Engineering & Biomedical College Preparation
Project Lead the Way and Auto Repair Prepares Students for Future
Dec 23, 2008
Not all students take shop class to avoid the college preparatory curriculum. Many students across the nation are prepping to attend college and to major in the engineering or the biomedical field in the shop class or the science lab.
Auto Repair Class Leads to the College Classroom
One such school, Park Vista High School, prepares its students for the auto industry reports Lona O’Connor in the article “Park Vista High School’s Auto Repair Facility Gets Teens in Gear for the Future” at the PalmBeachPost.com website [December 22, 2008].
These students are future college engineering students who enjoy trouble shooting car problems. They understand that where the parts fit the best in a design are not always the easiest place to reach them under the hood. One interesting project students completed was converting a Mercedes Benz engine to use recycled vegetable oil.
Project Lead the Way
Another program that has classes in many schools across the nation is Project Lead the Way (PLTW). It has training for engineering and biomedical sciences. Middle school and high school students can take classes. The focus is on math and science, and the PLTW courses use the national standards in math, science and technology.
PLTW helps make partnerships with public schools, colleges and private businesses to help students learn more before entering college. The program started in New York State. Today, there are around 3,000 schools in the U.S.
What separates PLTW from the traditional classroom are the hands-on activities, use of current technology in the industry, and the exploration of the fields of engineering, engineering technology or biomedical science. Students may even be able to have an internship during the summer months.
Pre-Engineering at the High School
This PLTW has programs that can help prepare students for the engineering college course load. Courses range from Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering and Digital Electronics. If students pass tests at the end of the course, they can even receive college credit with some universities.
Biomedical Sciences Helps Prepare Students
The newest program in PLTW is the biomedical science career pathway. The four-year course of classes are designed to integrate with the college preparatory math and science programs. The four courses are Principles of the Biomedical Sciences, Human Body Systems, Medical Intervention and Science Research.
These courses offer options that can help students make good choices about their futures. Students can now figure out if they are interested in these fields before wasting time and money in college. In addition, they can receive college credit and can find a fulfilling career for their future.
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