No college success story

[TonyC]

tony i'm cringing when you proof read my post.

It's been a long day and if i read one more page i'm going to throw my textbook against the wall.

Unless it contains a claim of intellectual superiority I won't even bother. It's the guys that claim to be so intelligent but can't compose a proper sentence, much less a paragraph, that drive me mad.


But you can still throw the textbook against the wall if it'll make you feel better!








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[Diesel]

I would but i think it would wake up the guest in the next hotel room.

maybe they are a fedex pilot. on second thought.

whack

 

[TonyC]

Some loony tune is trying to knock my hotel wall down! So much for sleeping during the day.










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[PC12Cowboy]

Hmm...at 70 dollars a barrel...MAYBE the Airlines will RAIDE thier prices to make a profit and quit being the low price losers that they have become...people will still travel and they will just have to re budget....

 

[HMR]

Being "uneducated" has never affected my flying career.

 

[The Truth]

I'm guessing your degree was not in English.

Nope, sorry to say, just mechanical engineering.

The fact is that if you would take that online degree into an interview at a major accounting firm, or other professional industry outside of aviation, the interviewer would most likely be fighting back the urge to laugh you off of the premises. Let's see...candidate A has a degree from the University of Michigan, candidate B from Columbia, candidate C from NYU...and then there's candidate D with an online degree from the prestigious University of Phoenix (no one outside of aviation has ever HEARD of ERAU, so I won't even use that as an example). Just based on the above criteria, who doesn't make the cut?

Unlike the majority of other professions out there, aviation employers seem to have low regard for the traditional means of ACHIEVING a college degree. Applications oftentimes are limited to a simple check of a box when the question of "4-year degree" is asked. There is no distinction between earning a traditional degree, versus some online degree that's printed off from a "Congratulations, you're a college graduate" e-mail. And as long as that continues to be the case, more and more pilots will continue to BUY their degree, not earn it.

However, if indeed that furlough unfortunately comes, or one simply decides to get out of aviation, whatever amount of money was wasted on an online degree will be soon become painfully apparent. But, I guess it really doesn't matter, you were able to get seniority out of it all...right?

 

[hindsight2020]

Engineering as best choice... *BUZZARD* WRONG! Try again

If you are going to invest time and money in a college education, by all means get a degree that is marketable in and of itself. The best choices are engineering and business administration. These majors will equip you with hard skills that will make you a better aviation business person, but much more important, will give you a back-up in case aviation does not pan out for you. And yes, that happens, for a variety of reasons, much more than we like to think.

Do not under any circumstances buy into a college or university "flight training" major that get you a degree in "Airways Science," or some other euphemism for aviation studies. That "degree" in and of itself is worthless in the market place. Do not be deceived, if you lose your medical you will no longer be a pilot, likewise if you lose your certificate due to difficulties with the Feds. Then try to get a good job with your worthless "Airways" degree.

Also, the "flight training" that you will receive in a college or university program will end up costing you three times as much and take three times longer than if you had gone to a reputable flight training establishment. You will enter the job market crippled by debt.

In summary, university aviation programs are the biggest, phoniest, and most hypocritical scams in aviation today. They make their money off your dreams and it goes to support people who have no experience in the real world and spend their lives sucking off a state-supported tit.

Regarding the university flight programs, I agree with ya. Now regarding engineering....

After 7 years of doing what most people think is the safe route I can assure you that the "back up" value of an engineering degree is a MYTH. I agree about your assessment of the value of an aviation degree outside of aviation, however I'm afraid to tell you that in essence you're making NO point at all with that argument. What is the value of a profession chosen solely to have the 'perceived' notion of job security? None.

What's the job security in a entry-level defense contractor engineering job; assuming you actually want to use your particular type of engineering degree rather than be relegated to taking WHATEVER job offer you get regardless of interest [read THE REAL WORLD])? Less than your starving CFI job. I'll add that you'll probably find it so depressing you'll quit before the 18 months are up.

My point is you're going to be unhappy NOT flying a plane regardless. A degree pursued based on the economical contention, PROVIDED that one would otherwise would never touch that field with a 10 foot pole if able to fly, will leave you as empty as the job outlook of an aviation degree outside of aviation.

Now if yo must go about your life CONSTANTLY worrying about poking your eye out and ending your aviation career, business administration is a sound choice provided you're a proactive individual and have above avg. social skills. My best pick would be nursing, cake a$$ major and a huge return$$$ on investement, long hours but a lot of days off. Pharmacy, insane $$$ and half the work put for an engineering degree.

Engineering...that reminds me of that song, I think it's NAS that sings it,... "Take a walk with me n***a"...LOL too bad they don't let me give the campus tours at my Department; I could go on but I digress.

 

[viper548]

The fact is that if you would take that online degree into an interview at a major accounting firm, or other professional industry outside of aviation, the interviewer would most likely be fighting back the urge to laugh you off of the premises. Let's see...candidate A has a degree from the University of Michigan, candidate B from Columbia, candidate C from NYU...and then there's candidate D with an online degree from the prestigious University of Phoenix (no one outside of aviation has ever HEARD of ERAU, so I won't even use that as an example). Just based on the above criteria, who doesn't make the cut?

Where on the diploma or transcripts does it say anything about the degree being done online or in residence?

 

[banned username 2]

My question is why are you so adamant about it? Did you not manage to finish college? Is this personal resentment of your own shortcomings? What gives? Doesn't make a lot of sense. I have been flying around in this biz for awhile now, and you are the only person I have heard who "preaches" not to get a degree. I almost think your doing it to get a rise out of people.

The irony of the whole situation is that PilotYip doesn't have a degree, he has 2 degree's... BUT he is still stuck at the rat-assed freight level and is bitter because he never got (or maybe never capitalized on) the opportunity to progress beyond that level... Somehow or another he has convinced himself that college is a waste of time, and sitting in an old Falcon 20 instead of a classroom is somehow going to solve the problem that he has endured...

PilotYIP is bitter at an industry that he feels has shorted him... He is nearing retirement age and is in a job that most 20-somethings view as a stepping stone job, but unfortunately for PilotYIP, it isn't a stepping stone, it is the last stone on the road... I believe this has seriously skewed his view of the industry...

This industry is tough, there is no doubt about it... I don't have to tell you guys, we all live it every day... To come into this industry with the deck stacked against you from the start (no college degree) is a foolish move if you have the means to do otherwise... As pilots, we realize there are no 100% certainties, our job is about "risk mitigation", we do what we can to increase the likelyhood of the desired results... A VERY large percentage of pilots hired into the "desireable" jobs have college degrees, assessing that fact says that with a degree you are far more likely (however not certain) to achieve the goal of attaining a desireable flying job...

As I like to say "It ain't rocket science"... Put yourself in the group with the highest success rate and you will be more likely to succeed, don't do this and it will be an uphill battle the rest of your career...

Good luck...

 

[check6]

Who cares? PFT, no degree, degree, aviation degree. It all works. . .sadly.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Flying my trusty old C-47 to AZO last week, I find out one of pax is an airline pilot. So invite him up to the cockpit to show him the cockpit, part 91 you know. Turns out he is a non-college grad, part 121 TJ Captain who just turned 24 yr. old. He is doing his degree on-line, and when he is 27 yr. old he will have around 6000TT, 5000 MEL 3000 TJ PIC and a four-year degree. This will coincide nicely with the June 2007 hiring boom. How does this compare to a 4-yr. degree guy who at age 23 has a CFII and 350 hr. The current 121 TJ PIC will be hired by CAL/SWA/JB/AirTran, etc., while the college grad will be going to Comair, Pinnacle, Cogan, etc. If you want to be a pilot fly airplanes. Oh I forgot, you go to college to have good time, my mistake.

Just what one needs...

career advice from someone who heads up one of the most notorious $hitbag operation in aviation.

Heck, his own people come on here and call him a complete arsehole.

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Give it a rest YIP...

 

[FN FAL]

rat-assed freight level

Rat-assed? I feel for those guys

 

[MD11Drvr]

I am currently flying a wide body jet around the world without a college degree but does that mean I would recomend not getting one, Hell no! If I had a degree I would have a few more open doors and a shot at someone like UPS or FedEx. As it is I have a fair amount of expierence and an A&P but its no substitute for a college degree. I am however confused why when I sent in a resume to UPS and FedEX with my PHD from U of S. of H.K.'s I did not get a response from them, oh well go figure.

 

[pilotyip]

gulfstream long time no see, hang in there your input is always enlightening

 

[pilotyip]

"BUT he is still stuck at the rat-assed freight level and is bitter because he never got (or maybe never capitalized on) the opportunity to progress beyond that level... "

Wrong again DA Capt, I consider myself one the luckiest guys in the world, I have done everything I wanted to do in my career, I love what I do, I get to fly all kinds of different airplanes. I have never made it to what alot of people would think as a career goal. But my child hood dream was to be a Navy pilot, I did that, after that everything else has been gravy. You can not impose your judgement of my career, because you are looking at it from your point of view. I would not want your job, but I do not judge you for having your job. In the end it is all about flying airplanes, my life has been fulfilled.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Sally Struuthers
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I am disappointed.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

gulfstream long time no see, hang in there your input is always enlightening

Do you not head a total $hitbag operation?
Do your peers not come on here and tell the world how you screw them?
Shall we do a thread review?

See ya in 6 months when you post your "TJ PIC" theory of success in aviation again...

please, lets talk "enlightening" yip, lets do.

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[TonyC]

I am disappointed.

LOL

She scaaares me.








(pssst... there's plenty more )

 

[pilotyip]

gulfstream I am just a score keeper and a clerk, and again you give me too much credit. I am just a reporter and have very little input to the operation at USA Jet. But I think I am an easy target for unhappy people, such is life. I think for every negative post you quote there wil a counter quote, but guess those do not count. You one those guys complaining about pay made around $14,000 gross last month, but you will not hear that side of the story.

 

[check six]

Engineering degree isn't too bad of a backup, but like anything it takes time in job to pay off. Senior managers in engineering companies don't usually think too much of a 20-29 year old with an engineering degree until he/she gets some experience and maturity. He/she may be the smartest guy around but that's just the way the industry seems to work. So when one post said, "no security in a defense contractor engineer job", that's not the whole story. If you hang in there long enough, it pays off if you are good. Lot of guys just don't have the patience.


It seems to me, flying is even more that way. No one thinks much of you until you have about 1000 turbine pic. (Not to mention that mother nature laughs at any pilot who thinks he is totally in charge.)

Any attorneys out there think that law is a good side job?