navymmw

Hello, I know you guys have always heard this but is Embry Riddle a good college?
A couple of things people have said is to get a degree outside of aviation just in case you dont want to be a pilot. The thing is I know for a fact the only thing I want to do is fly, ever since I was two and has not changed and will not change so I know I want to get a carrer in aviation so this is why I want to get a aviation degree. Even though it is a steep price is the training at Embry Riddle good? Is it better then training at say ATP or a local FBO? Thankyou and I look foward to reading your response. Also I will have my IFR rating before I attend so it should cost less for me to go right?

ILS37R

Riddle is a good school. Whether it's worth the price is debatable. I know a number of people who earned degrees and did their flight training at ERAU; some are excellent, knowledgeable pilots, others aren't. Flight training is more about personal dedication than it is the curriculum in which you learn.

Riddle can be a good networking tool but, again, it depends on how much effort you put into building your aviation network.

If you're considering an aviation degree, have you looked at some of the other schools that offer the same? Purdue, Southern Illinois, St. Louis, UND, Lewis, Eastern Washington, etc., etc.

As for the utility of an aviation degree, that's up to you. In my opinion, it's neither worse nor better than most liberal arts degrees. If you have a technical area or financial area of interest, an engineering or business degree would serve as a good back-up.

At the end of the day, ERAU will get you the same certificates you'll get anywhere else. If you think Riddle is a good fit for you, fantastic. If somewhere else might be a better fit, Riddle is not even close to being the only option.

Freightbird

Add to the list
Metro State College, Denver

http://www.mscd.edu/~aviation/

great location
current programs
fairly priced

atlmsl

My only concern with riddle is the "college experience." I have talked to some riddle grads that enjoyed the training but wish they had gone to a traditional college. I got an aviation degree from Auburn University but still enjoyed college football games (SEC), great social atmosphere, and beautiful girls. And the price of Auburn and the schools above are much less than riddle. If you want to major in aviation, I say do it. But please don't limit yourself to riddle. There's so much more to life than flying.

wjh308

As you progress, your mental state will change, your priorities, your own feelings towards aviation. Just one hiccup on your medical and your career could be over, just one FAA infraction, you'll have a hard time getting hired. Please have a plan B, you can not predict the future. Who knows, you may get all your ratings, flight instruct, then run away from aviation because you got sick of it. You have no clue yet.

saabguy493

In the state of the industry, do you think a degree from erau with no time is going to get you anywhere. I took the advice of getting a non aviation degree just in case you know what hits the fan. Also, look at how much it costs to go there! Is it really worth it?

crewdawg

From a guy who got an Aviation degree, get a degree in something else! If you already have your instrument then work on your commercial/Multi/CFI..etc. at a decent FBO and save your $$$$$. 141 schools charge way more than your typical 61 school. Ya, I know you can get your commercial with less time but, I did the math based of my schools rates and a local 61 school and it doesn't pay off! As has been said before what you get out of the instruction is based alot on you!

I have many friends in the regionals from my school and I know many Riddle guys. The only difference between the two is that one has alot more student loans than the other! Check out this link, should be required reading for anyone looking at getting into aviation.


http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=20821

I too, am just like you. I have always wanted to fly and do nothing else! I even tried to switch to business (minor in aviation) but wasn't mature enough at the time to see the bigger picture and went back to Aviation. If I had it to do over....well you get the picture.

Note: If mom and dad have tons of money or a really sweet college fund waiting there, then do what you please. Anyway, goodluck with whatever you choose, it's sure beats a desk!

OH and to answer your question, go to a regular college and get a real "college experience." Going to a tech school full of aviation/engineering students doesn't qualify for that, imho. Most of the guys I know wish they would have gone elsewhere. He is a very important thing many kids overlook when looking at college, the girl/guy ration!!!!!! My college was 3/1!!!!!!

zondaracer

Just my .02, unless you want to be an engineer or a doctor or something specialized, the title of your degree nor where you got it matter as much as just having one. Pick a school that suits you, with a major that you will enjoy, and a price you can afford. If you really want an aviation degree, there are plenty of schools besides ERAU. I would recommend checking out the campus and doing a shadow/prospective student type thing and see if that place is for you. If you go somewhere else and do not get an aviation degree, you still get your 4-year degree and you can still work on your ratings at any FBO/flight school. Sure picking a college can be hard, but pick one that suits you, college was the best 5 years of my life. I started out at a big school in the engineering department, and I was lucky that my school had other choices, so when i decided that I didnt like engineering, I was able to find something else that I liked and there were actually more girls than boys in most of my classes (engineering was quite the opposite). I would say three things I would have done differently in college would be not start out in engineering, start on my ratings earlier (like right when i got to college or even before), and NOT join a fraternity.

timman19

I agree with the earlier posts about going to a “regular college”. I graduated from ERAU in 1990 and missed out on the college life that a lot of my high school friends got to experience and enjoy.

ERAU is a good school but probably not worth the money you’ll end up paying. You can get pretty much the same level of education elsewhere. From what I have heard, it’s not like it was when I was a student there. I also agree with other posts that you really don’t need an aviation degree. I have one and it hasn’t really made too much of a difference in terms of getting hired or getting an interview. No one really cared either way about my aviation degree.

I think the biggest thing to consider there is the current state of the industry. It’s obviously not good right now. Who knows what it will be like four years from now when you are coming out of college? Maybe it will be better and maybe not. It may be very difficult to find a job. No one knows for sure. This is why I would not get an aviation degree and instead get something that you can fall back on.

If you are seriously considering enrolling there, consider that you will most likely graduate with a huge amount of debt unless your family is very wealthy or if you hit the lottery while attending school there.

One of the things that comes up every now and then is the having name Embry-Riddle on your resume. I mention this as I was asked this recently by a high school student thinking of going to school there. Does it help you? Are people impressed when they hear that you went there? I would have to say it doesn’t make that much of a difference. No one has certainly been blown away when I have answered the “where did you go to school” question in the cockpit. On the other hand, no one has laughed at me either. Usually, I get a positive acknowledgement.

A statistic that is hard to ignore, and one that ERAU makes a big deal out of, is that one of every four commercial airline pilots have graduated from there. That’s quite an impressive number and I have come across and met many fellow ERAU alums in my career.

I think the important thing is to visit the campus you want to attend and, above all, try and talk to current students there. They are the best resource instead of people, like me, who went there a long time ago.

I hope this helps and the best of luck to you.

Zayghami

Auburn offers aviation management right? Does the school offer flying also?