questions about schools

[nsargeant]

I have a few questions about getting a aviation degree from a small 4 year college. Would I be less considered by employers with a degree from a small school as opposed to coming out of the navy or embry riddell? What kind of planes would I be flying when I graduate college with a bachelors in aviation flight?

thanks
nathan

 

[tarp]

Well Nate:

It's your first post and it's just been hanging there in thin air.

As you read this Board a little more, you will realize your question has been asked a thousand times. You can use the "Search" button at the top to get an earful.

The answer out of all your choices is: It just doesn't matter.

Right now aviation is in a slump. Hopefully, in 5 years when you graduate, there will be a turnaround and there will be a boom.

In the slump, you can have a degree from Harvard or two degrees from ERAU and thousands of hours of flight time and you are going to have to fight hard to get a CFI job at Podunk Municipal.

In the boom, you can have an Associates Degree from Langerswidgit School of Basketweaving but if you've got ATP qualifying time and a couple hundred hours of Multi time - you're in!

I used to hire people (not for aviation jobs). Education, GPA's, Social Activities, Professional Affiliations -- sure they are discriminators. But they are discriminators of the "unknown" -- those factors become important when I still have a job/slot that is unfilled and I have run out of people who are technically proficient and have personal recommendations. A resume walked in with a note or letter from a current employee recommending this person for hire is like a giant pole vault over the stacks of other resumes. Likewise, if I'm looking for - Oh let's pick a computer application - someone who is proficient in Java, HTML, C++ and has at least 5 years experience in these disciplines. Then all the resumes with less than five years and lacking those three items are going into one stack and all the folks with those skills are going in the other stack. So, if your airline has a baseline # of hours TT and Multi, that's a bigger hurdle.

The want ads don't say only BA's from ERAU will be considered. If they want a Bachelor's Degree, then any one with a Bachelor's Degree in anything qualifies.

Now - here's the kicker - what is it that ERAU, UND, Mankato, etc have that some other schools might not? They have intern programs. Intern programs allow you to get real world experience with the airlines. You are working for free. But you are also working shoulder to shoulder with employees. What happens if you impress the heck out of an employee and they write a letter of recommendation for you? Yep, the circle of life continues.

So in the boom times, our company (for one) was hiring recommended interns with as little as 600hrTT. Regular folk walking off the street had to match a 1500TT/250ME hours requirement. Now in the slump, we'll we're not hiring and numbers like 5000TT/2000Turbine are probably competitve minimums. You'll graduate a 4-year degree with about 300-400 hours.

So what will you be flying when you graduate? Probably a C-172 at a local flight school until you can build enough hours to be competitive.

And for the really sad news. Starting today, you'll be on an 8-yr plan to try and be able to hold your head above water. 4 years of college soaking you into debt. 2 to 3 years of CFI work building hours and maybe if you're lucky making $16-18K/yr. Finally, you get the interview, get an FO job with some regional or fractional and make $20K/yr. Eight years, severely in debt, and then you make it to the aviation roller coaster. Hope you really love to fly.

The good news - you are young enough to get a start and hopefully will find an opportunity that will stick. If flying is your dream, you'll make it work.

 

[bobbysamd]

Aviation degree

Great post, as always, from tarp, above. I second his point that some schools offer internships, while others might not. You should bear that in mind when selecting a school. An internship avails you of the chance to make contacts, which could help you land the job you want. As the Mastercard commercial goes, "Internship? Priceless."

The long and short of it is that you will earn the degree and, hopefully, receive a quality training experience. Such places as Riddle do have name recognition, but I have worked with a graduate of the Metro State College of Denver aviation program and a graduate of the Southeastern Oklahoma State University program, and both were excellent pilots. Just be sure that the school you choose is accredited.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

The school wont make you a good pilot, your hard work and dedication will.

Having the name behind you (ERAU etc..) does hold a lot of value through connections later on. Is it worth it? only you can decide that!

Good Luck!

PS. Ever consider medical school or law school?
kidding....(I think)....