Uncle Bose

The numbers given above aren't opinion. They're easily verifiable fact, using the four major independent college ranking sources (Business Week, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Princeton Review) as a guide. I used them all to aid in selecting a graduate program. Of course, college guides are only part of the story. Real-world utility of a degree is also a factor. As far as my choice for an undergrad major goes, if I had known then what I know now... Luckily, I only did three semesters at the aviation school.

flynavyj

So in the end, you will need to earn your flight certificates despite what type of college plan you choose to pursue correct? So, if you go to the FBO and fly and get a degree in say...art history, you are essentially destined to be the curator of a museum or an art teacher (if flying fails) and you're still trying to figure how you're going to pay off the loans for flying (ps...how do you get the loans for flying also? i'm not familiar w/ that, as student loans will cover flight expenses at the university...then you've also gotta compare the insterest rates you'll be paying on your flying at the FBO compared to the normally "lower" interest rates of the student loans) The basic end is you're going to be spending the money on the flying anyway, maybe saving a dollar or two w/ the FBO route.

When you're finished w/ ur degree in an unrelated field and have all your ratings you're probably equally as qualified as any other pilot candidate who applies to say...the regional world. You don't have quite enough time to get on w/ them...yet....and you have a degree under your belt. So, you've gotta be poor and build that time, so you'll probably end up CFIng like eveyrone else right? So what's the real difference, other than the aviation universities (or universities w/ aviation programs) may have a bridge program to get you that interview in less time, so you can start paying off those student loans.

If it was up to me, i'd just say...go to college and major in something that you're going to enjoy. there are probably some people out there that'll tell you to major in pharmacuticals (sp?) becuase they pay great $$, which is true. But what about the guy who majored in that and now is thinking of a different career field becuase he hates his job? If you think a business degree is better than an aviation degree, more power to you, you'll blend in with the masses of other individuals w/ business degrees and find that you NEED to go to grad school to TRY to make yourself stand out. If not, every resume' looks exactly the same.

If i could do it again, i probably wouldn't change much. I'm not disappointed in my education (Central Missouri State University). Got to have the college experience, flying experience, and take all those stupid Gen-Ed's that everyone takes. Just because you have to get 120 credit hours, doesn't mean you're not going to suffer through calc, physics, chem, anthropology, composition, literature, history, art, etc. during your 4 years of academic experience. And when all is combined together w/ your aviation degree, you'll be just as well rounded as the next individual.

Ps, most employers like to see experience in an area...a degree basically shows them that you can put up with enough B.S. for four years, graduate, and probably learn something in your new field...which, is worthwhile when they're preparing to make an investment on you. Normally, if you can find a way to get the experience, they could care sh*t less what your degree is actually in.

JMT21

Weird, I couldn't find "For ND residents that's fine, but nothing to pay out-of-state fees for" in any of the afore mentioned publications. National ranked programs only really matter for grad school, which I would not want to go to UND for anyway. For undergrad it is perfect.

Uncle Bose

Of course, not everyone should bother majoring in something that conveys actual job skills, such as business and engineering programs. Going to a state school as a resident and getting a liberal arts degree is an option vastly superior to an aviation major paying $25K a year for tuition alone at a private school like ERAU or FIT (which are what this thread was originally about), or, to a lesser extent, out-of-state fees at a public school. The debt loads upon completion, even with the liberal arts major a little behind, are incomparable.

Uncle Bose

Incidentally, what I said was "the NUMBERS given above" are fact. Using those numbers, common sense does the rest in determining there's no point in paying out-of-state fees for UND. THAT part is opinion, as is your "national ranked programs only really matter for grad school" claim.
Considering you've ditched the aviation major, and assuming you're out of state, is it really that much of a stretch to conclude there wasn't much point to your going to UND in the first place?

JMT21

Consider this Uncle Bose, I'm in-state tuition, and at 22 years young graduating this spring with a job waiting for me at a large accounting firm which starts at 40-45k/year. There was a point to me going to UND in the first place...put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Uncle Bose

So you're paying in-state tuition for a business degree. This whole argument is about paying non-resident or private tuition for an aviation degree, so it doesn't even apply to you, does it? What exactly are you arguing for?

LAfrequentflyer

Are you out of aviation or just working as an accountant to put money aside for flight training?

Good luck what ever you decide to do. You made the right choice not getting an aviation degree. I went to UND for ROTC...Nice campus. I enjoyed my time there...


-LAFF

JMT21

If you would look back, you would see that our discussion begin with you unfairly chastising avation degrees. As a reasonable person with many freinds who have aviation degrees and been successful with them, I simply put a few of your assessments into perspective. It didn't not begin with what kind of tuition I was paying as you say. You didn't get an aviation degree either so what are you arguing for?

I will recieve BBA's in Accounting and Aviation Management. I have my commercial/instrument/multi so I don't know that I will be getting out of aviation completely; it should make for a killer hobby. If I decide I want to fly professionally at some point down road, I'll have lots of freinds in the industry, and may persue it. I would love to get on with an ANG unit, so that may be a possiblity also.

I have no regrets about UND. I've had a blast. Are you a pilot for the Air Force then?

LAfrequentflyer

Not a pilot - I went into support. I wasn't medically qualified to fly for the AF.

You have a back-up degree and good job outlook.... I would recommend you log the time needed for the regionals and make flying a career. Once you have some seniority you can safely build a side-business. Thats what I would do in your shoes.

Good luck...

-LAFF