[Christina]

As a recently graduated college student, I must say that I hadn't considered myself to be an engineer until I was actually graduated. I had never said I was an engineer while I was a student and I have definitely done engineering things before May 20th. The first time I said I was an engineer was last month and it felt weird being able to say that I am, in fact, an engineer. I feel that having the title of engineer is something that is earned through college and a degree. It's an accomplishment and I feel that it is a testament to your achievements. I understand that there are many things I don't know how to do even though I am an engineer. But college isn't just about learning how to engineer. It may seem that the knowledge you possess is enough to be called an engineer...but there is more to it. It's the process of learning how to learn that college gives you that also goes along with the title. It's not just about doing engineering things, but the way to think about problems, how to attack them, how to explain them, how to teach them, and so on and so forth that makes you an engineer.

Also, the way I've seen it is: when you put your job title down on your taxes, you put "student" when you're in school and "engineer" once you graduate. That pretty much summed it up for me.

Just my $0.02.