Cubdriver

For the value, you can't beat the idea of attending SUNY at in-state tuition rates. I am partial to state colleges because in many cases they are of excellent quality and offer as good an education as aviation schools at half the cost. They can do this because they receive federal & state funding. Local FBOs (FBO means fixed base operator, a for-profit flight school) offer adequate flight training for far less than aviation collleges as well. SUNY may have a good flying club, in which case I would consider it an excellent option. If you go the state college route you can stay out of debt, which is something you want to do in a piloting career, and you will get a degree in something that is useful as an alternative to flying in case you ever need it. Whether you go through a flying club or an FBO you will obtain your flight ratings at a huge savings over going to an aviation college. I am not against the latter and in fact have numerous colleagues that graduated from Embry Riddle, but state colleges offer useful degrees as well and the tuition is unbeatable.