Aviation is a seniority system, thus timing is absolutely everything, qualifications simply don't matter. If you were born in the 60s/70s, half your career earnings were wiped out, regardless of any of your accomplishments. Contrast with today, there are a few pilots in their late 20's, early 30's, working at majors, even without degrees. They are very, very lucky.

The reason this makes me so angry, is that we are asking naive kids to take on six figures in debt, for a career that is based entirely on timing. Even the college degree requirement is based on timing; It's disgusting.