[bigshoe]

how much trouble have you had in getting your degree?

I'm starting to have a tough time, but its mostly because I don't have the time to study. currently i'm only in the beginning, general chemistry(with lab) and calculus 1.

my chemistry teacher is hard to follow (foreign), i'm getting a high D
and calculus isnt that bad, I'm getting a low C
chemistry lab is a low A, but that was a pretty simple class.

my problem is i work 40 hrs during the week, and i have alot of travel time also. I have an interest in this stuff (not so much chemistry), but find it very hard to lose sleep to study.

anyways, i was able to move 24 of my work hours to the weekend for next semester, that should help greatly, I'll be taking calc 2, physics 1 (with lab), and c programming.

Ok guys, how bad do i have it???
I know i'm only in the beginnings of engineering here, and i'm not looking good, i really hope that will change next semester since i've made some changes for it.

what did you guys find tough or demanding when it came to engineering classes? I find it takes me absolutely forever to do my homework and focus on it, I blame being out of school for 5 years for that (although i know it could be alot worse).

Did you guys find the later engineering classes to be much more difficult than this earlier stuff?

btw, i'm a Mechanical engineering major, and if it matters, i've completed an associates in EET in 1999 from a tech school

[bigshoe]

thanks for the responses guys,

I'm 25, and I set a goal to finish by age 30. quitting my job is a last resort (but not out of the question), there are some reasons for it:
1. they are helping me pay for school (of course not with c's and d's).
2. I have to pay back the tuition reimbursement if i work less than 3 years after reimbursment
3. I set another goal to finish college and not be broke (I need to move out also, yes i'm STILL at home, no other way to do it at this point reasonably)
4. My company is somewhat flexible with hours for school.

the most classes i've taken is 4, but i try to put some easy ones in there when i do that. If i can keep up with what i'm about to do schedule wise, i plan on 3 technical courses per semester, and all the bs courses in summer.

the way it works out with this new schedule is as follows:
monday, wednesday, friday - 3 classes and NO WORK, all classes consecutive
thursday, just physics lab and 8 hours work,
tuesday 8 hours work only
saturday and sunday 12 hours work.

i'm leaving ALOT of time on my main class days to study, i think thats all I really need. Otherwise, how it is now, there is no time during the week to study, most things get put off till the weekend, then procrastination screws everything up, and i end up even farther behind.

the main reason i picked the above hours is to have free time the day of my main classes, I personally think this will be a great benefit academically.

On to more questions!!!

1. What was the toughest course you've taken?

2. How much time did you find yourself putting into studying on average?

3. How often did you ask yourself "shit, if i give up now...."
a. never
b. once a week
c. once a year
d. other?

personally i think i can stick with it, just need that time during the week, and hopefully some good professors that can deliver the info. As far as study groups go, its impossible with my schedule now (except for somethign on the weekend), i don't have any time to socialize with other students, i run into class, run to another class, run to work. I also don't have any time to study or review at work.

again, thanks for the responses, and sorry for my long posts