Originally Posted by Cubdriver

CFI and college are the proving grounds for pilots and adult human beings. Building skills, character, contacts, experience, knowledge, the broader viewpoint, the complete picture.... our society values these things and for good reason. The tendency of young pilots is to rush for line seniority forgetting that human values equate more to happiness than external success. But even a second year FO salary is adequate for a twentyeight year old, and those who take the trouble to experience university and flight instruction gain world of development as human beings for taking the trouble.

I have a friend who skipped college during the computer programming boom in the early 80s and went directly to work. He does quite well for himself. From time to time he takes vocational classes to beef up his skills, and he has moved up steadily up in pay and position. He makes more than most of his peers, in fact. But to me he is shallow, has a narrow view of humanity, lacks a broader understanding of computer science, and certainly lacks a sense of the wider scheme of human existence. He lives for bigger houses and newer Buicks. He has no idea what makes the world go around. Does he seem happy? Well, yeah I guess. But his mind is fallow and even if money truly satisfies him what sort of person does this portray.

There's no easy solution to building a quality mind.