Your College Degree.

[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!







.

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

Military History
like the subject, needed four year degree to get commissioned in USAF
would do it over again...

-LA

 

[Swede]

Chemistry. A brutal degree. I'd never do it again. I know less chemistry now than my H.S. daughter. Utterly worthless for anything other than saying "Yes I have a B.S. in chemistry." But my ability to say that got me hired, so I guess it was worth it after all. I would NOT have been hired without a Bachelor's degree.

 

[dabandermac]

go to college and f biatches..... have the best time of your life

 

[FreightNazi]

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!







.

I Agree.

 

[gkrangers]

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.

Meteorology involves a very very high level of math and physics.

As for myself..

It'll be a Safety Science degree...minor in ATC.

It'll give me options...

 

[CFIcare]

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

1) What is your degree in? Late Modern European Military History
2) Why did you choose the degree you did? I had the best grades in it
3) Would you major in the same thing, if you had to do over again? Um, no.
4) If your answer to #3 is no, than what would you major in? I would have saved myself a LOT of needless memorizing and cramming and I would have majored in recreational science. It doesn't matter what your degree is in if you are going into aviation.

Major in something you enjoy reading/writing/learning about, not something you will base a career on. I don't know many people who actually have a career that thei major prepared them for. Do history, literature, heck forestry if you like it. Some employers like to see you have a degree only to see that you can finish a long term program that you started. If you want to run your own FBO or charter company one day, then maybe aviation/airport management would be a good idea. If all you want to do is fly, then just sample what's available and major in what interests you. I took courses in geology, astronomy, calculus, French, religion, economics, literature, art and history. I had the best grades in history so that was that. After graduation I framed the diploma, put it somewhere and then went flying.

Good luck and have fun at whatever you choose to do.

 

[smellthejeta]

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!

Let me preface this by saying that when I started college, I had no aspirations of becoming a pilot. I had no flight time and it wasn't even on my mind.

I started off as mech engr and hated the homework. Switched over to comp sci. Halfway through, I figured out what an airplane was and decided that was a heck of a lot more fun than school. I finished off my degree because, well, it doesn't matter what I get it in and I already started it.

I then went to work for the airlines making jack squat trying to figure out how to pay the rest of my flight training and keep that guaranteed interview. That job ran its course and I moved on to general aviation. I then decided that financially being a pilot wasn't worth it anymore. I tried to fly in the USAF (great career for flying) but lost my medical. I then decided to pursue the ATC thing full steam. I'm in the middle of getting situated at ZHU and should be down there late spring/early summer I hope. I'll let you know then whether or not it's been worth it.

Oh yeah. As it stands now, with that job, I can own my own airplane and fly where I want when I want how I want just because I want to. I don't have to wear a hat, a jacket, or stripes.

 

[capt. megadeth]

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.

Very well said. I got a non-aviation degree as a "back up" and it was the best decision I ever made. It has supplemented my income through flight instruction, regional FO, regional Capt. and first year pay at UPS.

 

[Clyde]

Very well said. I got a non-aviation degree as a "back up" and it was the best decision I ever made. It has supplemented my income through flight instruction, regional FO, regional Capt. and first year pay at UPS.

capt. meg'

Thank-you. I can definitely remember those probationary-pay days, and I'm happy to hear that you have a way to supplement it. Hang in there, it won't be too much longer and that decimal point slides over a little bit more to the right.

 

[seefive]

The bottom line is to get a degree in something that interests you and that you can make a living at. The next piece of advice would be to continue your education throughout your life.

If I were to go back and do it all over again, I might become a doctor, lawyer, business degree from a top 5 program. You can write your own ticket financially and it opens all kinds of interesting doors.

My undergrad is in economics (somewhat useless but it was interesting at the time). I went back for an MBA (small school but good program). After the military, I got on with FedEx. I just finished an AAS in IT that I worked on during layovers for the past two years (online degree). I'm getting my Real Estate license this semester (not planning on working in that industry, just fun, knowledge, and as stated earlier - a backup).

I'm sure I'll find something else to work on later. It can be a pain sometimes if i don't feel like working on schoolwork, but it's never a bad thing to do.

The flying business will probably never be the same as it was at most carriers. If flying is what your heart is set on, go for it, but have a fallback position. My 2 cents.