WPI has a co-op?

OldEngineer
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:30:01 +0000

amraa_kaze - I’m a 83’ graduate of WPI (hence the “Old”) and went on Co-op the spring of my junior year. My motivation for Co-op was related to finances (none available…) but I gain so much more. The college and my advisor found a job in my speciality and I got to work in a “real” life environment for 8 months and received much more than minimum wage. When I got back to school (although I never left because I lived in an off campus apartment), all my classes seemed to have much more relevance. Although not officially enrolled at WPI during Co-op, I continued working on my IQP and received credit for it the Fall of my Senior Year (I think I had spread 1/2 the credit over B term junior year and 1/2 the credit over A term my senior year so that I wouldn’t have to pay extra). I missed a core class C term of my junior year (only time offered) but the professor let me take it as an independent study B term of my senior year (very difficult but extremely rewarding). 25 yrs ago there weren’t many students in Co-op either. The good news is that it made me very attractive at interview time and got an incredible offer from my Co-op company and another company that I was very interested in. To be honest though, I wish I had been able to take more classes in ME (I’m a EE) and took ME classes after graduation (paid for by my employeer-not sure if that’s a benefit anymore). Good luck!!! WPI is a great school.