]

If you made it into an engineering degree program, you should be able to get a 4.0gpa throughout the two years of a technology diploma.

Having said that, I'd rather have an engineering degree to my name that I barely squeaked by with then a 4.0GPA honors Tech diploma.

Ask me how I'm so assured of this

[turbotrip]

Do NOT look into transferring to sait. You're more than half way finished, don't be a bitch, just man up and finish it.

I made many mistakes during my engg degree and wasted many years, but in the end getting the degree was well worth it. If you've made it to third year you can't be fully retarded; I had a 0.9 GPA in 3rd year, and still graduated with a decent gpa, so trust me when I say you can easily do it, you just have to decide its what you want.
You will likely regret transferring to sait for a long time if u do

[ExtraSlow]

If you can grind it out at UofC, do that. At this point, transferring to SAIT wont' save you much time, and that's really the only advantage SAIT has over a real degree.

Even if it takes you an extra semester or two to finish your degree, that's worth it. Maybe try dropping a class or two and take them later? My grades went from academic probation with 6 courses to getting scholarships with 4.

[Rat Fink]

.

[xopher]

Originally posted by turbotrip
Do NOT look into transferring to sait. You're more than half way finished, don't be a bitch, just man up and finish it.

I made many mistakes during my engg degree and wasted many years, but in the end getting the degree was well worth it. If you've made it to third year you can't be fully retarded; I had a 0.9 GPA in 3rd year, and still graduated with a decent gpa, so trust me when I say you can easily do it, you just have to decide its what you want.
You will likely regret transferring to sait for a long time if u do

How did you not get RTWed (required to withdraw) with that GPA?

Of course im going to bust my balls and try to finish my degree, but im also planning incase i don't make the cut this year.

The advisor told me in the past they have amitted failing engineering students into the faculty of natural sciences to give them a second chance, however, theres new management this year and they might not keep that policy.

Incase they do change their policy, ive begun looking at other post secondary institutes so i don't waste a year doing nothing.

[turbotrip]

Originally posted by xopher


How did you not get RTWed (required to withdraw) with that GPA?

Of course im going to bust my balls and try to finish my degree, but im also planning incase i don't make the cut this year.

The advisor told me in the past they have amitted failing engineering students into the faculty of natural sciences to give them a second chance, however, theres new management this year and they might not keep that policy.

Incase they do change their policy, ive begun looking at other post secondary institutes so i don't waste a year doing nothing.

I did get RTW'ed, but you can likely appeal it if its ur first one. Even if u get RTW you can appeal on various grounds and then if they reject it you can then legally appeal. If ur track record has been decent and haven't been on probation yet therE is a very high chance you will be allowed to stay.
I would suggest also applying for jobs/internships right now so if you do get kicked out u can atleast work for a while.
And if ur appeal gets rejected then u can always take a few of ur required classes at athabasca and sait if u haven't taken them already.

[colinxx235]

man you're in 3rd year Mech and considering switching to SAIT for a diploma....?

Someone should go backhand this "advisor". U of C Engg undergrad office is just terrible. They don't give two shits about students.

Tough it out, withdraw your worst courses, focus and study up on the hard ones. 3rd year is definitely a nasty course load. Do whatever you can to better that that. Worst case make your 3rd (w/e is left of it) and 4th year stretch over the next two years and push through.

You will be much better off than with a diploma

[schocker]

I did this after my second year and did the chemical engineering technology program. For my it was a good choice as it was much easier for me to learn hands on at sait and now I have a pretty good job and am getting lots of experience, but I do with I had the degree instead of a diploma. I can go do my two years in montana for my degree but that is something I will wait and see. I say listen to colin.

[xopher]

I have basically ruled out SAIT because the transfer process back into university will be very messy...

Im planning on contacting other universites tomorrow and see if they will admit me into their general studies program for classes.

Thanks for convincing me.

[dirtsniffer]

I'd try to not get kicked out of schulich before switching universities.

[colinxx235]

Originally posted by xopher
I have basically ruled out SAIT because the transfer process back into university will be very messy...

Im planning on contacting other universites tomorrow and see if they will admit me into their general studies program for classes.

Thanks for convincing me.

Wait what... now you're going to switch from Engg to gen studies??

Clearly you did well first year to get into Mech. You're almost at 75% of the degree, why give up now?

That is a decision you will most likely regret. Plus if you really want out of Engg that bad, go to sait and do a tech, don't switch to gen studies

[turbotrip]

^switching to general studies will be a wiser choice than switching to sait. if he can stay in u of c but in a different faculty and assuming he does well in whatever bullshit courses he will take for a year it will be relatively simple for him to transfer back into engg. however if he goes to a different post secondary like sait it will be very difficult for him to transfer back after that year. Even tranferring from another uni in general studies will be easier than coming from sait. But easiest is to not transfer at all and just apply back to engg as a returning student who got kicked out after a year, not transferring back

[colinxx235]

I wasn't stating he should go to SAIT and come back. If he's that intent on leaving Engg he should just go to SAIT and do a tech if he can't handle the program.

Switching to Open studies and coming back is brutal. Because depending on his GPA after the last while he will need to hit great grades in gen studies to come back in. Plus they subtract 0.5 off your gpa (IIRC?) when coming from certian programs. They make it very tough to get into mechanical or what not if you come from something else. Basically need a 3.8+ from outside programs.

I'd personally tough it out given that he's in 3rd year unless he really can't do it. in which case transferring around to come back is a waste of time. better off going to SAIT and doing something else, either way he would have wasted 3 years too.

[HiTempguy1]

I should also reiterate, technologists make good coin for the amount of time spent in school. There is nothing WRONG with being a technologist (lots make $75k+ per year working in an office), but considering how close you are to being an enginerd, it seems like a waste.

[xopher]

Well I've decided on busting my balls for the rest of this semester and if I do get "rtwed", I will be appealing my case based on medical illness. In the past, I have deferred exams based on illness so ill have no problem providing documentation for this.

If they do reject my case, chance are I'll be forced to take the next 12 months off.

If the university doesn't change their policy and re admit me into natural sciences, I'll look into doing my third year business prerequisite courses for reapplying into engineering and business. Last time I checked, I'm missing about 7 courses thanks to their options.

If the university does change their policy, I plan on doing courses at other post secondary institutions. At the moment, ive been recommended university of new Brunswick and Dalhousie because their rtw policy has typically been more relaxed compared to other places. Are there other universities I should look onto calling for back up?

Lastly, if all the post secondary institutes are asshats, I may pursue the last year of this MET diploma at sait or sit on my ass for the rest of the year...

Suggestions?

[schocker]

I think most universities would not allow you to enroll when you are rtw'd. Sait allows you to enroll though. If you had a year if it wouldn't be the worst choice as you could probably challenge the entire first year from what you already know.

[lison]

I'm at SAIT doing the PET program and I'll be transferring to Shulich in the Fall. I say DON'T go to SAIT haha

[magicmario]

I think if you made it through the first year of hell in engg then you can take another year and a half to finish what you started. I went through a shitty year of school too but then I started to apply myself in school and the good grades came. I graduate soon and let me tell you the opportunities for a new grad engineer are awesome!

[silent]

Originally posted by colinxx235
I wasn't stating he should go to SAIT and come back. If he's that intent on leaving Engg he should just go to SAIT and do a tech if he can't handle the program.

Switching to Open studies and coming back is brutal. Because depending on his GPA after the last while he will need to hit great grades in gen studies to come back in. Plus they subtract 0.5 off your gpa (IIRC?) when coming from certian programs. They make it very tough to get into mechanical or what not if you come from something else. Basically need a 3.8+ from outside programs.

I'd personally tough it out given that he's in 3rd year unless he really can't do it. in which case transferring around to come back is a waste of time. better off going to SAIT and doing something else, either way he would have wasted 3 years too.

You seriously need a 3.8+ from outside programs? Jesus, it's a 2.4 if you're Priority 1...

Originally posted by xopher
Well I've decided on busting my balls for the rest of this semester and if I do get "rtwed", I will be appealing my case based on medical illness. In the past, I have deferred exams based on illness so ill have no problem providing documentation for this.

If they do reject my case, chance are I'll be forced to take the next 12 months off.

If the university doesn't change their policy and re admit me into natural sciences, I'll look into doing my third year business prerequisite courses for reapplying into engineering and business. Last time I checked, I'm missing about 7 courses thanks to their options.

If the university does change their policy, I plan on doing courses at other post secondary institutions. At the moment, ive been recommended university of new Brunswick and Dalhousie because their rtw policy has typically been more relaxed compared to other places. Are there other universities I should look onto calling for back up?

Lastly, if all the post secondary institutes are asshats, I may pursue the last year of this MET diploma at sait or sit on my ass for the rest of the year...

Suggestions?

Don't waste your time pissing around in school if you are getting a RTW. Bust your ass this summer, travel the world for 8 months and return with a clear head next year. The life experience at this age is unreal. I took a year off after my first degree and have come back completely rejuvenated.