Mesabah

Wow, it's just an odd metric. My degree was a 5 year dual degree program, that took me 7 years, since I had a company to run. Although, my degree doesn't matter since I'm from 9E, weird.......

lear700pilot

RockyBoy,

Thanks for your input on this. I also read your post above about how it took you six years due to costs, etc. Same story for me. Also, understand what you mean about spin it in a positive way. For me I had a good GPA - 3.68 and did my best to diligently make every "A" I could and it paid off.

I've been told they look at gpa's pretty heavily right now and hopefully mine will help me stand out. Thanks for inputting how they asked you in your interview about taking six years to finish your degree. That will help me be better prepared for questions like that.

Lear

CBreezy

That's why they have you put all employment and education history. It's not just "oh, it took me 5 years. He must be a dummy." Now, if you didn't work at all in college and it took you 6 years to finish a B.A. in Art History from State U, then you clearly had other issues and priorities. If you were running a business and got two degrees, the story is different.

RockyBoy

What I've noticed the last couple times we have hired is that those with higher GPA's seem to get called earlier. I'm not sure if actual data would back that up, but it seems that way to me. With a 3.68 and employment history showing you worked while getting a degree should be no problem.

The problem right now is if you are not mil or from CPS or the SSP there are not that many slots for anyone else so it will take some time to get down through the stack they have.

RockyBoy

That degree will matter when they interview you. Once you walk through the door on VA the day you interview, you are no different than the next guy. You just get a guaranteed shot at walking through that door in your black suit and red tie. The SSP guys who don't have degrees better be dang good in other areas or they will find themselves back at 9E.

sailingfun

I don't think how long you took to get a degree is a big issue. Simply explain why. My GPA was nothing to write home about however I explained that I worked full time and completed my degree in 4 years.

lear700pilot

Yeah, in 07-08 hiring spree I knew guys that got calls within weeks of filling out the app. Back then there were no SSP or flows obviously. Would be a very different story for many off the streets without those programs. Now 7+ years with the app in but I haven't heard a thing . Granted 7 years doesn't mean a whole lot since hardly any hiring since then. Someone that's been at most majors for 15 years now is just barely seeing any movement, AA guys especially. Really sad its been this way for so long. Glad times seem to be trending up for us all.

Flycameron

I apologize if it appears as though I speak with authority. I was only passing on information from a guy who does the interviews. It was his words that said "It was a flag on my app to have 6 years to complete my degree." When you have 8,000 applications and they all have degrees and TPIC time and perfect work records and high GPA's their isn't much to screen an applicant so this just happens to be one of the things they look at. It is not an absolute and plenty of people have been hired with 6 years or more to complete their app. I was only speaking of my app when I said it was a flag. I have never had a day of unemployment in over 20 years and have even had two jobs at times but for him all he cared about was the 6 years to get my degree. I even have a failed checkride and he said he didn't care about that as much as he cared about the 6 years to get my degree. Now he did tell me he does the interviews and not the screening so he is probably not the best source in determining how your app looks.

Honestly I think getting your degree in 6 years should not be an issue and is kinda crazy that it does cause a flag. No one was hiring 5 years ago so why would anyone hurry and get a degree. I guarantee that most kids in flight school today are getting their degrees in 4 years because their is a reward waiting if they choose to hurry, 5 years ago their was no reward so no hurry. They will ask you in the interview, why you took so long and as long as you have a answer worth while they won't care. The problem is you don't have the ability to explain why it took so long on your application.

It's the whole picture they look at!

Disclaimer; I have no authority on the matter and just share what has been shared with me.

gloopy

Its worth mentioning that a "Flag" on an app doesn't mean a show stopper. Its just that, a flag, that when they go over you app with you they will ask you to explain it. If it took 5-6 years for you to work full time to pay your own way through engineering school thats a much better reason for that flag than following Phish around (good lord they suck so bad) getting a degree in ceramics with a minor in feelings while leaching off of daddy's money.

There are many "flags". Speeding tickets are a flag, and most people have them. Long periods of unemployment not associated with other acceptable things like education or medical events are another.

Not working holidays is a flag. Did you sick out for them all the time? Or were you just senior enough to hold them off? Big difference.

There's a million reasons for an app to be flagged. Probably most pilots hired had some flags. Its just something they want to look into thats all.

Going2Baja

Man - I guess I lucked out at NWA. I did the 7 yr plan w/ transcripts from 4 different Univ. But I was working for a 121 and would take a semester of full time Univ when furloughed for the Winters. And YES - I did party my Ar$e off and get avg grades...LOL. Stick with it!!!

Baja.