Your College Degree.

[PilotOnTheRise]

For those of you who have a college degree, I have a few questions.

1) What is your degree in?
2) Why did you choose the degree you did?
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again?
4) If your answer to #3 is no, than what would you major in?

I am just a little confused right now. I know the track I want to follow to become a pilot. I recently enlisted in the Air National Guard, and when I graduate from college, I plan to apply for, and hopefully get a pilot slot. Of course, I eventually want to go to the airlines.

I am just trying to get an idea of some good majors.

-Thanks!

 

[geshields]

1) What is your degree in? Aeronautical Science
2) Why did you choose the degree you did? Seemed like a good plan
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again? No
4) If your answer to #3 is no, than what would you major in? I would major in something that would give me more options. A backup degree sort of...if the airline thing didn't work out.

Hope that helps ya...

 

[radarlove]

Pick the one you're most interested in. If you don't do calculus in your spare time for fun, don't pick engineering, 'cause the guys that do will eat your lunch. If you like English, pick English. Pick scriptwriting if that's what you do for fun.

It's nothing more than a "check box" on an airline application (Bachelor's degree? Yes/No) so it makes no difference. Do it from an accredited school, I think there are several "distance learning", like University of Phoenix that aren't recognized.

At some point in your career, you may need to prove that you excelled in college, maybe applying for law school, grad school, or even that pilot management job. When you do, you'll be glad you chose the major that got you the best grades, not the one you thought would most impress the airline hiring folks.

Because the military tends to like engineering major graduates of the Academies for fighter slots and test-pilot slots, a lot of folks think they need to slog through aeronautical engineering at Kansas State University to get that first regional job. Not so. Major in what you love and get good grades.

Whatever you do, don't skip the bachelor's degree. It's a prerequisite for almost anything professional now.

 

[klhoard]

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Uh, oh. . . .here come PilotYip. . . .
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[Rook]

Hope that helps ya...

geshields pretty much covered me too.

Rook

 

[RockBass14]

I'm graduating in December with a Bachlors of Business Admin in Finance and Economics. It is a backup, and should I not be able to fly one day, i'd want to go the finance/accounting route. Aside from being a sim instructor or ground school teacher what can you do with a flight science degree? That was the biggest turn off to me. I was told though, that the ANG likes science related degrees. Look at the costs related as well, you can sure do your flight training a lot cheaper than if you were to go to a pilot factory.

 

[FreightNazi]

No College here. HS diploma only, 1.7GPA in fact! I'm now a mid-level seniority captain at UPS. Guess I should have gone to college afterall!

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

I'm thinking of going with a Bs. in Geography, with a focus in climatology/meteorology, and geographical information systems. That is an interest if mine, especially weather, and it is technically a "science" degree.

I'm not aware of exactly what the Guard looks for, but I do know that active duty, especially ROTC, usually doesn't care what your degree is in, as far as pilot applicants are concerned. Apparently they actually prefer the "technical" degrees, such as engineering, for other jobs.

I am horrible at math, and I hate it. Therefore, I am not going for engineering, physics, or any other degree that involves more than your basic level maths.

 

[Max Powers]

Think BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP!!!!!

What happens if you lose your medical or are laid off ask yourself what would I want to do?

 

[Saabslime]

No College here. HS diploma only, 1.7GPA in fact! I'm now a mid-level seniority captain at UPS. Guess I should have gone to college afterall!

Well, I bestow on you an honorary B.S.!!!

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

1) What is your degree in?
2) Why did you choose the degree you did?
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again?
4) If your answer to #3 is no, than what would you major in?

1. Near Eastern Studies
2. I found it interesting.
3. Yes, because it was quick, I enjoyed it, and I could finish and then focus on my ratings.

Many people say to major in something you could fall back on. That's a great idea but not too practical. There are only a few bachelor's degrees that will get you a job in and of themselves: engineering, computer science, nursing, accounting, and a very few others. But even those aren't of much use without recent work experience. If you've been flying for a decade and you lose your medical it will take a lot to break back into those fields after never having worked in them. Were I to lose my current flying job my most realistic way to find employment would not be to fall back on my nonaviation degree but to get a job driving a truck with my commercial drivers license. Like any training for a career you need to be highly skilled and advanced in your field of study. Whether that be having a graduate degree or years of work experience and specialized training (which is what career pilots have). Like others have said before, a bachelor's degree is a check mark on an application in most any professional field now a days. Whether your degree is aviation related or not, once you decided to become a professional pilot for a career, do all you can do to get the most training and experience to be the most competetive. That can be said of most career fields, not just being a pilot. Good luck.

 

[brownie]

frieghtnazi
u must be a ipx guy because that's all ups could hire on those days.

 

[TonyC]

I majored in Computer Science. I began my freshman year with the idea I'd major in Aeronautical Engineering. I enjoyed the Comp Sci class more, so I changed the major. I enjoyed getting the degree. If I had it to do over, I'd do the same thing. The major wasn't as important as the degree.

A degree as a "backup"??!?!? By the time most people get around to using their backup, the degree is dated anyway. If you can finish a degree, you can work out any backup plan. Pick something you enjoy, and make your learning experience as pleasant and meaningful as possible. Doing so will improve your odds of successfully accomplishing the task of getting a degree, and THAT, I believe, is the real value of having a degree in the first place. It's more about the journey than the destination.



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[mach none]

Poly Science and Philosophy
It was easy
No
Proctology...help me understand all the a..holes in the industry.

 

[PurpleTail]

I am just a little confused right now. I know the track I want to follow to become a pilot. I recently enlisted in the Air National Guard, and when I graduate from college, I plan to apply for, and hopefully get a pilot slot. Of course, I eventually want to go to the airlines.

Let me unconfuse you for a minute...you'll spend more money on your degree than you'll make in the first 10 years of your aviation career.

This profession as we know it is almost all but gone. Sad but true. A little advise, major in something that is interesting to you (besides aviation) and make enough at it to fly for fun and not as a living. Sad but true.

 

[pilotyip]

Go to college for any reason you, learning, girls, beer, whatever. College is a great experience, do something you like. A business degree is useful in almost anything you do. But do not go to college because you think it will you need it to be a pilot. I agree with Tony C the market value of an unused degree is highly overrated.

 

[VVJM265]

For those of you who have a college degree, I have a few questions.

1) What is your degree in? EE
2) Why did you choose the degree you did? Personal interest, good job market at the time (& still)
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again? Absolutely

A degree as a "backup"??!?!? By the time most people get around to using their backup, the degree is dated anyway. If you can finish a degree, you can work out any backup plan. Pick something you enjoy, and make your learning experience as pleasant and meaningful as possible. Doing so will improve your odds of successfully accomplishing the task of getting a degree, and THAT, I believe, is the real value of having a degree in the first place. It's more about the journey than the destination.

As always, TonyC hits it out of the park. Well said Sir. The “backup value” of any degree is in learning to think and apply skills and knowledge to new & different situations.

Best of luck,
VVJM265

 

[NEDude]

1) What is your degree in?
2) Why did you choose the degree you did?
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again?

1)Political Science
2)Was a political junkie at the time
3)Don't know. Might want to try something different, but I did enjoy my major

I don't think it really matters what your degree is in. Unless you want to go into something specific such as engineering or a science field. With my degree I have worked in intercollegiate athletics administration (a GREAT job) and in software development in addition to aviation.

 

[Clyde]

For those of you who have a college degree, I have a few questions.

1) What is your degree in?

Aviation.

2) Why did you choose the degree you did?

I didn't know any better.

3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again?

No.

4) If your answer to #3 is no, than what would you major in?

In today's climate, I would get a degree in something that you could either use successfully in the event you don't land a flying job or you get furloughed; and/or one that you can use practically on the side to earn extra income.

Some of the degrees that come to mind that would be worth investigating are accounting, nursing, electrical or civil engineering, and even automotive technology.

My job is very secure, so I am not worried about the possibility of ending up on the street with a completely useless degree. However, many others out there cannot say that. So what I would do if I were starting out today, is find a degree that is very practical and can offer you a very good chance of stable, good-income employment that is not aviation-related. The airlines do not require any specific degree, so study something that will give you more than just a piece of paper to hang on the wall.

 

[TonyC]

But do not go to college because you think it will you need it to be a pilot.

And I agree with pilotyip here. You do NOT need a college degree to be a pilot. You only need it to get some VERY GOOD pilot JOBS!







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