What are some good aviation colleges ?

[Illini Pilot]

i am a bit partial, but check out University of Illinois

there are two options, both allowing you to take flight courses for credit(each class is 3-4 credit hours, so you normally can get up to like 25 hrs in 4 years towards your degree). There is an BS in Aviation Human Factors, and also, a "professional pilot curriculum" that will take you through all your ratings, and allow you to get anything from an engineering to a business degree. currently, we have 18 1999 or newer Archer IIIs, 5 2000 or newer Arrows, 4 Brand new Seminoles, 2 older C152s, and a bunch of frasca sims(frasca is based in Urbana). great school, a big 10 school with great social/sporting atmosphere and it allows for an aviation degree or other degree. check it out at www.aviation.uiuc.edu

 

[de727ups]

degree

My opinion is the best degree for aviation is not an aviation degree....and I should know....I went to ERAU, class of 1982.

If you have an area of interest that you enjoy besides aviation, by all means, go for that as it will give you training in something to keep you going when you hit the slow moments in the flying career. If you're lucky like me, flying could become a job where you have a lot of time off to do other things and training in another area you enjoy could lead to other opportunities.

If you do decide to major in aviation. Riddle is an okay school but very expensive. Metro State in Denver is a well known school if you're from Colorado...outside of that, nobody seems to ever mention it. Denver is a great town and the university is right in the middle of it. They have a few aviation degrees and a large indoor sim facility. They allow training at a few quality flight schools which keeps the flying costs way down compared to other places which require you to do it in house.

 

[XLR8]

I'd say go to school wherever you're going to enjoy it the most. When I was getting ready for school, I already had my Pvt and Inst rating. UND was going to make me go through 2 courses and a bunch of flying in order to test out.....cost=Approx $3000.

I ended up going to a state school with a nationally accredited aviation program. All I had to do to get credit for my certificates was going flying ONCE with the schools examiner and take a couple written tests, I think I paid about $20 for, I think it was 8 credits. A lot cheaper than one of the bigger schools. Since it was cheaper than the big schools, I was able to afford a lot more flight time.

Before I graduated I had 1500+ hours and 4 airline job offers, of course that was when they would hire just about anyone.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[daniel]

Looks like alot of great advise here but also looks like alot of people who attended and/or are associated with Embry that are blowing the horn. No doubt they have good programs but certainly no better than any other school necessarily and definitely not compatible pricewise. There are hundreds of smaller flight schools nationwide who now are affiliated with an educational institution offering a degree and the price and convenience is unmatched by any of the larger institutions. Unless a prospective employer is a former student of Embry, ATP's, etc. don't expect any preference from a hiring standpoint. Also, the airspace in Florida is the busiest and also the most dangerous in the nation from a standpoint of accident statistics. We see many students here who have attended schools in Florida attesting to this along with horror stories of spending 1 1/2 hours of a two hour lesson sitting on the ground during taxi and after landing because of the bulk of traffic at these airports. I guess they are learning something called PATIENCE! Anyway, check out your options as thoroughly as possible and good luck!

 

[Iflewjetz]

I graduated from Florida Institute of Technology. I went in with my Private, Instrument, and commercial. I was a Sophomore my second quarter. Finished my Bachelors Degree in 3 years. Like everybody else says, do what you want find something you like. I am furloughed from US Airways and am trying to find out what to do with my life. Take care.
Tony

 

[void]

another alternative

I'd agree with getting a degree other than aviation.

If you do want it though you could something similar to what I, and a bunch of other people did.

You can go to a smaller school and then transfer to a bigger one. It saves money and you still get the same bachelors degree.

I went to a two year school got my associates degree and alot of my ratings and then transfered to a four year school that has been mentioned. I know a lot of people that have done the same and have saved thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands by doing it that way.

 

[Sphincter Boy]

Check out Louisiana Tech at www.latech.edu.

 

[Since 1926]

TIME called Riddle "the harvard of the sky". I think it is true. You want the best aviation education you can get, go to Embry-Riddle. It will cost you, but it is the best you can get.

Well put. Embry-Riddle really is the Harvard of the Sky. Basically to summarize it in a nutshell, Embry-Riddle offers THE MOST direct-entry programs for jet jobs. I'm talking about both internships and "bridge programs." These are special programs that allow you to go directly to a regional with 300 - 500 hours. ACA is one of them to name a few. Embry-Riddle offers more connections and networking capabilities within the airline industry. The aviation classes are top notch. Where some aviation colleges may touch on turbine aircraft operations, Embry-Riddle thoroughly covers advanced aerodynamics, jet aircraft, and airline operations. Embry-Riddle is a known standard, similar to the Air Force Academy. The airlines know what type of candidate they are getting when they hire an Embry-Riddle graduate. If you want a good alternate school to consider, think about UND. You'll be very cold, and you won't fly much in the winter. But if you want the best, then shoot for the stars and go to Embry-Riddle. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck and God bless!

 

[jdru25]

If you are looking to finish with an online degree, the ERAU program will give you 35 credit hours if you have 1000 PIC, and 32 credit hours if you have 500 hours of dual instruction given. I also have friends that are with Part 135 and 121 air carriers that recieved 35 credit hours for working with an air carrier. Hope that helps.

 

[Sphincter Boy]

Forget ERAU. Don't let these cheezeballs and their $90K loans try to convice you that Embry Riddle is the end all, be all school of aeronautics and that you won't make it in aviation unless going there. I got to where I am today by hard work, tenacity, and a good education, not because of the name brand of the education. A good meaninful 4-year degree and a lot of hard work and persistance will land you the job you are looking for. Also, personality goes a long way in this profession.