College degree, is it really necessary?
 

So I know that Airlines prefer a college education but it's not necessary on thier hiring requirements.

I've heard mixed opinions whether or not you really need to take aviation in college to get a job.

And what's the truth to getting a 4 year BS in Aviation in 18 months?

I've also heard that people get a degree so they have something to "fall back on". Since I have other skills and such, I don't feel like I need a backup plan at this point.

Anyone? Anyone?

Degree
 

The degree requirement comes and gos with hiring needs. Most of the time a degree is required. Personally I think things will get tight at the regionals soon and before long every one will require a real four year degree. You can not get a BS degree in 18 months.


SKyHigh

I agree with SkyHigh (this time :) ) it is tough to get a BS in 18 months. I got mine in 24 months and that took taking 18+ credits a semester for two years straight including summers. Good luck!

Yes...absolutely...for sure...definately...oh ya...no question...of course...undoubtedly...certainly...
(Insert more synonyms for the word yes here)

YES!

I cannot stress how important getting a college degree is. First, in my opinion, I believe you WILL NOT be hired at a major without one. Second, we are beginning to see the day where regionals will start requiring them (again, this should come and go with demand). Even if a college degree is not "required", it is definately "highly preferred."
Example: Two guys come into an interview. Similar amount of time. Similar flying skills. I believe in this situation, the tie breaker goes to the guy with the 4 year college degree.

Some other reasons to get a 4 year degree. It should be the best 4 years of your life. Education is so important.

Imagine you get furloughed from your flying job (@ a regional). You've been there for 10 years, making 80k a year. You have a family to feed. What are your options?
Without a college degree, majors are probably out of the question, so realistically you would have to start all over at the bottom of a regional as FO making 20k a year.

With a college degree, you can move onto a major. Or perhaps the industry sucks and you want to get out of aviation. It will be a lot harder to find a good job without a college degree.

I would recommend a degree outside of aviation because it can be a good backup incase you decide you don't want to fly anymore, or you get laid off, or you loose your medical. I know this response was somewhat harsh, but I have a strong belief that education is very important. If nothing else, being educated should make you a better person.
I highly recommend getting a college degree!!!

I have just about finished my Associates which i have been painstakingly chipping away a few credits at a time now for three years and i will be continuing...slowly...towards my bachelors. I have never seen a job with an AA as a prerequisite, i am sure it cant hurt but is an AA even worth anything, or is it pretty much a BS or nothing?

An AA could help at a regional, especially if you are progressing towards the BS. Long term you need the BS in this business, too many job opportunities use it (lack thereof) as a weeding-out criteria, especially when the market is slow.

What I have been told is that a college degree shows the airlines that you have a greater level of commitment that the average Joe that has some flying experience and thinks he/she might like a flying for an airline. If you are willing to go for four years to get a degree to fly for an airline, they know you probably are not going to quite a couple of months into the job.

Just my two cents :)

I'm sure I'm the odd ball out on this, but I know at least 7 guys that work at majors and have no degree. Don't ask me how they managed, they are all white and male . . . so no affirmative action ticket. Oh yeah, none of the them had any military flying. . . all prior-enlisted non-flyers.

It can be done, but in this time in day - It's going to be much harder to get on with a major without any sort of higher education, too bad they don't pay us what it is worth.

I didn't go to college...And I know a bunch of guys/gals flying at the Majors with no college degree...Plus I got a buddy who was hired at FedEx without a four year degree...He knew someone over there who got him past the HR department...And if you want a major job, your going to have to compete with all those regional pilots with thousands of hours flying experience...I would invest that money you have planned to go to college...That's what I did and I'll tell you it's nice not to "Have to" go to work...Networking is the key to getting the flying job you want.

Thanks everyone for the info. I will continue to chip away at the degree because at the pace i am doing it at it is not like it is really causing any excess stress in my life between online courses and fasttrack courses.

I have heard many times that they like it because it shows you can commit to a 4 year commitment and it shows devotion which could potentially lead to commitment and devotion to a company. I would imagine that the military would be similiar. Am i correct in assuming this? Would they see my time in the military as an ability to adapt and conform and commit to something similiar to college? Does it even hold remotely the same prestige as completing a four year degree. I know in my books that i will not look at a single college graduate and think that they are better than me simply because they chose to attend school and not join the military nor would i expect the same from them, but do the airlines see it this way?

Also i am not a military aviator so i do not have that going for me, but do airlines, 135 carriers, or other really look at military as an advantage over another potential new hire?

Last but not least, i have a security clearance. I Know this will help me as far as not worrying about the background checks and what not, but are there any jobs ANYWHERE flying that this might be of assistance? I know a pilot is locked in the cockpit but i have wondered if there are any jobs where it might be considered an asset. I know there are hundreds of jobs on the ground that the clearance has opened doors for but i want to be in the sky, i would just hate to see it go to waste.