On the aviation degree i am 100 percent with all of the others.
On that same note I have almost completed my Associates in an aviation field, but i will tell you why.....
It is only because
Through military education and experience for some crazy reason my college approved 36 credits, although they only applied 16 towards the elective side.
Through CLEP and DANTES testing i was able to do every single one of my general education classes through a few simple, truly idiot proof test
Through just aquiring ratings through commercial and your CFII etc and the ground school included it covers the remainder of the required courses.
The only classes i had to physically take and attend was a political and ethical values class and an advanced weather class.
Do i think this degree is worth anything as far as experience? Absolutely not, I only had to physically go to two classes, i think it was a joke. But it is a piece of paper that is a stepping stone towards something else.
I will plan on getting my Bachelors in business or something general through distance learning or online classes throughout the remainder of my training just so i have something else to fall back on.
Just my two cents on the aviation degree thing. I know as well as the next person that what i learn in college will not really help me in a career, but i do know that the piece of paper that you get for completing 120 or so credits will help, so whatever it takes to get achieve that piece of paper in the shortest time possible works for me.
Ok i guess i lied, i am not quite done yet......
That route worked for me because i am military and i have some SERIOUS time constraints with this whole war on terror doodad going on HOWEVER.... If you are young, in your late teens or early 20's GO TO COLLEGE. I did not attend but my wife did and so did all of my friends. It was the time of their lives and it gives you 4 more years to have fun and party and make new friends and experience new things and providing you are not going to be a brain surgeon it is not that difficult. Go to college and get a part time job to pay for your flight training on the side up to your CFI, then be a CFI as a part time job and work on the remainder of your ratings while building hours. Now that is exactly what i would have done if i could go back and do it all over again.