Anthros said:
Well, I am an Engineer, and I mostly agree with everything you said. So now you can sleep better. 
Anthracite, you have no idea how much this warms my heart. I’ll soon be back in school, studying to get a second undergraduate degree, this one in mechanical engineering. I consider myself encouraged.
Thanks,
Anthros
Good luck on Mech E! That’s what my degree is in.
A word of advice - if you have any inclination towards programming at all, see if you can be a dual degree ME/CS. At Kansas nearby it only adds about 6 classes extra (besides what you take to satisfy engineering electives), but adds about $15-20,000 to your starting salary. I know, I’ve been trying to hire someone like that for a year, and only recently found someone.
Also - take the FE while in school. Many don’t because they think “well, most jobs don’t require it, and if they do I can always take it later”. It doesn’t hurt to take it, and there is no annual fee for it and it never expires. Then later on if you need the PE, all that’s required is the experience and one long test. From what I know, taking the FE after being out of school a few years SUCKS.
And it’s an ego boost to have cards read “Anthracite, P.E.”
One thing that inspired me to go back to school was the short job I had as an import auto mechanic - it’s what really got me interested in engineering. Actually, if I hadn’t faced so much unpleasantness being a female auto mechanic, who knows, I might still be doing it.
But now I like REAL powerplants much better than car powerplants. Coal rules!
Anthracite,
If you have the time, please e-mail me at faustocoppi@zdnetmail.com. I have a couple of important-but-brief questions that I would LOVE to ask a practicing engineer. Your advice on the CS/ME course of study is really interesting, as is the FE-as-prep-for-PE bit. If you don’t have time, I understand completely.
Thanks,
Anthros
Sure - I just mailed you.