There's a lot of people that have had success. Going 'zero to hero' isn't a dead end outlier. It's an option that many have had success at. But the vast majority of airline guys who support going 'zero to hero' ASAP also recommend getting your degree ASAP from an online or extension program. By 25 yrs old you can be a regional airline Captain AND a college graduate. "He who goes fast first goes faster fastest."

Agreed about no guarantees. And expectations based on others success is pointless - what did they do? What are were the job opportunities at the time? How well did they perform?

Plenty of people make questionable decisions. Going to ATP right out of high school isn't a questionable decision. What is your plan at that time? Is it a realistic plan? Is your reasoning realistic? A bunch of us retired airline guys are working together and we collectively just shake our heads at some of the decisions guys trying to get to the majors are doing. "I told him that too" is a common comment. They get to pursue their own paths...what do 4-5 guys that had success in the airline business know???