Just curious if any of the local bf.com people are students or graduates of Lincoln Tech out in Columbia. I just started taking classes over there in automotive technology and am gonna apply to BMW's STEP program once I graduate. So how bout it? Any students or grads out there in the BMW world?

Well, I live REALLY close to LTI. Does that count??:dunno

:D

Hey alvin,

I am going to be finished w/ the auto program from LTI next week. I also am going to attend the STEP program, sometime around next april.

I can't believe i managed to work 35+ hours a week, then DROVE all the F$%K to columbia for class 6:30-10:30. got home at 11:05. I did that for 2 years.

are you going to the chapterfest? I don't think i've ever seen your bimmer before. I'll be at the autox tomorrow if you wanna chat. I'm # 323, in a VERY easy to spot e30 325is.

btw, here's the link to the STEP program if you've never seen it.

it is a MONEY program if you get in.,

http://www.bmwstep.com/defaultFlash.asp

markr325is, i also looked into the LT program. what do you think of it? I went during the day and was turned off by the lack of "profesionalism" of the students. I would also attend in the evening.

Yeah, I agree with you Greg...definitely a lack of professionalism in the day students. Not sure if it's any different in the evenings (don't think it is). I think it's just a matter of the demographics of the people that a technical school draws. Most of them don't have "professional" experience and aren't experienced enough to know any better. Hopefully, that's what the LT program will teach them. I can tell you that from the 2 weeks of time since i've started the program, it seems like they definitely are trying to puss the idea of professionalism to the students...just not sure how receptive some of them are...:dunno

If you guys need a "project car" to work on....I know of one. Feel free to sleeve it and turbo it. :buttrock

:D

i hear from instructors that daytime and afternoon students are worse.

most evening students work so for the most part they are more mature but even then there are some "characters".

Dammit! I knew I shoulda taken evening classes! It's just that the day classes fit into my schedule a bit better. I think i'm the youngest person in my class for sure, but then again, at my age that isn't very hard...:D

Andy..sorry...got too many "projects" of my own. Would have to finish those 1st. Heh.

i thought they were 6 hour classes 4 days a week? im also planning to go through the program and do the STEP program afterwards...im gonna go there november 15th to take the scholarship test..

a guy came to my school today...(see thread about columbia, md apartments) and the STEP program seems to be the best thing out there for me:D plus 100% job placement after you finish..and they pay for you..the 7 months of training, not first 15.

anymore info on LT would be of great use, im debating between Universal Technical Institute and Lincoln Tech..

Yeah, it is 6 hrs a day, 4 days a week for 15 months (with no major breaks..:( ), but you have the option to do either day classes or afternoon/evening classes. The day classes (which is the program that i'm in) start at 8:00AM and end at 2:45PM with a 30 min lunch break and two 15minute breaks.

From what I understand, it is pretty hard to get into the STEP program because they have very high standards for the applicants. You have to have at least a 3.5GPA and 98% attendance from an automotive post-secondary school (like LTI) to even be considered. Then, you have to take a written test and a 2 hour interview. It seems pretty hectic, but definitely sounds like it's worth it in the end.

As for the comparison between LTI and UTI...who knows. Don't have any experience with UTI although I did consider going there too. But, since the STEP program is actually going to be held at LTI once they finish the new facilities, that kinda swayed my decision.
Hope this helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

where do you live? your cars nice as hell with that acs wide body hehe...

its a 3.8gpa requirement lol..not that it makes it any better, but atleast theyre not just accepting idiots to fix bmw's. do you know how much the tuition is? i havent really gotten to look deep into it, they just came to my school today and thats about it. im real excited to go through with this, its like a dream come true haha...ive heard the master techs get $100k+ a year too. even entry level techs get a good starting salary:buttrock :alright

whats the time for the evening class? theres another thread about this i think in this same section...

Thanks for the compliments on the car. I live in the cockeysville area. Yeah, you're right, it is a 3.8GPA...the older paperwork for the STEP program said 3.5 and I had a bit of a brainfart when I typed that last post. As for the tuition for the LTI program, you're looking at at leat $20K, but that includes everything (clothes, books, personal tool set that you keep, etc.). As for the salaries of techs, they are pretty good, but it probably isn't that common to find someone that is making 6 figures.:dunno
As for the night classes, i'm not sure what time they start. Perhaps Mark can chime in here since he's taking the evening classes...

You should definitely go. It'd be nice to see more BF.com people at LTI...:D

if you passed HS, then the GPA is no sweat.

I swear i could have not done a damn thing, listened to the instructors before the review and STILL passed w/ an "A" in every class. automotive theory is NOT calculus...........although there were some who struggled and that worried me a bit.

the attendance is a must for the STEP program, don't miss ANY class............this is a very hard thing to do. Especially when i left work at 4:30 (near tysons) and didn't even get home til 11:00pm.

if you guys are serious about getting into the STEP program, you will need to find a job in the field.............i got lucky since i don't have any yet, but i hear they are now requiring at least 6 months in the field. and i recommend that you guys don't take the entrance exam/interview until after you've had engine performance/advanced electronics OR really read up on how all the engine sensors work/affect each other, emissions, etc. the section on EP, and electrical is significantly longer than other sections(i pretty much bombed the AC because i haven't had it in a while, but they let that slide because i did well in EP/electrical)

oh, and i think the other important thing is to keep your driving record as clean as possible. if you do well in the areas above, but have a bad driving record...........good luck. You have to be insurable (sp) to be even considered.

i must mention that going to LTI or UTI isnt the only way to get into the STEP.
i personally know someone who got a job as an apprentice at bmw during class, BOMBED the step exam.........but later on the dealership sponsored him to go to STEP.

whatever you guys do, good luck. you can PM me if you have any questions about LTI or STEP.

markr325is...........who is now DONE w/ LTI, going to STEP in '04 and enjoying what was time taken for granted.

hmm...they guy that came in said that the entrance exam was real easy and so did my friends who took it. they said it was pretty much common sense stuff. unless we're talking about different exams? im talking about the first one you take after you register.

how should i prepare myself for this? or is there any way? did they hook you up with a job? the guy said that they help you find one too...

and to get into the STEP program, do you mean you have to have 6 months experience PRIOR to joining?

the exam to get into LTI is an absolute joke, you should pass that easily.

i was referring to the BMW step exam. The material itself itsn't that hard, but the way the questions are asked with very specific detail makes it a little confusing sometimes.

I just checked my paperwork. There is this sheet which shows what is required of all the manufacter programs, the bmw program is one of the few that REQUIRES 6 months of professional experience in the field. the rest just say "preferred". I was not told that you needed that much experience until 2 weeks before the BMW rep came down from NJ. I honestly didn't think i'd get into the STEP, but I think he let me slide because i said i was going to work in the field after I graduate and i didn't know about the experience requirement until recently.

there are other programs too, but the BMW program is just that much better IMHO.............plus i wouldn't mind a discount on bimmers either.

:)

maybe when my insurance is cheap, i'll pick up my 315 hp m coupe to replace my HEAVILY abused e30.

Yeah, the entrance test to LTI is a joke. It's real basic stuff...reading comprehension, math, and grammar. You shouldn't have any trouble with that at all. As far as prep goes, you admissions rep should give you a packet when you sign up that has a practice test of the stuff you'll be tested on. It really is a joke though and you'd have to be pretty dumb to not pass it. Good luck.