Help Choosing my flight school
03-14-2018, 11:57 PM
#1
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Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 3
Help Choosing my flight school
Hello Forum and thank you for reading and participating .
My son has been accepted into the professional pilot programs at Central Washington University, University of North Dakota and San Jose State Uninversity (Cali). He was also accepted into Arizona state but we will have to turn them down because the combined costs are way too high.
So, where should he go.
Feel free to just post the school name or post a long opinion about one or all of the schools on list
Thank you so much. Any advice or suggestiona are very appreciates
Sean
Distance info
1) we live in California, 90 minutes from San Jose. (He will still live in the dorm)
2) central Washington is only 12 hours away and/or a short flight
3) North Dakota is a distance away
3) North Dakota
My son has been accepted into the professional pilot programs at Central Washington University, University of North Dakota and San Jose State Uninversity (Cali). He was also accepted into Arizona state but we will have to turn them down because the combined costs are way too high.
So, where should he go.
Feel free to just post the school name or post a long opinion about one or all of the schools on list
Thank you so much. Any advice or suggestiona are very appreciates
Sean
Distance info
1) we live in California, 90 minutes from San Jose. (He will still live in the dorm)
2) central Washington is only 12 hours away and/or a short flight
3) North Dakota is a distance away
3) North Dakota
03-15-2018, 05:49 AM
#2
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Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 2,297
What are the tuition costs at each? Flying costs? Is he taking out loans, or are you paying for it (no debt)?
My go to answer used to be skip the aviation degree and I still lean that way unless you are paying cash (or 529)...then an accredited Aviation school could make sense due to the reduced hour requirement for your ATP. But realize you are paying a serious premium for that, which might be worth it, if you have the money.
Another option is FlightSafety Academy (also expensive) followed by getting his CFI, then instructing while he attends a traditional university and gets a degree in something else. The school he attends could be a local school or state school or Ivy League, doesn’t make a huge difference. The thing about that route is he needs to get the degree! So after training he needs to have discipline and carry his learning momentum straight to college.
If you or he are using debt for this, I recommend going to a community college for the first 2 years, then a state school for the last 2 and do the flight training at a local flight school as much as possible. Get a degree in a good back up or side career, maybe IT or business. Also he will need to work a lot to pay for it. He should also pursue every scholarship opportunity that he can. But I’m debt averse when it comes to this career (and life in general) so take my response through that filter. Folks will chime in with the exact opposite advice, which is fine.
My go to answer used to be skip the aviation degree and I still lean that way unless you are paying cash (or 529)...then an accredited Aviation school could make sense due to the reduced hour requirement for your ATP. But realize you are paying a serious premium for that, which might be worth it, if you have the money.
Another option is FlightSafety Academy (also expensive) followed by getting his CFI, then instructing while he attends a traditional university and gets a degree in something else. The school he attends could be a local school or state school or Ivy League, doesn’t make a huge difference. The thing about that route is he needs to get the degree! So after training he needs to have discipline and carry his learning momentum straight to college.
If you or he are using debt for this, I recommend going to a community college for the first 2 years, then a state school for the last 2 and do the flight training at a local flight school as much as possible. Get a degree in a good back up or side career, maybe IT or business. Also he will need to work a lot to pay for it. He should also pursue every scholarship opportunity that he can. But I’m debt averse when it comes to this career (and life in general) so take my response through that filter. Folks will chime in with the exact opposite advice, which is fine.
03-15-2018, 05:52 AM
#3
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Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 352
Originally Posted by PRS Guitars
What are the tuition costs at each? Flying costs? Is he taking out loans, or are you paying for it (no debt)?
My go to answer used to be skip the aviation degree and I still lean that way unless you are paying cash (or 529)...then an accredited Aviation school could make sense due to the reduced hour requirement for your ATP. But realize you are paying a serious premium for that, which might be worth it, if you have the money.
Another option is FlightSafety Academy (also expensive) followed by getting his CFI, then instructing while he attends a traditional university and gets a degree in something else. The school he attends could be a local school or state school or Ivy League, doesn’t make a huge difference. The thing about that route is he needs to get the degree! So after training he needs to have discipline and carry his learning momentum straight to college.
If you or he are using debt for this, I recommend going to a community college for the first 2 years, then a state school for the last 2 and do the flight training at a local flight school as much as possible. Get a degree in a good back up or side career, maybe IT or business. Also he will need to work a lot to pay for it. He should also pursue every scholarship opportunity that he can. But I’m debt averse when it comes to this career (and life in general) so take my response through that filter. Folks will chime in with the exact opposite advice, which is fine.
My go to answer used to be skip the aviation degree and I still lean that way unless you are paying cash (or 529)...then an accredited Aviation school could make sense due to the reduced hour requirement for your ATP. But realize you are paying a serious premium for that, which might be worth it, if you have the money.
Another option is FlightSafety Academy (also expensive) followed by getting his CFI, then instructing while he attends a traditional university and gets a degree in something else. The school he attends could be a local school or state school or Ivy League, doesn’t make a huge difference. The thing about that route is he needs to get the degree! So after training he needs to have discipline and carry his learning momentum straight to college.
If you or he are using debt for this, I recommend going to a community college for the first 2 years, then a state school for the last 2 and do the flight training at a local flight school as much as possible. Get a degree in a good back up or side career, maybe IT or business. Also he will need to work a lot to pay for it. He should also pursue every scholarship opportunity that he can. But I’m debt averse when it comes to this career (and life in general) so take my response through that filter. Folks will chime in with the exact opposite advice, which is fine.
Tarrant County College in Ft. Worth, TX would be an affordable option to get his associates and licenses through CFII. I know that is a long ways from you, but an option.
US Aviation hires basically all their graduates and Envoy is right in their back yard.
03-15-2018, 02:08 PM
#4
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Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by For my son Lane
Hello Forum and thank you for reading and participating .
My son has been accepted into the professional pilot programs at Central Washington University, University of North Dakota and San Jose State Uninversity (Cali). He was also accepted into Arizona state but we will have to turn them down because the combined costs are way too high.
So, where should he go.
Feel free to just post the school name or post a long opinion about one or all of the schools on list
Thank you so much. Any advice or suggestiona are very appreciates
Sean
Distance info
1) we live in California, 90 minutes from San Jose. (He will still live in the dorm)
2) central Washington is only 12 hours away and/or a short flight
3) North Dakota is a distance away
3) North Dakota
My son has been accepted into the professional pilot programs at Central Washington University, University of North Dakota and San Jose State Uninversity (Cali). He was also accepted into Arizona state but we will have to turn them down because the combined costs are way too high.
So, where should he go.
Feel free to just post the school name or post a long opinion about one or all of the schools on list
Thank you so much. Any advice or suggestiona are very appreciates
Sean
Distance info
1) we live in California, 90 minutes from San Jose. (He will still live in the dorm)
2) central Washington is only 12 hours away and/or a short flight
3) North Dakota is a distance away
3) North Dakota
My son, wife and I are focused on the 4 year degree option. The hope is to take out loan(s) to cover the full cost then off he loan as he goes to school. This way we can avoid any financial glitches if funds aren't available for some unforeseen event. All 3 schools would generate similar costs when looking at the "real life" costs of sending him to school. Now to decide which one of the 3 schools would create the best opportunities for him after he graduates.
03-15-2018, 02:09 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by kingsnake2
Tarrant County College in Ft. Worth, TX would be an affordable option to get his associates and licenses through CFII. I know that is a long ways from you, but an option.
US Aviation hires basically all their graduates and Envoy is right in their back yard.
US Aviation hires basically all their graduates and Envoy is right in their back yard.
03-16-2018, 08:16 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 2,297
Originally Posted by For my son Lane
Thank you so much for your input.
My son, wife and I are focused on the 4 year degree option. The hope is to take out loan(s) to cover the full cost then off he loan as he goes to school. This way we can avoid any financial glitches if funds aren't available for some unforeseen event. All 3 schools would generate similar costs when looking at the "real life" costs of sending him to school. Now to decide which one of the 3 schools would create the best opportunities for him after he graduates.
My son, wife and I are focused on the 4 year degree option. The hope is to take out loan(s) to cover the full cost then off he loan as he goes to school. This way we can avoid any financial glitches if funds aren't available for some unforeseen event. All 3 schools would generate similar costs when looking at the "real life" costs of sending him to school. Now to decide which one of the 3 schools would create the best opportunities for him after he graduates.
As to which school, I can’t really help. If they cost the same then I’d speak with recent alumni and current students and get their thoughts on the program. Id also evaluate the school as a normal school, does it allign with your sons values, is it reputable. UND has a good hockey team, so that’d be fun for him to watch
Also, consider what his degree will help him with if the flying doesn’t work out. It’s a great time to begin this career, but it does have pitfalls that most jobs don’t have.
03-17-2018, 05:53 PM
#7
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Posts: 45
03-18-2018, 03:04 AM
#8
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Posts: 636
I would lean 141 flight training, if the goal is a career as a pilot. When it comes to schools, there are many. Being somewhat in the home region can be desireable.
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-sa...-flight-school
Don’t overlook an early start, even a low cost ‘private pilot’ ground school locally is a benefit. The longest of journeys begins with that 1st step.
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-sa...-flight-school
Don’t overlook an early start, even a low cost ‘private pilot’ ground school locally is a benefit. The longest of journeys begins with that 1st step.
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