I reckon the best way to find work is to follow your passion. Sure, we all need money to get by, but what’s the point in wasting your time on something you hate? We all know that money can’t buy happiness. It’s not just about having a cool car and tasty food every day. There are plenty of rich and famous folks who’ve struggled with addiction and even taken their own lives. That’s why I believe happiness is more about how you live each day rather than how much money you have in the bank. And let’s be real, if you’re good at what you do, the money will come eventually.
Follow your passion, whether it’s engineering or art
A true pro is someone who’s passionate about their work, no matter what it is. I’ve always been into mechanical engineering ever since I was old enough to know what it was. So, I decided to pursue it as my life’s work. I hope my experience can help others who are considering a mechanical engineering major, just like I was not long ago.
Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in Louisiana: Conditions to Apply
Look, I don’t wanna talk about things I don’t really know about, so let me tell you a bit about schools in Louisiana, okay? If you’re not from the Pelican State, don’t worry, you can still stick around and read this — you might pick up some generally useful tips (By the way, did you know that Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. that doesn’t have counties?). I haven’t done any research, but I believe that the requirements for applying to schools that open career paths for mechanical engineers are roughly the same in all states.
When I turned 18 and got my high school diploma, it was enough for me to get into mechanics school. According to the internet, state-issued GEDs are also acceptable, and I see no reason not to believe that. Some schools may have additional or different requirements, and as much as I hate making generalizations, let me break down those demands in detail for you.
Mechanical Engineer Degree Requirements: What You Should Know to Get Enrolled
So, what else do you need besides a high school diploma and being 18 to get into a mechanics school? Let’s take a look at some of the schools in Louisiana.
- Central Louisiana Technical Community College is one of those places that want you to pass the ACCUPLACER test to make sure you can read, write, and do math. But here’s the catch: it costs between $10 and $50 (I took this from the school’s official site, where else?).
- On the other hand, Delgado Community College is totally chill, and you don’t even need a high school transcript or GED/HiSET equivalency. And if you’re not sure what those are, don’t worry, I had to Google it too.
- Then there’s South Louisiana Community College, which can offer a mechanical engineering degree but does not have any additional requirements.
So, depending on the school you choose, you may or may not have to do a little extra work. I’ve made my shortlist of three schools and want to share it with you.
Community Colleges for the Start of Mechanical Engineering Career: Louisiana Edition
I didn’t see a problem with heading out to another town to get my mechanic degree, so I checked out schools from different parts of Louisiana.
Sowela Technical Community College
Sowela Technical College is located in Lake Charles, and it’s a small, cozy school that boasts a 100% acceptance rate (which I’m sure is a concern for many of us, right?). Their campus looks pretty impressive and modern, at least based on the pictures. Along with a high school diploma, they require the SOWELA Placement Test, which could set you back around 20 bucks. However, they also accept ACT or SAT scores instead of their specific exam. The school stresses that their test isn’t too tough, and the results are valid for several years.
According to their official website, graduates from this school can expect to earn a minimum starting salary of $28,700, which I think is pretty attractive. A good salary for the mechanical work I want to do, as I said before.
L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College
This school is located in Schriever and belongs to those pleasant places that don’t require additional tests. All it demands is that you be over 16 years old (not even 18!), provide them with proof of selective service registration, and satisfy the requirements of Louisiana immunization of persons entering school. I think that the last requirement appeared because of the pandemic we’ve been surviving over the last few years. Don’t know about you, but for me, it’s pleasant to know that the school takes care of my health.
L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College also has a 100% acceptance rate but a little bit lower starting salary for graduates, $24,400. But their campus is epic, I must say. It can be a truly good choice if you want to start your path in mechanical engineering fields early.
Northshore Technical Community College
Northshore Technical Community College is in Lacombe. The acceptance rate in this school is also a pleasant 100%, and the salary of graduates starts at $21,400. To enroll, you have to complete an application, have proof of immunization, and have proof of selective service status. As you can see, this school does not mention the age of their potential students, but somehow I got the impression that they want people to be under 18. I don’t know why, but I think so. Their campus looks brand new in the pictures. It gave a similar impression to the one at Sowela Technical Community College, and it’s pretty good, I’d say. It’s definitely not the last choice for one who’s looking for colleges for mechanical engineering, as I was.
Conclusion for Your Encouragement
To be honest, I was thinking a lot about this mechanical engineering career. It seemed pretty appealing to me, but I also wondered if I really needed to go to school for it. I mean, maybe I could just have taken a year off, worked a bit, and figured out what I really wanted. But then I realized that I was just scared of rejection. I mean, so what if I got rejected? I could still take that year off to figure things out.
At the end of the day, I knew that mechanical engineering was my jam. It’s one of my biggest passions, and I knew I wanted to spend my time pursuing mechanical engineering career paths. So I took those extra tests (not gonna lie, they were a piece of cake), and I got into my top choice school!
Sorry, I’m not gonna spill the beans on which one it was, since gotta keep some mystery going. I just hope my experience can help you make the right choice for yourself.