9th International Conference on Engineering Education R4D-1 Common Experience for Engineering/Engineering Technology Students: Strategic Advising

programs are distinct, highly structured curricula which are not very friendly toward students transferring from one curriculum to the other. Both are perceived by the general public as “engineering ” and most incoming students do not understand the difference between them. Students who have a technical interest are typically advised and encouraged to enter engineering programs. Very often, engineering technology, especially at the associate degree level, is being viewed by guidance counselors as a “dead end vocational program”. There is a major mismatch between the perception of these programs and reality. A significant number of students in the engineering program discover this mismatch between their expectations and the reality that they are facing during their freshman year. Disillusion and a feeling of failure cause the student to transfer to an entirely different major. More than 50 % of engineering students do not complete the engineering curriculum. On the other hand, retention in engineering technology programs is good, but few students select it as a major upon entering college. The paper describes how a common semester for engineering/engineering technology students allows the students to make a more informed decision about whether to select an engineering or engineering technology major. The paper also discusses the effects of strategic advising on recruitment and retention