Aviation Colleges

I'll keep the story to a minimum:

I fell in love with aviation when I was 5 and have progressed to almost getting my private rating. I'm currently at an arts school (since I fell in love with photography as well) but avaition is number 1 and I need to be going to a school that specialized in aviation.

Embry Riddle, either campus, is absolutly out of the question. I refuse to pay the tuition that they want, especially for getting a degree which is the same throughout the country. They all have standards, right?

While I don't want to mention the names of any specific universities, I do want to mention Middle Tennessee State University as well as University of North Dakota. They are both ranked right up there with Embry-Riddle.

I am leaning more towards Middle Tennessee simply because of easier job transfer (I work at a local deli for now and a freelancer for the newspaper) as well as an easier move.

What are your thoughts? I need to get something figured out since I would like to transfer for Fall 2012.

Any help, contacts or insights would be appreciated.

~Michael~

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carr on January 24, 2012 at 11:01pm

I think the more information I get on this, the more difficult it becomes.

~Michael~

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Permalink Reply by Karlene K Petitt on January 24, 2012 at 11:07pm

Yes. I was thinking that as I read through everyone's comments. I smiled. But... if you can weed through it, you'll figure it out. Oh wait... I think I wrote a blog about how to decide when you have lots of data. http://karlenepetitt.blogspot.com/2011/10/decision-making-process.html

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Werling on January 25, 2012 at 8:04am

Michael,

You have received wonderful responses! Though I am not a pilot, my son is currently a student pilot still and still in high school. He has in his mind to go to Embry but honestly for me, the cost is a huge factor. We have many family discussions regarding this and will be spending time this year checking out other colleges. I'm a former Director of Human Resources so recruiting was a portion of my responsibilities. I suggest you have a back up plan from being a Pilot in case something ever happens, such as a health issue, it's great to have something to fall back on. A degree in Aviation Engineering, Mechanics, Management, all fall in the aerospace category. Consider a major and minor. Consider military. On another note, right now, one could purchase a home in Florida, and still go to a community college or state college for less than Embry Riddle! Yes, that is the hard truth on the cost of education and no guarantee of work after you finished. Embry has a great reputation. And if you have a student loan, financial aid, repayment will begin immediately after you finish. Work the numbers. Schools are taking you/your family's hard earned money. The cost of college has gone up faster than my paycheck and I have to share with you, I would take experience, a good learner, listener, decent background, good attitude ANY DAY over a high degree. The degree doesn't mean the person will do the job better than someone else. Some positions require a high degree, such as a physician, engineer, and lets face it, we're more comfortable knowing someone had some training before performing surgery! I'm still working numbers and of course I want the best for my child too. But I don't want him to start life with a hugh financial set back because then I failed too.

Consider any scholarships and grants. You're in a great time to have lots of choices. Don't rush.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carr on January 25, 2012 at 8:54pm

I sure have got some great information Sylvia. I just can't muster up the $250,000 for an education. Unless someone was going there on a full scholarship (which someone from my ROTC unit went after graduation) I can't see someone going there.

My backup plan is actually what I'm doing now and that's photography. My first love was flying and then I picked up photography. When I talked to the Air Force Recruiters, they said I needed to have a Bachelor's Degree in SOMETHING to become an officer after enlisting in the service (Which is my ultimate goal is to fly for the military). Fast forward a year or two. I went to a Navy recruiter and he said I needed to be going to school for something that pertains to my specific goal in the military. I took that as photography has nothing to do with flying so I need to major in something that has to do with fly, hence the professional pilot major - the only thing though is I don't really have intentions to fly for an airline. A commercial airline pilot is last on my list of careers (although I have high respect for those in the airline industry!)

Like you say, I think a degree is overrate but many employers use this to hire people....just because. I know I am simplifying things, but it really has to do with seeing they have the drive to go for something more than just a high school diploma.

I"m getting more and more into MTSU and hoping some of my experience as a pilot will transfer over and I won't be starting from scratch. I have already taken general education classes at a technical college - putting my tution much much cheaper than a university, then I transferred. Now I'm in debt.

Either way, this is a gut feeling that I have that I need to go to an aviation college to further better my life.

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Permalink Reply by Lance Bartel on January 25, 2012 at 7:28pm

I am currently an instructor at Kansas State University's Salina campus. We offer a four year aviation program. I would be more than happy to answer any questions if you are looking for a school. http://www.sal.ksu.edu/aviation/index.html