I went with my daughter to check out the American Airlines cadet academy program in Dallas back in Feb. We both liked the program and she wanted to go through it. The drawback I saw was she couldn't apply until she had her HS diploma and at the time the classes being filled were 6-9 months out. Ultimately we decided to go thru their other location at the same airport where she was able to start right away. One advantage of the academy is the financing. They can give loans to students with no credit history. You'll probably need a co-signer not going through the program.