Do you think a bachelors degree will ever become necessary again to become a pilot at the airlines?

[SFDukie]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but that sounds like a quick ticket to $100K in debt and living with your parents because you can't afford to pay rent.

Community college tuition is free in many places.
If one needs to live with one’s parents to achieve a college degree, it’s well worth it.
Your mileage may vary from mine.

 

[RockyMtnFlyer]

A good college education will teach a student how to teach themselves. How to use *primary* sources. How to evaluate information sources critically.

In terms of educational experience, there’s no comparison between in person and online.

That’s empowering, beyond economic considerations

So, an online experience does not count as "teach themselves"? I think online learning is more difficult and requires more discipline than sitting in a chair and getting credit. In any case, educational experience is irrelevant. End result is the same; a diploma. My diploma is exactly the same as a "resident" student's (minus the nail polish).

 

[Half Fast]

In terms of educational experience, there’s no comparison between in person and online.

Agreed.

Watch the movie “Animal House” and you will quickly realize that such wonderful educational experiences could never be found online.

 

[Zeldman]

End result is the same; a diploma. My diploma is exactly the same as a "resident" student's (minus the nail polish).

Agreed.

And it was a cold day, I tell ya whut.!!

 

[Half Fast]

Online classes give so little opportunity to set fire to the electrical power lab. Or to accidentally flush contaminated water from the school’s nuc reactor into the Atlanta sewer.

Shouldn’t engineers have to chance to create a few disasters within the confines of a campus before they’re unleashed into an unsuspecting world?

 

[SFDukie]

Interaction with other students- and a professor with expertise in the subject they teach- is invaluable
College isn’t for everyone, that’s ok.

“Nail polish”

Oedipal issues are best discussed with a therapist.

 

[Kristin]

I have a BS from ERAU. Most of the credits came from having all my ratings already, and an A&P which was gained at ERAU. The rest of the degree was as it was titled, BS! But having been a product of the public school system at a time when they were experimenting with teacherless classes, I had learned long ago how to teach myself. That came mostly from my parents imparting a love of reading. The only thing I got from the BS degree was that it was a prerequisite to being accepted to grad school.

 

[Jeff767]

Where are you getting that data?

From a CP at one major airline and a friend working in hiring at another. All the majors as I mention track applicant performance and feed that back into their hiring preferences.

 

[Jeff767]

;

What would be some good things to do to make yourself stand out in the application process if I were to not pursue a 4 year degree. more hours greater than atp minimums? more type ratings? things of that nature? would even an associates degree be of any notable help? since its technically better than nothing.

Major airlines are generally not that focused on time and ratings. If you meet the mins they assume you have some flying ability. What they are looking for is what the overall quality of the individual is and how will they fit managing a flight. Managing is what you do these days. Poor decision making can cost an airline big dollars. Decide as an example to cancel or divert a flight from Europe when maybe there was another option can cost an airline 500,000. They also want you to be able to talk and deal with passengers intelligently.
Get your time and ratings but also try and have job experience with managing or leadership roles. This does not have to be in aviation. Do well in what schooling you do have or will plan on having. If working at a regional push to become a check airman. Strangely even working for a union and being a union rep is viewed as a plus. If you’re working in a flight department volunteer for admin or safety work. Have some outside interest that will help define you as an individual.
Last but not least work extremely hard not to bust checkrides. One or possibly two with an appropriate recovery and retest is not a deal killer. Beyond that you are going to have trouble getting on at a major unless you have another cycle like the last 3 years which is unlikely. It also looks bad if you take excessive flight time to get ratings. 20 hours to solo and 100 hours to a private does not look good. If you do have that type of issue have a good explanation like you could only afford one lesson a month while providing full time care to your mother with dementia.

 

[Pinecone]

FYI, as a former hiring manager, I can tell you that an online degree is noticed and counted less highly than a resident degree.

Any degree puts you ahead of those without in many fields. But a resident degree puts you ahead of online degree holders. And then a highly rated school puts you ahead of those from smaller, less known schools

 

[Tarheelpilot]

From a CP at one major airline and a friend working in hiring at another. All the majors as I mention track applicant performance and feed that back into their hiring preferences.

Yep. I know they track data. Not just the majors. Regionals do as well.

At the one where I was privy to the data degrees only seemed to be a marker for the lowest time pilots. Generally speaking more experienced pilots it didn’t matter.

That’s why I was asking.