Thanks for saving me many years of debt! I decided on a college!
 

I am a senior in high school and I know I want to fly for a living; I have loved aviation for a while now. My CFI told me about Riddle a few years ago and I went there for a summer camp. It was a great week and I was eager to attend their university come graduation. LONG story short, I have decided to attend one of my state's colleges and get a degree in Broadcast Meteorology and Mathematics. I have been flying out of a local FBO for 3 years now and have loved it. Great instruction and people! The claims of "get a major airline job right when you graduate (from ERAU)" lured me, though! A few days ago (much to my parents happiness!) I found this sight and a thread similar to my story; y'alls forewarning advice of attending a school like Riddle was kind of like the icing on the cake telling me not to go. Whoever said that even if an ERAU grad gets a job at regionals a year or two earlier then others, their pay wouldn't justify the amount of debt they would still be in, was what really caught my eye.
Now I can sleep at night knowing where I want to go to college. I know there is more to life than aviation so I plan on exploring those things in college! Haha. But, seeing as how I do still want to fly for a living, I am planning on still flying through my FBO which would be about an hour or so away.
Right now Im at about 230 TT and I just turned 18, so Im aiming to finish up my commercial before I graduate high school and do my CFI this summer. Im hoping Ill be able to instruct at the airport near campus. There aren't many instructors in my area, so Im thinking there would be a lot of business in a college town. After I graduate though, I plan on going to ATP (once again, because of y'alls influence and guidance!).
Wow, well I really didn't mean to go on this long! I have some more questions Im eager to ask but I have some tests to study for, so, once again, thanks for saving my parents and me from years of debt and steering me in the right direction! Oh, and aren't y'all proud my major(s) aren't concentrated on aviation? Haha. :)

Always glad to hear from the next generation of aviators. It sounds like you have your head on straight. I commend you and your parents. Just remember to have fun in college, take a writing course, learn history, dabble in science, make friends.

Good luck!

Wow, 230TT and you're not even out of high school? Way to go, taildragger! Keep that drive and passion going, and you'll do great in this career.

I totally agree with your decision not to pony up the large bucks and head down to ERAU. I went to a rinky-dink 4 year college in Texas and built flight time at a busy FBO in the Dallas area, and did it all for less than the cost of a new Toyota Camry.

Stay active building that time, and you'll be at a regional before you know it.

vagabond, you left out the most important of them all----BANG AS MANY B!TCHES AS YOU CAN because one day you wont be able to. Just remember to wrap the tool and all will be cool.

You've definitly got a leg up on the competition. Get your degree and you'll be sitting great. Congrats on the time as well as making a wise decision. Welcome to the forums as well!

That was probably me. :D Keeping kids away from ERAU is why I come here, and you've made me a happy man today.

Sounds like you are in a perfect position.
1. Going to college
2. Not getting into debt by going to ERAU
3. 230TT and not even out of HS
4. CFI while in college

You can't do it any better than that. Good luck.

Shaft, I don't know where you went to college and I don't really want to know! :)

Taildragger, another thing to learn as you embark on your journey - common horse sense.

Uncle Bose, you're easily happy! Wish I could be like you. ;)

Congratulations Taildragger! What a refreshing post! I'm glad that you're doing it the RIGHT way and have made the right decisions. I sure wish I was in your shoes! Best of luck to you sir!

Taildragger, my degree was in operational meteorology. Broadcast is a nice way to go, but you'll really miss out on a lot of the fun meteorological geekiness. :-D Unless you plan on going into that field, operational may be more useful if your looking to put it to use in the research field. Most places wont accept broadcast meteorology because of the lack of advanced courses. But, it's definitely a good backup degree. And it's real good money if you ever need it...broadcast meteorologists bank mad cash...

Have fun with your studies. You absolutely wont regret it. I promise.