Hi everyone, I’m 20 and currently studying electrical engineering at Pasadena City College. My current GPA is 3.126, and I’m planning to finish my remaining classes and an associate degree in engineering by summer 2027.
Cal Poly SLO is where I’d really like to study EE eventually. However, because of financial and personal circumstances, I don’t think I’ll be able to transfer straight into a four-year university. I may need to work full-time for a few years first.
One option I’m considering is becoming an electrician apprentice after PCC. I’d like to earn money, learn a practical skill, and get into a more stable situation before returning for my bachelor’s in EE. I know electrician work and electrical engineering are different careers, so I don’t want to assume that doing one automatically prepares me for the other.
I’d appreciate advice on a few things:
- Has anyone here taken a few years off after community college and then transferred to SLO, especially for EE? What was returning to school like?
- Has anyone gone from studying EE to an electrician apprenticeship, or from electrician work back to an EE degree? How much did the experience help?
- If my long-term goal is engineering, would you recommend an electrician apprenticeship during the break, or looking for electrical/electronics technician work instead?
- How did you keep your math, physics, and circuit analysis skills from getting rusty while working full-time?
- With a GPA of 3.126, what would you focus on before eventually applying to SLO?
Honestly, I’ve been feeling discouraged about school lately. I still want to become an electrical engineer, but I need a path that works with my circumstances, even if it takes longer.
I’d especially like to hear from people who took a less direct route through college or worked in the trades before studying engineering. What worked for you, and what would you do differently?