It not about being a good pilot...
Merida & Jolegg I didn't say that someone who has a degree is superior to someone without. I do not in any way believe that to be the case.
Your argument that an unrelated degree is a waste of time is not true. For many university is where they learn all about life, love and they do it in a conducive environment where they are forced to do things for themselves, many for the first time, whilst having social lives with other young professionals to be. It is about far far more than just the academic qualification it is a transition from a spoon fed education system which told you what to study and when to having to achieve everything with nothing but your own fear of failure at the other end.
There are many talented, far brighter and more able candidates out there without a degree than I and many of them will be naturally better pilots than me but I keep reiterating the same point being a pilot is just a small part of a much bigger job.
You are both right to say that suitable testing would in fact make sure that suitable candidates without degrees were successful. You are correct.
My point is one of perception and competition. You only require A Levels to become an army officer but well over 90% of army officers are graduates. Why not because they were better it is just that the personal attributes sought are more easily found in most graduates.
It is nothing to do with ability it is to do with the type of person who values a university education. The degree in sports science, estate management or geography doesnt make you a better pilot. The expedition to the Andes, the organizing the trip round Australia in the summer hols, actually this is far far more valuable than the actual subject read. It is a short and formative part of most professionals lives and a good degree statistically means that you will be in the top percentage of earners in the country.
That is why we have universities, you must be able to find something interesting to read at uni as you can do degrees in just about anything so the question that you need to ask is why would you not go to uni as this is the commonly accepted method of qualifying yourself for life.
What would you do if you lost your medical? What is your back up? Is it a disadvantage to have a degree in any job? let's not encourage mediocrity lets encourage the next generation to seek higher standards fro our profession.
VT