Degree Classifications

[sk4644]

Hi, I wonder if anyone out there can help me....

I have just completed my degree in Aerospace Engineering and have received my result. I was aiming for a 2:1 but after completely and utterly messing up a module I have been given a third.

I must say I am in a complete state of shock and have no idea what to do next. My aim has been to become a Commercial Pilot and I was just wondering if anyone out there could tell me how this degree result will affect the way airlines will look at me. Have I really :mad: up my chances of employment?? How much emphasis do airlines put on the degree class once say, you have gone through a training school such as Oxford??

I have had a good CV up until now having won a couple of scholarships, one of which was for a full PPL. I have been in my University Air Squadron although my eyesight prevents me from joining the RAF as a pilot.

If anybody could offer any pearls of wisdom about what to do next then I would be extremely grateful.

Cheers, sk

[witchdoctor]

Don't sweat it. Airlines are far more interested in your flying ability than your academic ability. Get good groundschool passes across the board and your degree classification will appear as an anomoly in an otherwise sound academic career.

I know plenty of people who went through Oxford with me who don't have degrees, and plenty more who do, and who have a broad range of degree subjects and classifications. It is of interest to, but not crucial to, employers what you have done with your life and what you have achieved.

Don't lose any sleep over it, and if you want to fly just put it behind you and make the rest of your life a success.

[The Greaser]

Dont Worry

I got a third in my Aero Eng degree. No one cares, it is still a pass - and much more worthy than one of these media study junk degrees. It hasnt harmed me. I have a job flying 737's. Good luck.

[Genghis the Engineer]

If you wanted an Engineering job I'd argue that it was at-least moderately disastrous and you'd probably need to do something about it - such as an MSc.

You don't, you want a flying job. Get on with your flying training, and don't list your degree grade on your CV, let people ask for it - they probably won't.

And my sympathies, it's a bit of a shock after 3 years of ludicrously hard work. The good news is that flying training isn't quite as irreversible if you fail a chunk, just different and more expensive.

G

[jamup]

Some people want to get any kind of degree with there Pilot license including me , but you , having an Aerospace Dege, still worried about the CLass,,, come on mate , this is more than enough ,,, get on with your flying , Degree is an aded quailfication when it comes to Commerical Airline Jobs, first of all you should know how to fly ,,

JAMUP

[mad_jock]

Well if you want to use your degree to get enough money to fly.

Try a wireline or logging engineer. In the oil industry

Don't know what the current requirements are but.

If you can stand getting frozen in Siberia or bitten to death / gassed in Gabon. Haliburton and the like used to eat engineering graduates and then spit them out 3 years later. So there is a fair through put. Its bloody hard boring work in some of the worst hell holes in the world but it is very well payed.

If you don't spend all your dosh getting pissed / expensive holidays (unless they envolve hour building of course). You should come out with enough money to complete your CPL/IR.

MJ

[sk4644]

Cheers guys for all your replies, it is good to know that I haven't ruined all my chances. I was feeling pretty low after finding out my results but I know that I got a lot more out of uni than just a degree which makes the past 3 years worth it.

I am now looking into doing the modular route. However, I must say that my result has made me nervous about taking the ATPL exams. Many people have told me that it is the volume of work to learn rather than the difficulty of the content that makes these exams harder. I have got v good GCSE and A-Level results-will this stand me in good stead for the ATPL exams?? Don't mean to sound silly but could do with some reassurance!! Then as far as I am concerned I am going to get on with my life and put all degree thoughts down to experience!!!

Thanks again for all your help

sk

[oxford blue]

I am an instructor at Oxford and in the 4 years that I have been there I have seen a very wide variety of students pass through these hallowed portals. Some have extremely fine degrees and I wouldn't trust them to post a letter. Other have just 5 GCSEs, but so much practical intelligence that I just know that they would come to a broad pragmatic solution to any problem which would be safe and sensible.

It's the second sort that I would choose to be airline pilots. There is no doubt that you are required to be intelligent - but it's not an intellectual kind of intelligence. It's a practical intelligence. Can you sort out a circuit diagram? There is no doubt that you need to be numerate - but only at about GCSE level. Are you good at rapid mental arithmetic? Can you re-arrange elementary equations quickly? No-one is going to ask you for calculus or hyperbolic functions as an airline pilot. But you are going to be required to work out how long your fuel will last -and come up with the answer very quickly.

Apart from this, the most importance factor is motivation. If you think you'd just die if you didn't fly, then you must fly. If you don't come into that category and there are lots of other things that you think that you might enjoy, then I suggest that you go and do one of those instead.

The airlines understand all this. Recruiting managers and training captains have been around and seen all this.