Chemical Engineering Substitution

cameraphone
Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:49:55 +0000

Yeah, I totally have a dumb question. If I wanted to do chemical engineering, but I can’t even begin to afford the program because of a lack of parental support and no chance of paying back loans, how well would this plan work out?:

Double major in mechanical engineering and applied chemistry for my B.S.Eng and then attempt to go to grad school for chemical engineering.

For those who say “SCHOLARSHIPS!” No. I’ve tried that, and despite having a 4.0 in terms of GPA and lots of enthusiastic extracurriculars, I can’t get that many scholarships because I’m apparently no prize (Yes I was told that by a lot of college counselors back in high school when I tried leaving for college the first time). I’m looking to spend as little time in college as possible. Where I live, I can go to school for REALLY cheap and graduate almost (if not completely) debt-free, but I can’t do chemical engineering since my hometown university doesn’t offer it–I have to leave town and relocate.

And not to mention, I don’t even know if I’ll end up liking it after the first year. So if I relocated, said “screw it, I hate this more than I thought I would,” I’d still be out a LOT of money in loans and whatnot and wouldn’t be any closer to a degree.

I know that this plan WOULD work, but how painlessly would it work? Would I have another three years of university just to make up for all the chemical engineering pre-reqs? Should I just take the social and financial plunge, relocate, and hope for the best? Or prove to myself that I can even survive university, then think about grad school? I’m only 18, so my resources and whatnot are a little limited. What do you think?