Hey,

Well I screwed up. I wanted to get into engineering but my average of 82% just didn't cut it this year (required is 88%). My average was also too low for all the other universities I applied to. Plus my English mark was below 70% so I didn't get accepted into my backup (Ryerson). I also applied for B.Tech however, and was admitted to this program.

I have read up a lot on it but I'm still confused on what B.Tech is and how similar it is to engineering. Their website didn't clarify it enough for me either.

My main concern is job opportunities. What will a Bachelor of Technology do for me compared to Bachelor of Engineering? And I heard that you can also get your P. Eng after you complete B.Tech. What implications will this have?

I'm honestly really worried about my future, and I don't think I can bear coming back for another year in high school to boost up my marks. My parents are really worried too and I basically got rejections from all the other uni's I applied to (except Ryerson compsci).

Can someone, preferably who knows about B.Tech and Eng help me out?

B.Tech is more hands on, they have more labs than engineering. In terms of the P. Eng, not sure how easy it is to get one, but it is possible after writing few tests.

It seems that you wanted to do engineering in the first place since you applied to it, so why not go back for a fifth year in high school? What impact will that one additional year in high school have? When you are like 40 you're not gonna look back and say "I wasted a year of my life in high school"; instead, you're gonna be thankful that you came back for another year and got into the program that you like.
Trust me, coming back will only help you out, it's not gonna be a waste unless you don't study hard and boost your average up.

Another option you have is going into physical science (not sure if you meet the cutoff) and transferring into eng second year. All you would need to do is take one or two first year courses (the design and comp one I believe) and the rest of the courses match up. This would require you to work very hard though, and get a good CA first year. People switch in from engineering into the physical sciences sometimes so I'm assuming the transfer can work both ways. Your best bet is to talk to an adviser.

If you are ok with a victory lap, do what jim1 said, its good advice.

Cheers and have a great summer!

There are many job opportunities in both B.Eng and B.Tech.

You can get your P.Eng after a few equivalency tests and then the usual P.Eng test. After you have your P.Eng it doesnt matter how you got it, you are an Engineer.

I have heard of people going into btech and switching into BEng but I dont know any myself. I am pretty sure that they have a very similar first year as engineering does.

Thank you for your replies!

Well, I would do a victory lap but I know myself. I procrastinate a lot out of my control and I'm pretty sure that no matter how hard I try I will end up goofing off and procrastinating. Whats the guarantee that my marks will get better anyways? I am really bad at English and it's not my forte, the max I can probably pull off with hard work is a 75 or maybe an 80 if I get lucky.

It would be hard for me to pull of a high 80's low 90's and get into my university choices. That risk is holding me back from going a fifth year.

I don't really have anything against B. Tech. I like the program and wouldn't mind going through with it. Plus if I really dislike it (which I don't see happening), I can always transfer into Engineering (albeit it will be tough and costly).

The main thing I'm worried about is job opportunities. I hear there are a lot but what kind of jobs are there? I don't mind playing second fiddle to an engineer as long as I can sustain myself and my future family. I don't want to put a burden on my parents by asking them for more money (I'm already paying the tuition myself and want to let them have their retirement money to themselves). It's really worrying my mom as well.

Originally Posted by emtee

Thank you for your replies!

Well, I would do a victory lap but I know myself. I procrastinate a lot out of my control and I'm pretty sure that no matter how hard I try I will end up goofing off and procrastinating. Whats the guarantee that my marks will get better anyways? I am really bad at English and it's not my forte, the max I can probably pull off with hard work is a 75 or maybe an 80 if I get lucky.

It would be hard for me to pull of a high 80's low 90's and get into my university choices. That risk is holding me back from going a fifth year.

I don't really have anything against B. Tech. I like the program and wouldn't mind going through with it. Plus if I really dislike it (which I don't see happening), I can always transfer into Engineering (albeit it will be tough and costly).

The main thing I'm worried about is job opportunities. I hear there are a lot but what kind of jobs are there? I don't mind playing second fiddle to an engineer as long as I can sustain myself and my future family. I don't want to put a burden on my parents by asking them for more money (I'm already paying the tuition myself and want to let them have their retirement money to themselves). It's really worrying my mom as well.

If you procrastinate "out of your control", then I really don't think the main thing you should be worried about right now is job opportunities. Basically, what you just said is that you couldn't get into the programs you wanted because you are incapable of developing a decent work ethic. That alone says that you should probably go back for another year of high school to figure that out, because if you have no work ethic, you're not going to do well in university, and that is a more pressing problem than future job opportunities, since a degree tends to be a requirement for the jobs that you are referring to.

getting an engineering degree does not make you an engineer in ontario. you have to pass the P.Eng. to become an engineer. if you can do that after your b.tech, you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by starfish

If you procrastinate "out of your control", then I really don't think the main thing you should be worried about right now is job opportunities. Basically, what you just said is that you couldn't get into the programs you wanted because you are incapable of developing a decent work ethic. That alone says that you should probably go back for another year of high school to figure that out, because if you have no work ethic, you're not going to do well in university, and that is a more pressing problem than future job opportunities, since a degree tends to be a requirement for the jobs that you are referring to.

Procrastination was a really big obstacle for me as well. I actually managed to get it in control during the second semester of high school. It just takes a lot of effort, and I think I can manage it. It is also partly due to the environment I was working in. There was a lot of stress in my household and arguments which led me to be too frustrated to do anything. I got over it second semester but the marks from my first semester will stay with me.

The thing is, how do I know if another year will even be worth it? The courses that I worked hard on this semester payed off, and I feel that this is my best and another year might increase my marks by 1 or 2 percent but they will stay around this area. English is one big IF. I am terrible in that course and throughout high school have never gotten above 75, no matter how hard I try.

It is really hard making a decision to stay back or move ahead with your life.. :/. There are benefits and drawbacks to both and I just don't know what to do.

Originally Posted by hilton

getting an engineering degree does not make you an engineer in ontario. you have to pass the P.Eng. to become an engineer. if you can do that after your b.tech, you'll be fine.

If I get a P. Eng, will I be considered as an engineer, and will I be able to go after jobs that a B. Eng could go for?

Originally Posted by emtee

If I get a P. Eng, will I be considered as an engineer, and will I be able to go after jobs that a B. Eng could go for?

yes. in ontario, being an engineer is a professional degree like being a lawyer or a doctor. if you pass the p.eng, you are an engineer.

now, as long as you dont need a bachelor of engineering to actually qualify for the p.eng, you're fine. if you do... you better hope you can transfer sometime.

Originally Posted by hilton

yes. in ontario, being an engineer is a professional degree like being a lawyer or a doctor. if you pass the p.eng, you are an engineer.

now, as long as you dont need a bachelor of engineering to actually qualify for the p.eng, you're fine. if you do... you better hope you can transfer sometime.

On the site it says you have to take examinations and hand in a report to become an engineer. So I guess it works out.