Which College should I attend in Fall 08?
 

Hello everyone I'm Matthew a 17 y.o. high school senior who wants to fly :D I have applied to many schools and have gotten accepted to all of them. Florida Tech(FIT), Embry-Riddle(ERAU), Dowling College, 2 more other ones. I cannot decide which one to attend. I just visited both ERAU and FT last week and I liked both of them (except the sticker shock). A few months back I also visited Dowling College on the tip of Long Island, NY.
I know that FIT and ERAU are the big names for Aviation and Debt, but I was wondering if anyone has met/knows/is a pilot who graduated from Dowling's College of Aviation. I'm just trying to figure out at which schools can I get the following (without considering cost), 1. The most flight time, 2. A good internship, 3. The best education.
I know my Uncle graduated from ERAU and is now a 777 pilot for United. My ultimate goal would be to fly the 777 or dare I say the 787! I am working to get a PPL at my local airport in a part 61 program. That would save me an estimated $15,000 at ERAU

Just give me your thoughts on which college is the best, and why. All responses appreciated.

Have you considered Auburn University? Vastly cheaper than ERAU, 24k students so you can still chase tail and have fun, decent equipment, plus not to mention one of the premier football programs in the country! :D

What can I say, I'm biased.

College is college, though. Why not pay less, do more, and get just as far if not further?

I guessing that your are from New York. Than why don't you just attend SUNY Farmingdale State College. They offer a bachelor degree in aviation. And the price seems reasonable. Their instate tuition is around 5000 per year. http://www.farmingdale.edu

North Dakota

Purdue, but I'm biased, and out of state tuition is pretty steep.

Of course you don't need an avaition degree to be a pilot. You could always go to any college and work on your certs when you can(summer, breaks, etc.). Lots of choices. Good Luck whichever way you choose.

I'm think i am going to go to ERAU, im not 100% positive on that though.

Go to college where you can fly and socialize(code for chase women). I just spent a weekend layover in Tucson(home of U of A) and it made me wish I was 21 again! I personally would stay away from an aviation only school.

For the value, you can't beat the idea of attending SUNY at in-state tuition rates. I am partial to state colleges because in many cases they are of excellent quality and offer as good an education as aviation schools at half the cost. They can do this because they receive federal & state funding. Local FBOs (FBO means fixed base operator, a for-profit flight school) offer adequate flight training for far less than aviation collleges as well. SUNY may have a good flying club, in which case I would consider it an excellent option. If you go the state college route you can stay out of debt, which is something you want to do in a piloting career, and you will get a degree in something that is useful as an alternative to flying in case you ever need it. Whether you go through a flying club or an FBO you will obtain your flight ratings at a huge savings over going to an aviation college. I am not against the latter and in fact have numerous colleagues that graduated from Embry Riddle, but state colleges offer useful degrees as well and the tuition is unbeatable.

I wish I lived in NY, sadly I'm living in NJ so I wouldn't get the in-state rates, and the price would be 7,000 less than ERAU or FT for me to go to SUNY.

I was able to get about $9,000 in scholarships at both ERAU and FT. I need to find more!

what campus? AZ or FL