Hey guys, I am a senior Economics major attending Villanova University and am focused on a career in aviation after college.

Through everything Ive learned i believe i understand the basics of commercial aviation. It all comes down to flight hours when hiring, the pay is extremely low in the beginning, the hours are very long, jobs are difficult to come by and seniority is everything. The state of the economy isn't helping either. I have read several articles on beginning pilots making about $20,000 - $40,000 a year for the first five to ten years of career flying. All while paying off the debt accumulated from expensive flight training. It is an extremely challenging career to get into and has its fair share of risks. I'm sure you know all of this but i bring it up because i understand these challenges yet still want to pursue this career.

My flight experience is not much. When i was seventeen to eighteen i accumulated a total of fifteen hours. Ive only flown once since than. I would have done anything to continue my flight training then, but money was an issue, and with college coming up i couldn't afford to finish. I knew from the first time i was given the controls that i wanted to fly. I also learned that paying as you go for flight training is not the most effective route if you run into delays, though hours could be wasted.

I looked very seriously into military aviation. Last year i spent six months applying for a flight contract with the Marines. I had no problem with the Aviation Standardized Test Battery (ASTB),and performed very well in the physical fitness test, have twenty twenty vision, but was caught up on a medical waiver to go through. Its old medical history and doesn't effect my ability to fly in any way. After exhausting every method to get my waiver though and four months of waiting it came back denied, which effectively ended the availability of any military aviation path.

Since then i have been researching flight schools to get my certifications needed. The primary school i have been looking at is ATP in Jacksonville. The school seems good, with their fast track program that takes a student from zero hour to their CFI rating in 150 days. this comes with 150 hours of multi-engine time, airline style cross country flying, simulator time, check rides, pretty much everything needed. The downside is that it costs nearly $55,000. Paying back this debit for the first part of my career is going to be difficult. i have also heard good and bad personal stories of students that went to ATP. Many sources say that "you pay $40 for a $15 steak" at ATP. Others defend it to the end with the quality of instruction and environment that they teach you in.

So thats my whole story, i feel like the more info you guys have the better you can help me. Thanks for reading and i appreciate any input.