Originally Posted by
Jessica
Hi, I've recently been accepted to Virginia Tech for majoring in physics. However, I'm not sure if a degree in physics is the best for becoming a commercial pilot because it's so difficult and complicated. I originally wanted to major in aviation but it was too costly. Is majoring in physics a good idea? Should I make a switch? Please help.
Jessica, your concerns over the difficulty of a physics degree are completely warranted. Good on you for assessing the risk and attempting to mitigate low GPA concerns given that your end goal in life appears to be flying. In flying jargon, you have situational awareness on a potential threat and are asking those in the profession for feedback.
I'd suggest majoring in physics if it's something you really enjoy and are good at math. You'll have an uphill battle if you don't have both of those components. Majoring in physics to further your understanding of flying is seriously overkill... you don't need a technical degree to understand flying concepts or succeed as a pilot. What will help you most in pursuit of your ratings is an excellent instructor and persistent ground study with training aids which cater to your personal style of learning.
As others have mentioned, I'd recommend studying something which is captivating for you and will let you get relatively good grades. Bonus points if you can use it as a backup in case flying doesn't pan out for you.
Best of luck, and congrats on VT!