I’m going into my junior year of high school and plan on going to a university to study aviation ans become a pilot. I was wondering what my best options of getting into a university such as SDSU or NDSU are with a 2.9 GPA. It’s not great I know. So please leave some advice on what my best options are for becoming a pilot. Thanks.

 

1: study harder
2: don't go to either of those schools
3: get a job that pays well with a flexible schedule.
4: attend local community college nights and weekends to accomplish all general education courses
5: enroll online at whatever school is the least expensive. Likely UVU online or similar which gives credits for ratings
6: use job in step 3 to pay for flight training and courses

 

Why not mix things up a bit, light some fires? That could be looking for a Guard/Reserve Unit to join, head off to basic just after H.S. graduation? You could split training & still start college that Fall after Graduation. Without split training, you’d have to delay one semester.

The above ‘assumes’ you’re somewhat the type to part time in the military. I guarantee some extra discipline will help your academics.

I know a pilot who was so-so average in H.S., then graduated college with honors in 3.5 years. That stint in the military(Guard) was a big influencer.

One usually does better with something you’re interested in. It’s better to graduated with that criminal justice degree than flunk out of engineering school. Good luck.

 

I like the idea tossed around about attending a two year community college! There should be some that offer the flight training and associates degree with the 1250 RATP qualification. Afterwards, you are job ready and can work on a bachelors degree online or transfer to a four year school that needs a CFI.

I attended a big university after High School and hated getting "lost in the crowd". Second year I transferred to a junior college with an aviation program and absolutely loved it. The professors knew your name, the classes were small with 20 or so students instead of hundreds. Much better experience!

 

Good advice, and i'm living proof of that. I was a C student early in high school, A-B later in high school. Mainly, i hated studying.

I went into the Navy for 4 years, in a very challenging academic program. That's where i picked up not only the discipline to study, but also study skills. They are important. After the Navy, went right to a major 4 year university and tackled Mechanical Engineering. 3.3 GPA. Turns out academics for me was more about study skills and having the perspective that school wasn't that hard compared to 18 hour days in a 120 degree engine room on a Destroyer.

My recommendation right now, carve out 2 hours every night for Homework whether you need it or not. Make it a habit. READ your math and science books. Too many people do just the home work problems. Math and science are not spectator sports; very rarely can you retain it from just paying attention in class. Maybe more than you wanted, but that's what helped me.

 

A lot of other things will count like SAT scores, activities, classes taken, etc.

Were you an athlete? Class Officer? Are you a 2.9 taking average classes or College prep AP or HS Collegiate Student?

How do you plan to pay for it? Debt or Family Money? With that GPA scholarship providers wont be knocking down your door to give you free money.

IMO, if you were an average student that took average classes and participated in little extra curricular activities, going to a big university may not be the best place for you unless you want to graduate with little skills and either lots of debt or no savings because you used it to go to college.

Get a job and a degree in something else, go to a cheap school, take flying lessons on the side. It wont be as exciting as the football games at the big U on Saturday, but will be a lot more practical.