I like to think that a degree is more than just piece of paper that will help to get you a job. To think that purchasing a "scam" degree online for a few hundred dollars can compare with people who struggled to work, study, and self-finance themselves through 4 years of college, is an insult and disgrace. People who feel they can cheat the way around certain job requirements deserve to be ripped off and turned away from a job.

By the way, I just told my best friend who is struggling to pay his bills as a flight instructor not to go to Go Jets. I'm sure he needs a job as much as you or any other pilot does, however he's not planning on employment at the expense of other more experienced pilots.

 

No, he was an FO for XJet

 

Just to be clear, I want to make sure we're not talking about ALL online degrees being useless and a disgrace. I'm enrolled in one right now, and it is more challenging than a brick and mortar school ever was (depending on the course and all). Places like Excelsior College, Empire State College, and TESC have been around for decades, and some of the students *ahem* are going to transfer the credits to a Law School.

 

There are a bunch of great online regionally accredited colleges which allow pilots to finish up their degree while on the road. They still require 120 credit hours for your 4 year degree.

Dropping down $500 bucks and having a degree mailed to you is a joke.

 

agreed. thank you.

 

An interview in STL?!
Really?!
No way!
Who for?!
Do they fly shiny jets?!
Are the jets shiny?!
Accredited and legal?!
Awesome!
Only $495?!
Dude!
Totally!

In the words of G4: Epic Fail.

 

Agreed, I didn't mean to categorize ALL online degrees, only degrees that cost less then $500 and require less than a week to attain. People who try and trick pilot recruiters with degrees like this are no different than a pilot who pencil-whips and pads his/her logbook.

 

This is funny!

I think some of you may be on a high horse about your degrees.

I do not have a college degree. I served in the USAF, worked for 25 years as an FAA air traffic controller, flight instructed for 5 years, served as a Part 141 Chief Instructor for 2 years, hold an ATP with a type rating, and am a very cherry captain at a regional airline. Does my background and experience have a gaping hole that can only be filled with a 4 year degree?

I have instructed and flown alongside many college graduates. Some holding degrees from prestigious aviation institutions. Their skill levels and dedication to our profession varied at the same rate as the general pilot population. A degree is a small part of the total person.

When the economy is down and the pilot pool is overflowing with qualified applicants, the mesh used to screen out job seekers tightens. When airlines cannot find enough pilots, they do not care about a degree. During the 80's, the navy was so short of pilots that they would take someone with two years of college with a commitment to complete a degree within a certain time frame.

I would like to keep the option of going to a major airline open. Therefore I will have to get busy and earn a degree. I will spend about 2000 hours on the effort. I will try to get the most I can out of the experience. Education is never a waste. I can think of many subjects that I would love to earn a degree in, just for the joy of it. However I do not have unlimited time or resources. I choose to spend time and money on a degree because I feel that it is necessary to further my career. Would I pay $500 for an accredited degree based on life experience and spend 2000 hours on something else? You bet!

Not everyone holding a degree worked his or her way through college by the sweat of their brow. There are plenty of George W. Bushes that got into great schools because of Daddy's name and money, then drank and snorted their way to a degree while majoring in lap dance appreciation.

The Dash Whisperer

 

You guys are mean, you scared him off.

 

DashRocks,

I don't doubt your life experience, i am not a person who questions experience in place of a new college graduate. The same way a 2LT should have respect for a Chief. Same time, if a degree isn't required for the job, whatever. I still don't think that a degree should be able to be purchased online easier than winning an auction on Ebay.

For every individual that has "adequate" life experience to obtain the degree, there will be plenty others lacking that same experience, purchasing the same piece of paper. If your life experience is good enough to get you a job requirement, then it is probably good enough to get you an interview also...