So I'm a junior (almost a senior by lacking 4 hours) at a smallish university here in Joplin. I'm working on two degrees:

Associate of Science: Computer Assisted Manufacturing Technology
Bachelors of Science: Industrial Engineering Technology

I got off to a late start though as I spent my first two years of school doing practically nothing but core classes because I didn't know what I wanted to do. The 3 semesters I've been chipping away at these degrees as they seem to be the only thing that my school offers that I kinda like.

Idealy, if my school offered any automotive design classes or the like I'd take them but my school kinda sucks.

Which leads me to my question.... I can probably get a job at a machine shop in Oklahoma thats about 30 minutes away. Probaly 40 hours a week at $10-ish per hour. I'd get some good hands-on experience and I'd get to actually do things that I like (spending time in a shop).

Part of the problem right now is that I'm losing interest in my classes. I've done most of my machining classes so now I'm down to my IET classes.... which just do not interest me. Also, there is one professor (our of only 4 in the whole department) that I really, really don't like. He doesn't teach worth crap and all he does is assign busy work out of the back of the book. Grr....

So... my other idea has been to not work (or just do like 20 hours at a book store or something) and instead load up on classes over at another local school that does have an automotive department. If I like it.... then I'll have to face another problem of maybe transferring and losing a ton of my engineering credits. I think I'm going to take a couple classes there next year anyway (a couple CADD classes that the one prof that I hate teaches and then transfer them back to my current school... as a bonus I could play with a class or two in the automotive dept.).

Anyway, what do you guys think? Load up on tons of classes and not work, or get some much-needed experience first and go from there? Money isn't *that* big of a deal as I get help from family for rent and stuff but the extra coin from working all summer would definitely help.

IMO, work experience while going to college, especially in any technical field, looks good to an employer.

I'd rather hire the guy who worked his way through college--even if it took 6 or 8 years--and has some relevent experience, over the guy who zipped through in 3 or 4 years and doesn't know anything useful.

Besides which, if you are still uncertain what you want to do career-wise, I say take a break and step back from school for awhile.

(Just don't go getting married and/or having kids )

I'm not sure of the aide in your state but I did that back in my day and you only get aide for 2 semester; if you take summer classes you loose the aide for the fall semester.
Sucked big time.

something to check before you make plans for sure.

Financial aid only covers spring and fall semesters so I'd have to pay out of pocket for summer classes but it would be a handful less classes to mess with next year.

So far I'm leaning towards just doing the internship and taking one online class. I think that way I could work, get paid, get some experience, but also pick up a class to chip away at my degree.

I think maybe next semester if I can maybe sqeeze in a class over at the other school. Maybe some automotive stuff just for my own benefit. Dunno...

Summer is easy to focus on school, since it'* a lot less people around, and a lot less parties, etc going on.

Can you take these internships for credit at school?

Credit? I'm not sure. I need to look into it though... if it does, great... if not. Then... well... oh well. I'll just chalk it up as money and experience.

I had a full summer semester last year. It was actually the other way around, it was too nice outside to study

I have three 4-month (paid) internships in my program (Mechanical Engineering Technologist). Pays great, great experiences. If you can find relevant work, I say go for it.