Dr. Andy Smith

I returned to NC State at age 37 to pursue my BS in Computer Science. I was financially motivated to do it quickly and completed 105 credit hours in two years and a semester with support from my wife and using a significant chunk of our savings. My desire to give a preference to non-traditional students was based on the belief that they would have been working before they returned to school and their previous income would affect their eligibility for financial aid, even though they would need to reduce or give up that income to go back to school. Moreover, an older student would be likely to complete family obligations sooner and be in a position to consider giving back sooner than a younger student would.

I have an ongoing interest in NC State Computer Science because my niece and her husband are both graduates of the program, and she is a Teaching Associate Professor there. I get first hand updates on the department on a regular basis.