<p>I have to drop out of college, and I was wanting to know if it was a good idea to self-study engineering and test out of certain classes. Any thoughts from you experienced engineers?</p>
<p>If you’re willing to put in the effort, you should be able to educate yourself in certain areas. If the college you end up going to allows for testing out of some classes and you think you know the material well, then yes - try to test out.</p>
<p>I don’t know why you’re dropping out but maybe it’s worth checking into some internet-based college courses to keep up with course-work and allow you access to professors and help if needed. UCLA has just announced an internet-based Masters program in a number of engineering disciplines so they must think it’s possible. Many other Unis have something similar as well.</p>
<p>I would think this would be difficult. There is so much expensive equipment you have access to in college that you won’t have laying around the house. I suppose engineering theory may be done this way but the hands on practical component would be lacking, let alone an internship set up somewhere. In addition, many engineering programs stress team work on projects. Tough to duplicate that.</p>
<p>I suppose it is possible but more difficult than many other programs to pull off.</p>
<p>Many colleges have testing out programs for a lot of courses. However, engineering courses are not usually among those courses for which testing out is allowed, including because many courses have a required lab that goes with them. You would have to know what college or colleges you intend to attend and see what they allow.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of a college granting credit for engineering courses based on a student self-studying the material, then taking a test. Have you been in contact with a school which permits this and has an accredited engineering program?</p>
<p>I’m not sure what the goal is. While it would be difficult you could drop out of college and then self-teach yourself a bunch of engineering content … but to what end? Are you planning on applying for engineering jobs based on your self-taught courses while competing against students who graduated from engineering schools? That sounds like a very bad risk/reward situation. Are you trying to self teach yourself a bunch of courses to get college credit for them before you drop out of college. I was an engineering undergrad many moons ago and the only courses I knew of that you could “place out of” were introductory math and science courses … all the core courses had to be taken (and had to be taken at the school itself). That said that was a long time ago and things may have changed, other schools may have different policies, and exceptions made be made in special cases. I’m still not sure what the goal is … you might get more helpful feedback if it is more clear about your goal.</p>
<p>Another point to my previous post - engineering courses tend to be fairly difficult even with the benefit of a professor, TAs, and classmates. Although I think a determined person could manage to teach themselves certain engineering areas (I know I could - and have), it sounds like the more difficult way to go as opposed to attending college. As 3togo said, if you end up without a true degree, you may find job hunting difficult.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t understand - you’re going to drop out but then you want to ‘test out’ of courses. This doesn’t make sense. Do you mean test out before dropping out or testing out once you go back to college? Before you rely on the testing out scenario, make sure whatever college you attend allows it.</p>
<p>collegegraduate </p>
<p>I know that there are those CLEP tests one can take. But, I honestly haven’t a clue if there are any for Engineering. </p>
<p>I also know that most any Foreign Language Department worth its salt will let any kid test out of classes they do not need to take. And, if you are over (I think) 21, you take that compass placement test for math and English and there is no harm in studying for that to see where you would place in math or English.</p>
<p>So, enough of me being a know it all type, alright?</p>
<p>What I want to know is why you have to drop out of college? You should share that with us here on this thread, because we all might be able to help you.</p>
<p>The department won’t let me do it, I don’t understand why. That’s the end of the story.</p>