I never understood why people recommend getting a degree unrelated to Aviation and paying for additional credits in college... especially when Universities like UVU and Embry-Riddle give you 36-40 credits for pilot certificates and flying experience towards an Aviation degree. I have 2 Aviation degrees - undergraduate in Professional Aeronautics and graduate degree in Aeronautical Science, and currently work as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle. If you lose your medical, an undergrad degree in Finance or Business is not going to get you a job in that respective field, without any experience. With an Aviation degree, and aviation experience, you can market yourself in the training department or other Aviation fields. Even the new ATP rules allow you to get an ATP with fewer hours (than 1500), if you earn an Aviation degree and receive flight training from a 141 school. Bottom line, earn your CFI and get a college degree.