Well it looks like you only get one chance:

Once recommended by an authorized school official, how long do you consider graduates for employment?
Eligibility under the AT-CTI program is valid for 2 years from the candidate's graduation date. The graduate's name is removed from the database if the graduate:

Has not been selected for employment after 2 years
Declines a position
Reaches age 31
Fails to meet basic qualification requirements including:
Suitability
Medical
Security


What other bachelor degrees are out there that would be helpful for someone whos becoming a pilot. I know i need a degree for an airline so i might as well get it through doing something i love. What else would be a good back up?
Thanks for the help

 

The military and CTI are the two best options for getting hired as a controller, definitely. There is, however, a third option: getting hired off of the street. The training for people hired off of the street is longer than the other two options (for obvious reasons) and it's much harder to get a job this way, but it's not unheard of.

 

FYI, controllers also need a medical for their job... so if you get into some kind of accident or develop a disease which would cause you to lose your pilot medical, you would likely not be able to pass the medical for the ATC job as well. Although, I did hear that if you've been working as a controller for at least 6 years and then you lose your medical, they will give you a desk job instead of just firing you.
And I do agree that a dual pilot/controller career would be really difficult, if not impossible... I'd think too many scheduling and rest issues. I'm sure there are controllers who fly for leisure leisure though. I've even heard of a few controllers who fly for the Guard or Reserve. Who knows, maybe if you try hard enough, you can make it work.
As far as that 2-year period deal goes, that's what I heard too, when I was in the program... though, I also heard that they were trying to change that rule, so that applicants can delay their decision every year until age 30 instead of having only one chance to take the job offer. I don't know what the status is on that proposed change though.

 

It sure would be nice if they could do that, but im not going to hold my breath. What other degrees are out there that a future pilot could benefit from? Bachelor degrees that is.