I took my sophomore year off of college and went to a flight school in Florida. Came back after a year away and flight instructed at a local flight school while finishing my degree. Shortly after graduation I got a job flying cargo, the corproate, then charter - laid off - flew for a regional for a couple of years and then aerial survey, and more various corporate gigs for 11 years (one of which paid for a MBA) before getting on with SWA. Very happy here. Good luck!