Mike,
Having graduated from SJSU a year and a half ago I may be able to help a bit.
One thing you need to know is that you cannot get your pilot certificates through the school itself. The university won't allow flight training through the school because of liability. You can, however get your flight training done much cheaper because of this. In my four years at state I spent (on flight traing and the university) just a little more that what you would spend in one year at schools like Purdue, UND, etc. It is much cheaper. I ended up with 1000TT and 100 multi with all my ratings (except the ATP obviously) for 1/4 the cost. I got highered by a regional 6 months later. There is a flying club that you will be eligible to join as an SJSU student that offers dirt cheap rental rates with well maintained aircraft.
Through the school you will complete courses that will get you signed off to take your instrument and private pilot writtens. The instrument class requires you to practice in the sim as well.
One thing I really like about the SJSU program is that it is pretty maintenance heavy. You will take a lot of classes on aircraft systems including a few semesters of hands on work. This will help out bigtime in an airline groundschool because you have pretty much seem all the systems before.
My suggestion would be if you are going to SJSU to get a degree in Aviation Operations: Maintenance management, instead of the Aviation Operations: Flight operations. The reason being that the flight operations degree gives you no back-up. With the Maintenance management degree (what I did) you will be qualified to take your A&P when you graduate.
They used to have awesome internship programs with United and TWA but both airlines no longer have intern programs.
Overall, its is a good scool and I would highly recommend it over a pure aviation university because you become a more welll rounded person, and you get more bang for your buck. That, and you will get to see hot college chicks, not aviation chicks all day long.
PM me if you have any other questions, I will be glad to help you out.
SKeezer
PS enjoy your solo!!
