Best degree to get

Catalo

Catalo

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
411
Display Name
Display name:
Catalo
I'm currently a freshman in college. I went through atps pilot mill. Big mistake a know but I finished up through my mei and got screwed. Anyways currently wondering what the best choice for a degree would be. I know a lot of people say stay away from aviation related. As of now I'm looking at getting my a&p. I just need a backup in case something happened where I could no longer fly.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Tele-radiology.

You will live a good life working from a beach.
 
I don't know how you made a mistake or got screwed. Literally whatever your fall back job that interests you, get a degree in that.
 
If I could have a do over I would have got a Physician Assistant degree. 6 figures right out of school and non of the b.s physicians have to deal with.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
I don't know how you made a mistake or got screwed. Literally whatever your fall back job that interests you, get a degree in that.
Click to expand...
My mistake was going to atp. Not getting my ratings.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Catalo said:
My mistake was going to atp. Not getting my ratings.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Well, that mistake is behind you. If you still want a degree (super good idea) go get it in something that interests you. As a dad I'm steering my kids into computer engineering as I figure that field has longevity (unlike piloting).
 
don't anesthesiologists make a sht ton of money? if not, they still get the best drugs around, so, win-win in my book lol.
 
eman1200 said:
don't anesthesiologists make a sht ton of money? if not, they still get the best drugs around, so, win-win in my book lol.
Click to expand...

They might bill a lot but their insurance is rather spendy.
 
Something like only 27% of people are working today are working direct in the field that they have their degree in...so unless you want to go into something very specialized get you degree in some thing that you will enjoy and is not going to put you in a pile of debt.

And my theory on higher education:

"A" Students teach and "B" students end up working for "C" Students.
 
eman1200 said:
don't anesthesiologists make a sht ton of money? if not, they still get the best drugs around, so, win-win in my book lol.
Click to expand...


My next door neighbor is an anesthesiologist.
He owns a jet and 2 other houses.
I majored in the wrong thing.
 
Catalo said:
My mistake was going to atp. Not getting my ratings.
Click to expand...

eh don't worry about it. Not like you are gonna put where you got all your ratings on your resume, and they probably aren't gonna care. Where and what you got your bachelors in will go on your resume.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
eh don't worry about it. Not like you are gonna put where you got all your ratings on your resume, and they probably aren't gonna care. Where and what you got your bachelors in will go on your resume.
Click to expand...
That's the thing. I have no idea what to get the degree in. I thought about engineering but for something I may never use and will end up forgetting its not worth it

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
EE or ChemE

Only you know what you're going to like, but even if you don't like EE or ChemE you can make a ton of money which makes hating something a bit easier.

Frankly, I love it, and never wanted to do anything else.
 
Catalo said:
I'm currently a freshman in college. I went through atps pilot mill. Big mistake a know but I finished up through my mei and got screwed. Anyways currently wondering what the best choice for a degree would be. I know a lot of people say stay away from aviation related. As of now I'm looking at getting my a&p. I just need a backup in case something happened where I could no longer fly.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Ok my dad's voice is coming on here for a second:

"Stop. Either you made a mistake or you got screwed, it's not both, so which was it?"

As far as a degree goes, depends on what you want to do. Simple as that. What skill set do they offer that you will be needing in your chosen profession?

And why isn't it still aviation? You didn't explain that part.

Any advice given until you answer the above is just bupkis. Some will say "follow the money", others will say "follow your passion", most won't notice you didn't say what you want out of *your* life.

Unless you're paying cash, school is buying a skillset with debt. Better make sure the skillset can pay the debt. And know how long it'll take.

(Nothing wrong with deciding to be a Doctor and running up more debt than most people make at most jobs in ten years, but you'd better know why you're doing it, or you'll just quit and have half the debt and no plan still.)

Also don't downplay your accomplishments. Many of us would love to have an MEI. Myself included. I simply won't bother doing so unless I have at least a semi-reasonable game plan for paying for it. Maybe you leapt before you had that, oh well. You still accomplished it.

Can it help you now? Can you leverage it into something? Opportunity knocks, but it might knock 3000 miles away. Listen hard.
 
denverpilot said:
Ok my dad's voice is coming on here for a second:

"Stop. Either you made a mistake or you got screwed, it's not both, so which was it?"

As far as a degree goes, depends on what you want to do. Simple as that. What skill set do they offer that you will be needing in your chosen profession?

And why isn't it still aviation? You didn't explain that part.

Any advice given until you answer the above is just bupkis. Some will say "follow the money", others will say "follow your passion", most won't notice you didn't say what you want out of *your* life.

Unless you're paying cash, school is buying a skillset with debt. Better make sure the skillset can pay the debt. And know how long it'll take.

(Nothing wrong with deciding to be a Doctor and running up more debt than most people make at most jobs in ten years, but you'd better know why you're doing it, or you'll just quit and have half the debt and no plan still.)

Also don't downplay your accomplishments. Many of us would love to have an MEI. Myself included. I simply won't bother doing so unless I have at least a semi-reasonable game plan for paying for it. Maybe you leapt before you had that, oh well. You still accomplished it.

Can it help you now? Can you leverage it into something? Opportunity knocks, but it might knock 3000 miles away. Listen hard.
Click to expand...
I want to be a career pilot. That's the dream. I'm working my ass off to make it happen. I have all my certs however a lot of people want a degree which I don't have and don't know what to get. For something I may never use and won't be 100% passionate about it makes it difficult

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Catalo said:
I want to be a career pilot. That's the dream. I'm working my ass off to make it happen. I have all my certs however a lot of people want a degree which I don't have and don't know what to get. For something I may never use and won't be 100% passionate about it makes it difficult

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Ahhh okay now we know where you are at. You didn't make a mistake, you simply didn't research the hiring requirements. No biggie. Still young and able to adapt, I'm guessing.

Numerous threads here on the topic but it is possible to be a "career pilot" without a degree but you won't be flying for the airlines, most likely.

Many just say to treat it as life insurance and pick a field you'd be "okay" doing for a living if you couldn't fly.

Take the example of a friend of mine who fell and hit his head on ice one winter and forevermore had a seizure disorder. No SI for him for commercial flying would have been possible. Ever. He was a non-active pilot I believe at the time of the accident. Great medical care, he dropped on the ice at a military base. Found him quick, scooped him up, and the docs did all they could. He never blamed anyone but himself. Snow balls and icy sidewalks happen here.

(It later killed him from a sheer awful stroke of luck but it wasn't the seizure that got him, it was falling face first while having the seizure and smashing his nose into his brain in his mid-40s. RIP Ted. Miss ya, buddy.)

Stuff happens. What do you want to do if you can't fly? Might as well fill in the checkbox for HR with that. You might need the skillset to feed an ankle-biter someday during a furlough.

Get it over with and go fly for 40 years. Doesn't matter what it is, just don't waste money on something that can't pay the bills if needed. Underwater basket weaving is not recommended unless there's high demand for baskets in your area. :)
 
denverpilot said:
Ahhh okay now we know where you are at. You didn't make a mistake, you simply didn't research the hiring requirements. No biggie. Still young and able to adapt, I'm guessing.

Numerous threads here on the topic but it is possible to be a "career pilot" without a degree but you won't be flying for the airlines, most likely.

Many just say to treat it as life insurance and pick a field you'd be "okay" doing for a living if you couldn't fly.

Take the example of a friend of mine who fell and hit his head on ice one winter and forevermore had a seizure disorder. No SI for him for commercial flying would have been possible. Ever. He was a non-active pilot I believe at the time of the accident. Great medical care, he dropped on the ice at a military base. Found him quick, scooped him up, and the docs did all they could. He never blamed anyone but himself. Snow balls and icy sidewalks happen here.

(It later killed him from a sheer awful stroke of luck but it wasn't the seizure that got him, it was falling face first while having the seizure and smashing his nose into his brain in his mid-40s. RIP Ted. Miss ya, buddy.)

Stuff happens. What do you want to do if you can't fly? Might as well fill in the checkbox for HR with that. You might need the skillset to feed an ankle-biter someday during a furlough.

Get it over with and go fly for 40 years. Doesn't matter what it is, just don't waste money on something that can't pay the bills if needed. Underwater basket weaving is not recommended unless there's high demand for baskets in your area. :)
Click to expand...
Only 19 so still time to figure it out. I took a year off to get my certs so that I can instruct while In school so I can be closer to my 1500 hours.

As for what I can survive doing if flying didn't work out, im trying to figure that out. Maybe I'll marry a rich women and have her support my habits. One can hope at least

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Catalo said:
Only 19 so still time to figure it out. I took a year off to get my certs so that I can instruct while In school so I can be closer to my 1500 hours.

As for what I can survive doing if flying didn't work out, im trying to figure that out. Maybe I'll marry a rich women and have her support my habits. One can hope at least

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Haha. If you pull it off, send postcards. :)

The rich women I've met, know how to smell a gold digger a mile away, just like the rich men. :) (The rich men ignore the warnings more often I think, too.)

I see a lot of temporary workers in my accountant's office getting paid pretty well to help him survive tax season every year, and while some are there year-round, others seem to enjoy having half the year off.

I assume they have other interests and/or other means of support like an understanding working spouse or something.

A finance or business degree and the accounting certification tests to be a CPA, may be utterly boring, but they don't have to be "passionate" about it, they're never on-call, and they only put in long hours around tax season. They make well more in a season than any airline pilot will make *at first*, but heir upside potential is capped if they don't do it full time. Or even start their own firm.

I don't see the tax code getting any simpler anytime soon. The guy who owns a P-51 and a Sea Fury at the airport is a Tax Attorney. He has more fun flying than anyone, I suspect.

Our Controller at the office is making rumblings like he wants to buy an RV that costs more than my first two houses, combined.

Just thoughts. Plenty of ways to make a living. They don't have to be your reason to live.

Jobs that generally pay really well either have a significant responsibility tied to them, or they're just stuff nobody wants to do. The more no one wants to do them, the better paid, for many of them.

My garbage guy has a multi-million dollar business he could sell and disappear to a beach in Mexico for a long time and not be hurting for food or rent money. He started with a couple of trucks that barely ran. I know, it's not an example of a job that requires a degree, but I'm sure he wouldn't have been harmed in any way by having a business degree.
 
Start out with the A&P at a program that gives you college credits. It may be more expensive than some of the vocational school type programs, but if the objective is to just get 'a degree' at some point, you want to have those credit hours. The A&P is going to be of more use for your flying career than 40 credit hours in basketweaving.
 
I would recommend an engineering degree, more specifically aeronautical. Yeah you could get a degree in communications or dietetics, but having an aeronautical engineering degree will open more doors for you in the aviation industry than comm. and dietetics will. Maybe you lose your medical and decide you want to go work for Cessna. Toured the plant and the guy giving the tour was one of the project managers on the Citations. Makes real good money. He had an aeronautical engineering degree. Kinda along the lines of an A&P that you were speaking of, but more money.
 
Engineering, computer science, as business administration are all good degrees to have.
 
Having an aeronautical engineering degree and flying are an awesome combo. But I'd advise strongly against an aero eng degree unless you are truly passionate about it. It ties with chemical engineering for the toughest engineering degree but for different reasons. Only about 10% of the class actually finishes the major, most drop down to mechanical, structural, or even nuclear engineering.

A buddy of mine had a meteorology degree and flies. Thought that was a cool combo. He had a ton of offers from avionics companies but went on to the airlines.
 
Engineering is probably the one degree that requires not only hard work but also an aptitude for the subject matter. If he wanted to be an engineer, he would know by now.
 
Get a decent degree (stem, law, mba, np/pa, whatever), get a job, pay off any debt. Then, while you're still in your 20s and have both spare money and spare time (hint: you probably won't have them both again for decades), get your A&P. Use this time to save and invest aggressively, both financially and in yourself. Read this and remember that there's more to life than work.
 
weilke said:
Start out with the A&P at a program that gives you college credits. It may be more expensive than some of the vocational school type programs, but if the objective is to just get 'a degree' at some point, you want to have those credit hours. The A&P is going to be of more use for your flying career than 40 credit hours in basketweaving.
Click to expand...

Or...

http://www.tesc.edu/ast/bsast/Aviation-Maintenance.cfm

http://blog.tesc.edu/can-your-faa-certifications-get-you-college-credit

An A&P is worth 69 semester hour credits, CP 17, IR 17, CFI 6, etc. It doesn't matter how or where you studied. If you have the certificates, you get the credits.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Or...

http://www.tesc.edu/ast/bsast/Aviation-Maintenance.cfm

http://blog.tesc.edu/can-your-faa-certifications-get-you-college-credit

An A&P is worth 69 semester hour credits, CP 17, IR 17, CFI 6, etc. It doesn't matter how or where you studied. If you have the certificates, you get the credits.

Rich
Click to expand...

Another good option if just 'a degree' is the requirement. From their study plan, it looks like you need another 60 'general' credits beyond what you can get out of your certificates.
What is completely missing from that degree is any kind of accounting or business classes. Who could possibly need that to work in an industry that is dominated by small businesses...
 
weilke said:
Engineering is probably the one degree that requires not only hard work but also an aptitude for the subject matter. If he wanted to be an engineer, he would know by now.
Click to expand...

:yes:
 
Catalo said:
I'm currently a freshman in college. I went through atps pilot mill. Big mistake a know but I finished up through my mei and got screwed. Anyways currently wondering what the best choice for a degree would be. I know a lot of people say stay away from aviation related. As of now I'm looking at getting my a&p. I just need a backup in case something happened where I could no longer fly.
Click to expand...
I know many people with aviation degrees; some are pilots and some are not. If you can't fly, or decide you don't want to fly, there are non-pilot opportunities at aviation companies. Whatever degree you decide to pursue, it's better to have some interest in the subject so that you are more likely to see it through; not to mention that if you end up doing it as a job, it's not something you are going to hate.

Also, if you are thinking of something as a backup down the road, think about the fact that what you learn in college today could very possibly be obsolete 20 years from now. I knew several people with engineering degrees back when pilots were getting furloughed. None wanted to go back to engineering. One told me he would need to go back to school for a higher degree to be competitive. He decided against it. I would be laughed out of any landscape architecture office today, or even 10 years after I got my degree with that major.

Just giving a different perspective than people normally hear here.
 
I'd really encourage you to do one of two things:

1. Think of a backup career you'd actually enjoy in case (God forbid) aviation didn't work out and figure out how to get there. Live your college life as if that's your ultimate goal, and decide once you get out whether you want to keep going or come back to aviation.

2. Just say **** it and study the hell out of something fun. I reluctantly took this approach in college, ending up on a music major after bouncing through several more practical options. It's worthless on any balance sheet, but it was actually the most valuable thing I've done long term. Studying what you love actually makes you a much better student/employee in any other area: you learn to learn, rather than just to regurgitate. Admissions folks for any higher degrees you might be interested in (law, for me) know this, and they care at least as much about how well you did as what you studied. That's different for certain fields (like engineering, as mentioned) - if you know you want one of those, choose door #1.

Some people can handle working in a field they hate to live in a way they love. I'm not one of them, and judging by your first choice in vocation neither are you.
 
Catalo said:
Only 19 so still time to figure it out. I took a year off to get my certs so that I can instruct while In school so I can be closer to my 1500 hours.

As for what I can survive doing if flying didn't work out, im trying to figure that out. Maybe I'll marry a rich women and have her support my habits. One can hope at least

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Just get one online, some places will credit you for your FAA ratings.

As for what to go to school for, personally I'd do a 2yr RN nurse program, best ROI and you can work ANYWHERE, goes well with aviation.
 
I was talking a year or two ago to a young CFI friend with airline dreams and he told me he was not going to college of any kind because he didn't want the debt.

I said "If I am the hiring manager and you come to me as a pilot without any post-high school training do you know what you are?" "No, what?" "Unskilled labor." I have another young pilot friend, just a hobby pilot fortunately, who lost his medical before he turned 30 because of a heart problem that cannot be fixed. So ... you are wise to be thinking as you are.

As a hiring manager, I tend to lump degrees into two buckets: "Trade School" and "Other." By "Trade School" I mean many of the recommendations you have receive here, like engineering, law, A&P, nursing. I'd add Accounting to that list as well. The criterion for a "Trade School" degree is that you learn specific things and gain specific skills that are of immediate value to an employer. This is the type of training that you want.

In the "Other Category" the poster child is, of course, English Literature. But to me "Other" includes things like Business and Marketing that sound like trade school but in fact only prepare you to be trained at the employer's expense.

The gummint publishes a job outlook forecast. Probably the Labor Department. I suggest that you find and read one of these, looking for ideas.
 
Is an aviation management degree a poor choice? Talking with my advisor I can get credit towards it from my certs. I would finish school in 3 years instead of 4 and might qualify for a time reduction. Not sure of the last part. It would get me flying sooner than later. And it's still a degree. As for jobs out there I have decent connections through family and friends who can help out.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Catalo said:
might qualify for a time reduction
Click to expand...

If you're talking about the restricted ATP, no you won't. The instrument and commercial has to be both Part 141 and connected to your degree.
 
dmspilot said:
If you're talking about the restricted ATP, no you won't. The instrument and commercial has to be both Part 141 and connected to your degree.
Click to expand...
Alright. Even without that I'm still graduating faster and spending less money in school and more time flying

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
Catalo said:
I want to be a career pilot. That's the dream. I'm working my ass off to make it happen. I have all my certs however a lot of people want a degree which I don't have and don't know what to get. For something I may never use and won't be 100% passionate about it makes it difficult

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume for the purposes of this answer you want to keep flying as a CFI, banner tower, rich guy's pilot, or whatever you're doing in aviation right now.

If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc and just fly in your spare time stop reading now.

Consider getting an accredited online degree in business, management, or accounting. If you want to be a career pilot then having a degree is mostly just a square to fill, most aviation companies won't care much where you got your degree.

And management, business, and accounting are big deals in aviation, as well as the rest of the business world. They are skills you can use just about anywhere.
 
JimNtexas said:
I'm going to assume for the purposes of this answer you want to keep flying as a CFI, banner tower, rich guy's pilot, or whatever you're doing in aviation right now.

If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc and just fly in your spare time stop reading now.

Consider getting an accredited online degree in business, management, or accounting. If you want to be a career pilot then having a degree is mostly just a square to fill, most aviation companies won't care much where you got your degree.

And management, business, and accounting are big deals in aviation, as well as the rest of the business world. They are skills you can use just about anywhere.
Click to expand...
That would be correct. And I'm leaning towards aviation management. It's a degree and it will get me done with school the fastest so I can go out and start flying for a career

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
denverpilot said:
Ok my dad's voice is coming on here for a second:

"Stop. Either you made a mistake or you got screwed, it's not both, so which was it?"

As far as a degree goes, depends on what you want to do. Simple as that. What skill set do they offer that you will be needing in your chosen profession?

And why isn't it still aviation? You didn't explain that part.
Click to expand...

This could be the only time Nate and I have ever agreed on something.

And I think I like his dad better than him. :D
 
As long as you want to work in aviation, an aviation management degree is not a bad idea especially if you are a pilot or A&P and want to advance into management at your employer. However, if you might want to take your degree and work in management at a non aviation company, you'd be better off with a degree in general business / management with a focus on finance. While the business courses you take for either one will be similar and maybe even identical, other industries sometimes just shake their head at specialized degrees like aviation management. However, if you have the FAA certificates and a business degree, an aviation company will typically look at that the same as an aviation management degree.
 
Catalo said:
Is an aviation management degree a poor choice? ...
Click to expand...
I don't have any experience in that area, but it strikes me as a fairly specialized area and hence with limited job prospects. I'd suggest that you do some surveying of companies and organizations that hire in the aviation field. The local city/county bureaucrats who manage your airports, for example. The flight department managers of local Fortune 500 companies. Your school ought to be able to provide a list of names and phone numbers where you can request face-to-face informational interviews. Also ask your school what their placement rate is for av management students into non-flying aviation jobs. Parse the answer carefully, though, as this is an area where schools are prone to stretch the truth. For example, a bachelor degree av management grad who is pumping gas as a lineman might be counted as having employment in his degree field.

Remember, you are doing this as a backup plan in case you become not-a-pilot (by choice or through bad fortune), so it is not an exercise in box-checking and your choice should not be made as if it were.

Re counting on friends and family to find you a job, don't. Odds are strong that it won't happen unless it is daddy hiring you into the family business. Assume you'll be out in line with every other job seeker. If something good happens with family and friends that will be a happy anomaly.

Re saving money by not needing as many credits that is certainly a consideration, but if it gets you the wrong degree it is no saving at all. It is a waste.

Re online degree, I would not even consider it unless it was from an accredited nonprofit school with real campus(s) and a real academic reputation outside of the online option. The stink of the for-profit schools screwing their students is just beginning to rise and it will be getting worse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top