Another degree question

[B1900FO]

I'm in sort of a pickle...

I have an interview next week with a local flight department flying a Beechjet. The money would be above industry standard, and its a good company overall, however I am also only 21 and have not finished my degree. With that being said I am currently accepted to start the fall semester at a large university.

My question to the guys in the majors, which still, believe it or not is ultimately my career goal, is should I take the Beechjet job and do an online degree or go to the large university and finish my degree there?

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have...

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

Get a real degree and have a fallback if your aviation career does not pan out. You will never regret getting an education.

 

[PSL]

If this job and flight department is your career goal ... congratulations ... take the job and never look back.

If, as is often the case in aviation, this job is one of many during the course of one's career listen very carefully.

Unless you really need the money to stay out of jail ... thank the department profusely and tell them you are going to finish you college degree.

It is extremely difficult to go back to school once you are accustomed to the paycheck. While not impossible by any standard, returning to an academic setting full time after being able to afford something other than McDonald's for dinner is a challenge.

Best of luck ... in this industry all of us need some.

 

[FCPhotography]

4 years of college was the most fun I ever had. The last 7 years of airlines have been very trying.
Get the education (not aviation related) in my opinion because the airline industry is pure luck and there is absolutely no planning involved.

You might even find flying not so rewarding, since it is all based on senority and zero performance.

Own your own business and fly your own plane when you want. When your company asks for a paycut you can tell them to stick it.

 

[Ready2Fly]

Take the jet job for experience and then get on with one of the regionals with a flowthru, that way you can get on with a major without needing a degree.

 

[MalteseX]

I'm in sort of a pickle...

I have an interview next week with a local flight department flying a Beechjet. The money would be above industry standard, and its a good company overall, however I am also only 21 and have not finished my degree. With that being said I am currently accepted to start the fall semester at a large university.

My question to the guys in the majors, which still, believe it or not is ultimately my career goal, is should I take the Beechjet job and do an online degree or go to the large university and finish my degree there?

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have...

Take the job, take the money you "would have" spent on college and invest it in a relatively safe, but higher paying interest-bearing instruments. The nest egg you will have will make it easier to go to school if aviation doesn't work out...... or will just be fun money if you get on with a high-paying corporate job or a major airline.

 

[capt_zman]

Go to school and enjoy the social benefits of a large university. And by the way, when you graduate, I would bet my life savings that there will be another beechjet job available and you'll be that much better off.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Take the jet job for experience and then get on with one of the regionals with a flowthru, that way you can get on with a major without needing a degree.

so you are betting it all on a flowthru?

sounds like a recipe for a "regional lifer" - read that as a dead, frustrating, poor career..

FINISH THE DEGREE. If you a 100% certain you have the discipline to do it online and fast, take the job and do it online.... If not, say thanks and finish it up quick and look for a better job. Just FYI, very very few who start degrees/advanced degrees online ever finish - Im one of them, so are many I work with. Its just very hard...especially when you dont HAVE to. You have a job and you feel comfy -- until you are looking again.

Corp/charter gigs flying beechjets is not the apex of corp aviation. They come and go often. There will be better....and yes, this career is bad enough as it is - you must position yourself to get to the absolute best jobs. In other words, get the degree quick, one way or another.

One question? does this "good company" have tuition reimbursement? food for thought...

good luck.

 

[texarkana]

Take the jet job for experience and then get on with one of the regionals with a flowthru, that way you can get on with a major without needing a degree.

Looks like you're still reading those old FSI magazine ads from the mid 90's. Who has a flow through? There aren't any!! The closest thing to that is the furloughed AA mainline --> Eagle situation. What even qualifies you to give advice when you aren't in this industry?

Ready2Fly is TheGuat, Rhoid, FreightNazi, IHaveAPension, E170GuppyKiller, GuppyKiller, TheGuppyKiller, OUT, ABXpert, 410Dude, LucyFurr, RJDC, TheMissingLink, UPSer, BR549, psysix, and all the other ones...

 

[texarkana]

I'm in sort of a pickle...

I have an interview next week with a local flight department flying a Beechjet. The money would be above industry standard, and its a good company overall, however I am also only 21 and have not finished my degree. With that being said I am currently accepted to start the fall semester at a large university.

My question to the guys in the majors, which still, believe it or not is ultimately my career goal, is should I take the Beechjet job and do an online degree or go to the large university and finish my degree there?

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have...

Dang if you have gotten this far by age 21 then you are on the right track. Look into that job, pay attention to schedule and benefits. Will their schedule allow you to take night classes somewhere, or even daytime classes? If not, are you motivated enough to finish a degree online?

That being said, at this level, look for the *easiest* way to a degree. Some aviation programs will give you lots of credits for your ratings... that could speed things up. If that doesn't work out, go for the easiest possible option. Avoid being bogged down by college [SIZE=-1]bureaucracy[/SIZE] at all costs. If that job really is something you can't pass up, then take it, but keep your options open. Make a plan to get your degree and stick to it! There are many paths to success here. I'm sure you've read all about this topic by now. It is possible to have a great career in aviation without a degree, but it is harder.

 

[B1900FO]

Degree....

I definitely appreciate the advice guys!

It's a very tough decision, only because I know I could finish the degree online, but it is true that I would miss out on everything else a 21 year old would miss out on.

With that being said, a comfortable lifestyle at this point would be a nice thing as well...

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I definitely appreciate the advice guys!

It's a very tough decision, only because I know I could finish the degree online, but it is true that I would miss out on everything else a 21 year old would miss out on.

With that being said, a comfortable lifestyle at this point would be a nice thing as well...

dont let "comfortable lifestyle" fool you....it will be good for a few years but will peak out quick w/o a degree.

have fun, go to school, airplanes will always be there.

 

[CaptainMark]

i always agree with g200 on this issue...i agree... don't be shortsighted..i was flying a LR35 when i was 19 and i thought $40,000 was huge...but others convinced me not to be shortsighted about the cash and get a degree so it will benefit me down the road...$40,000 is now 2 months pay..get the degree...good luck

 

[Flying Freddie]

Get the degree. The job won't last. Your degree will.

 

[cl65capt]

Take it from someone who doesnt have a degree. GO GET THE DEGREE!

 

[FLY.80]

Get the degree, and avoid the Airlines. It is a worthless career choice.

 

[pilotyip]

Degree? Someone say degree?

This is still a fantastic career, with or without a degree. If person wants a degree they should by all means get a degree. If a person does not want a degree, then they should also be supported in their decision to go about a different career pursuit. However it seems on this board the only path one can pursue without being told how stupid they are, is the college only route. To go full time and get a degree, run up big debt and only do it to check a box on 1 out of 100 applications seems counter productive to me. Going part time in your case would seem to be a reasonable idea. You may be gifted with a level of discipline that others do not have, this will allow you to complete your degree part-time. You will make your own decisions, make them for the right reasons. Do not be swayed by either the pro degree or con degree forces of evil dwelling on this board. But then I am old fashioned and do not care if anyone has a degree or not.

 

[Falcon Jet 1]

I was in your same shoes about 12 years ago. I took the job and did the degree online through riddle. Was fortunate enough to have the company pay for the colege as well. It took me 9 years to finish, but if I would have been more disciplined could have done it in 5. Ive been at SWA for 4 years and enjoy it tremendously, but I probably wouldnt have been hired if it werent for the degree. The only drawback going the corporate route is that the companies that i flew for only flew 250-300 hours a year, besides that had a ball and made really good money. Just dont get stupid and get married till youre much older.

 

[pilotyip]

Congrats Falcon Jet one, you also appear to gifted with discipline that others do not have, and you successfully completed your part time degree while flying. You are a role model. BTW how much debt did you run up going to college?

 

[LJDRVR]

Yip, yet again, I have to disagree with you. While I concur wholeheartedly that you can have a great career with or without the degree, it would be foolhardy to pass up the opportunity to get an education when it's sitting right there in front you. Especially since the better jobs require it.

B1900 FO, go to school and get the degree. The airplanes will always be there. I always thought I didn't need it. My attitude has been that I'm self-educated, a published author, with more aviation and life experience than that of my counterparts that went to State University while I was serving my country. I was going to rely on my ability to interview well to put me out in front of the rest. (I've been hired at every airline I've ever interviewed at, 6/0.) Here's the "rest of the story" though: Without the degree, chances are you won't get called for the interview. Read that sentence again. Take a look at my qualifications. Half of that TT is turbine PIC. I've held numerous management positions, including Airline Director of Safety. My phone is not ringing. If I had the degree, I'd be at SWA or CAL.

As it stands, I'm upgrading next month, and will be using my reserve time in Newark to finish my bachelor's. (2 big GRE's and a handful of cleps to go.)

Read G200's first post. Heck, print it out and put it on your fridge.

Good Luck!

 

[CaptainMark]

ljdrvr....congrats on the soon to be completion of your degree..

 

[JSky26]

dang man, 1100 hours at 21!! That's quite the accomplishment dude!!....not to be rude or anything but did you have any sort of childhood outside of aviation...just curious?

But on to your question....I'd agree with most on this board. Go get the degree...airplanes aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Get drunk, get laid, that's what college is for...you're too young to pass that up.

 

[LXJ31]

Congrats Falcon Jet one, you also appear to gifted with discipline that others do not have, and you successfully completed your part time degree while flying. You are a role model. BTW how much debt did you run up going to college?

My God, YIP, you are obsessed with a dollar amount on a degree; how expensive is it not to have it in lost opportunities?

I finished my BS from UVSC's online program this semester. I did 5 semesters (had some prior college credits) and on average it was around $2600 per. Some interesting classes, a few boring ones and overall very good use of my time and money.

www.uvsc.edu

Worth doing if you are a self-starter. If you need someone to remind you to turn work in or constant feedback, its probably not for you. Can be frustrating working out administrative stuff via phone tag.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Rightly or wrongly, a 4-year degree is a virtual prerequisite to almost any decent flying job you'll ever come across. True, there are some guys who don't have a Bachelor's degree who nevertheless made it into the majors, but if you ask them, most will admit that they benefited from other factors (exceptional experience, military service, connections within the company, etc.) in their search for employment. Most of them know their success is something of an anomoly, and will implore you to finish your education at whatever cost.

My advice would be to take the jet job, and start building turbine time and a dependable work record. But as soon as you've settled in to your new position, start taking classes online. Embry-Riddle would be an excellent school for doing that, and layovers would be an excellent time for doing it.

BTW - Don't regard the last 2 years of college as a mere "formality," especially if you're majoring in Aviation. The skills you learn will come in useful throughout your career. Correcting the grammar and punctuation in your Captain's trip reports, for example...

Your whole future lies ahead of you. Trust me, it will be far easier to finish the degree now, than to explain umpteen-thousand times over the next 40+ years why you don't have one.

 

[pilotyip]

I see some good advice here. Get your degree seems to be the theme of this thread. However it looks like the option of how to do it is open to you. YKeep in mind you will have better job offers in the future with more quality flight time. Keep your flying job, do the degree on side.

 

[TAWS]

Take the Job, don't do the Embry Riddle thing - too expensive, do a UVSC or other cheaper one, accumulate hours, stay focused. I held a full time job (non-aviation), instructed part time (as much as possible), had twins at the time all this was going on and went to school (15 credit hours one semester, 12 the others) to finish up. You need to be able to study while the others are having a good time in the bar - if this is not you, go to school full time. If you don't have the degree, you will hit a brick wall somewhere - nobody cares where you got it!!
GOOD LUCK!!
By the way, my marriage survived, twins are fine and I graduated Magna!!

 

[B1900FO]

dang man, 1100 hours at 21!! That's quite the accomplishment dude!!....not to be rude or anything but did you have any sort of childhood outside of aviation...just curious?

Nope, I really didin't. Had some issues on the homefront during my teenage years so aviation became my "teddy bear" if you get what I mean...

The advice means alot guys, I appreciate it. I may not even get the job, and if I don't get the job I'm going back to school, but if I do get the job I am going to ask for a day to think about it and make a decision. The problem is, the gr*************** looks greener on the college side as well as the Beechjet side.

 

[Acefaser]

Over 98% of pilots hired at majors have a 4 year degree.

 

[pilotyip]

Check the figures

Ace, according to the figures put out by Air Inc, the numbers guys, 10% of pilots hired by SWA last year did not have degrees, 15% of the pilots hired at Jet Blue did not have 4 yr degrees, and 12% of the pilots hired a Air Train did not have 4 yr degrees. But I guess they are not real majors that have the 98% purity.

 

[LJDRVR]

Yip,

You're missing the point! Beating the odds won't happen if you don't get called for the interview! I have apps in at all three of the places you mention, and they have yet to call.

Here's another stat for you: 1000% of all new hires at UPS and FedEx have the degree.

IF your career goal is flying for the majors or fortune 100 corporate, not getting the degree is a severe handicap.