I just want to add that the #1 thing you can do in this business to be successful is to network. And I don't mean start lame-o conversations with every beat pilot in the fbo/terminal who is at the end of their 14hr duty day. I mean keep in contact with everyone you work with, train with, study with, career centers, instructors. Your career will ebb and flow along with all of us and you want to know who to call and what areas to explore to keep yourself on the right trend. People will remember you if you have the right attitude, ethic, personality.

I graduated from Riddle '02 PRC. I had a great time. Flight training is great and most of the degree classes are excellent. However the program now cost more than double what it cost me and with perspective I would not do it under the current cost structure.

In your age of training it may be a challenge to find experience in 6-pack style instruments, but I would suggest to try to find it even if the bulk is in G-whizz style dashboards. With the industry as saturated as it is many of the direct bridge programs and such will not be as prevalent and you may have to actually build time before going to an airline, or god forbid you may not want to fly an RJ. I have yet so see a cargo Baron, or a canyon tour 206 with a G1000. Or you might want to ditch the airline gig as many of us have and try fractional or corporate. You don't want to be a 3-4000 hour guy jumping in to Flight Safety for your Beechjet/lear/hawker type and face the dreaded 6-pack for your first time.

As a final note to emphasize my original suggestion. Network. So far I have done flight instructing, 135 cargo, BE-1900 commuter airline, charter/fractional. My Alma Mater did not place me in any of those positions. Every one of them was developed through networking and staying genuine to the people and career I enjoy.

Good luck.