Quality and affordable ATPL Ground School

[spitfire747]

I am looking for a good quality school that offers the ATPL ground school and exams at a resonable price. as i am going the modular route and finance is important
I am not the best at self study so need to be taught.

Has anyone got any suggestions or comments on the following

Glasgow college of Nautical studies
London Guildhall University

Thanks in advance

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: spitfire747 ]</p>

[bow5]

Spitfire, I am very much in the same boat as you as regards doing a modular course. It would be interesting to see what people come up with as suggestions. OATS looks good, as do most of the big schools but their 1st time pass mark is only 75%. I, like everyone, wants the highest pass marks possible and i'm not sure if this is achieveable through distance learning. I want at least 80% in each exam.

Have you found any answer to the question of how airlines view modular course graduates? I remember reading on a thread that they are more likely to take integrated first. I think another phone+airline calling session is in order!

[Atlanta]

My impression is that you can't go far wrong with either of these. I've heard nothing but good about both. Accommodation, however, should be both more plentiful and cheaper in Glasgow. I live in the South-east, so I shall be attending London Guildhall in the near future. Give me a buzz if you decide to go there.

[Paul Hickley]

Bow5, you have misinterpreted the Oxford statistics. Our figures for self-sponsored pass rates on first attempt are actually 84% for Techs and 85% for Navs, not 75%, but that doesn't mean that their average mark is 84-85%, it means that, of all the exams in all 14 subjects, taken by all self-sponsored students, 84-85% are passed on the first attempt, with marks which vary from 75% up to even 100%. These, mark you, are only the first attempt passes. Virtually everyone passes the re-sits, should they become necessary.

Since the JAA exam system started, a total of 5884 exams have been sat by 636 Oxford students (as of 21 Dec 2001). The initial-attempt pass rate of all students, self-sponsored and airline sponsored is 91%.

I hope that that's clearer.

Paul Hickley

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]</p>

[bow5]

Paul, Sorry about that. I meant 'pass rate' instead of 'pass mark'.

Have you an e-mail address I can contact you on. I filled in the information sheet on your website before Christmas and have received no response.

Cheers.

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: bow5 ]</p>

[Alex Whittingham]

Paul, your website says 75.2%<a href="http://www.oxfordgroundschool.com/oxfordgs.htm" target="_blank">here</a>

[Paul Hickley]

The 75% figure is for modular students only, but these statistics are incomplete, because many of the modular students make their own exam arrangements and we don't get to learn of the results. I don't think we should place too much reliance on statistics which are compiled only from the known results when there are a lot of unknown results which could affect them quite considerably.

However, we all know that you can prove anything with figures if you're selective enough. I really don't like quoting statistics; I just wanted to correct an apparent misinterpretation. I'm sure that Alex would agree that the best way to appraise a school is to go and visit it and ask questions and talk to current students. Make your own judgement.

(Bow5: E-mail me at [email protected]).

Paul

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]</p>

[spitfire747]

How much does the residential ATPL ground school cost at Oxford - there is no mention of it on their site ????

[Paul Hickley]

Our most recent brochure quotes £5495 for a 26 -week residential Ground School. That includes accomodation, but not food or VAT. When planning your budgeting, don't forget that you will have no income for 6 months, you will need food, and you will need a bit of entertainment and light relief (but not too much!)

To get the most up-to-date information, contact Susan Price of our Marketing Department. She is out of the office now, but will be back on Monday. Her e-mail is [email protected] and her phone number is 01845 844284.

Paul

[ 03 January 2002: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]</p>

[The Boy Lard]

Spit747

I suspect that Paul may have misunderstood your question.

I am presently at OATS on the Modular course and have indeed paid £5495 for the 26 weeks, however this sadly does not include accomodation.

You should budget for around £300/£350 per month for rent (Oxford and area isnt cheap)however if you use the accomodation forum on the OATS website you can contact others on your course with a view to sharing and keeping the costs down.

I can heartily recommend OATS as the instructors are second to none, the atmosphere is great and I am confident that I am at the right place for me.

Goodluck in your hunting and if you would like more info from my persective please mail me on [email protected]

TBL

[Quidditch Captain]

To Paul Hickley

Paul, are you sure that figure includes accomodation?

A friend has been quoted the same price and told that it doesn't.

Please will you clarify?

Thanks

QC

(Also I just saw the previous post on the same subject)

[ 03 January 2002: Message edited by: Quidditch Captain ]</p>

[wallup]

Quality and Affordable school for ATPL?

Bristol Groundschool!!!!

[Paul Hickley]

I'm pretty certain that The Boy Lard is correct (and I was wrong).

But check with Susan on Monday to be quite sure.

Paul

[ 03 January 2002: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]</p>

[Whirlybird]

I too thoroughly recommend Bristol Ground School!

[spitfire747]

Thanks all

I too have heard nothing but praise about Bristol, but doubt my own confidence in being able to study for ATPLs myself, I do think i need to be taught, afterall most will agree something us understood slightly better when demonstrated to you by someone else.

If Bristol did 'taught' I would be there

Does anyone know how much living costs would be in London for the Guildhall University

[bow5]

Spitfire,

One of the things that concerns me most about doing a modular course is that it is entirely possible that each module is done at a different training establishment meaning no consistency.

Like I said, I have read a thread on here (no idea if it is true) that one of the things that puts airlines off modular students is a lack of a documented training record and/or periodical reports on a students progress. I have to say that I can see why.

In my opinion, a modular course should be one that is done with one training provider, just like an integrated course, but allows you the freedom to start and finish the course when your time/finances dictate.

If there is any truth in the notion that airlines do discriminate against people with a random training record, surely it is better to play safe and do all the modular training with one company.

Just a thought.

Best of look with it though. I'm sure you would be fine with the ATPL theory.

As for accomodation near Guildhall.....Expensive.

[bluff]

When I struggled through 10 years ago I did my technicals at London Guildhall, found them to be good value for money.

Classes were bigger than some of the other schools, but still offered good instruction at an affordable price.