Uncle Bose

You might as well be ME, from a year or so ago. We're both stupid for getting an aviation degree. No one told me before I started either. Wish I'd have known about APC beforehand, although I wonder if I'd have listened...

Luckily, you will not have to start over. Your general ed and many electives requirements will already be met. If you apply for a second undergrad degree, you'll only have about two years to worry about. For a master's, you'll have to complete undergraduate prep work, which is basically the core portion of an undergraduate degree related to the master's. That said, there are generally several options: (1) You can apply as a non degree-seeking student to finish that undergrad prep work, then take the GMAT or GRE at a later time and apply to the graduate program. (2) You can apply directly to a graduate program, in which case you still have to complete the prep work, but now you'll have to take your GMAT or GRE before getting in at all. (3) You can apply as a post-baccalaureate student, transfer in your lower division work and electives, and finish out a second bachelor's. I've found this option to be somewhat more difficult to get into. Many schools are extremely restrictive as to what programs have that option, or just don't allow it at all.

Don't get any high expectations of what will transfer into undergrad prep work: an aviation degree is useless in the real world because it's completely unrelated to any field aside from aviation. The math and science is too low-level to transfer into an engineering program, and there are no business classes at all, unless you happened to take economics (for example) as a lower-division elective. If you have a business minor, that'll help of course. Just be ready to spend a few semesters (three, in my case) doing undergrad prep work.

The degree I'm going for is a Master's of Accounting (MAcc) from the University of Florida. I chose this because (a) the MAcc is only 34 units (three semester's worth) on top of a bachelor's, and it meets the requirement of many states to sit for the CPA exam, and (b) an accounting degree is widely sought-after within the business world, regardless of position. An internet job search makes that very apparent. Unfortunately, the University of Florida doesn't allow postbaccs or undergraduate prep work to be done in the business programs on their campus, so I had to go to Florida State for the prep. Be prepared for that; once you find a graduate program you like at one school, you may have to do the prep work at another. However, at Florida State I was able to transfer in my lower-division work, combine it with their prep work, and be awarded a bachelor's in accounting as well. Be sure to explore the option of getting that second bachelor's, even if you're planning on a master's anyway.

As far as how it's going; I would say "quite well." With summer sessions included, it'll all have taken just two years. In the beginning I continued to instruct, but after having been in the program awhile I started working at a paid internship, making a bit more. When all this is said and done, I'll still have the option to apply to a regional (provided I could ever get another interview after having already declined a position, that's right...), but in reality I'll probably opt for a CPA job. Poverty and instability ain't my thing.

Best of luck, and congrats on making this decision before wasting away at a regional for a couple years first.