That's a good heads-up, I didn't consider this so thank you. Some initial research shows that some schools have 5 or 7 year prereq expiration dates, with no exceptions. Other schools have prereq expiration dates, but will waive them with a 500 MCAT. Others have no expiration, so I'd be good there.

Definitely limits my options though. Without an MCAT or redoing courses it looks like I'd go from 12 options down to 2... pretty tough.

Commented elsewhere in the thread but I'm just not convinced I could land a good MechE job. I'd be competing with a massive resume gap against fresh grads. I tried the job search after leaving my first job and wasn't successful even with hundreds of apps sent, resume review, etc. I can't imagine it would be better with an added six years of distance between me and my studies and engineering experience.

For most programs I look at, I'm only missing one or two of the prereqs. I'd likely enroll for a semester and finish these prereqs, and also maybe redo a few courses where I had poor grades at the same time to bolster my application.

I would likely aim for schools that take the GRE as I've score 97th+ percentile on similar tests (SAT, GMAT) and am confident I could do similar on the GRE. I'd maybe also do the MCAT as I think some of the schools require it (I'd plan to apply to a lot of schools to help my chances of getting into at least 1).

Yes that's a big fear of mine, specifically if I try a self-study route. I have some friends who have had some success with doing post-diploma certificates in fields like data science, but their starting salaries are also less than what I've made serving, which isn't too enticing.

It's part of why I'm either leaning towards a specialized master's program (to "start fresh" after graduation). I could also get a second bachelors in computer science in probably 2 years. It's a big time commitment without a guaranteed payoff though.

>The CAA degree seems like such a huge departure from your prior education and degree.

Part of why CAA interested me is it's not actually a big departure from my previous education. I spent my first two years on the ChemE path, which means I have all the chemistry reqs required. I did two semester of biology as an elective too, and of course have all the math (calc, stats) and physics reqs finished. I was surprised when looking at the prereqs that for most CAA programs I'm only missing an anatomy & physiology course, which would be fairly easy to get and I'd actually look forward to the chance to boost my GPA a bit.

I have no experience working in the healthcare industry but do have an interest in it. I won't dive into my justifications but I think it's a field I could enjoy.

>Is there a reason you can't pursue an engineering job with your ME degree?

To be honest, I remember virtually nothing from the degree. I don't have anywhere near enough experience to get anything but completely entry-level, and I struggle to believe I'd be hired over the numerous new-grads who have the material fresh in their mind and a "cleaner" resume. If I'm going to have to overcome the huge obstacle of having multi-year gaps on my resume, I'd rather it be in a field that I think I have a higher chance of enjoying, as my first experience with mech eng was just entirely negative.

>You seem to enjoy being a server, which generally requires decent people skills. Is a sales engineering role a better fit your skillset/personality?

This is a good suggestion. I'll look into it more. I've always had a bit of a bias against sales positions but it could be a good fit.