ProPwannabe I am in a similar position as yourself (however a tad younger at 18). I have researched the options relentlessly over this past year. I took an assessment at OAA and was surprised/pleased to pass first time. The reason in which I am not deciding to pursue the OAA APP route is because I got talking to a trainee on the Integrated route and he told me if he were me, he would choose CTC or FTE. The reasons were mainly of bad weather Oxford gets but he also said the school give preference to some pupils and ‘look after’ them better. Reasons I am not aware of and am in no position to comment on, but that’s what he said.
I recently attended the Bucks’ open day and got talking to the course leader. He really sold the course but described it as a ‘Managed Modular’ rather than an Integrated which is displayed on the Cabair website.
However comments from The Beak are making me reconsider the option of an aviation related degree. (I know a FO and he assured me not to listen to people on pprune because many of them are here to put people of from the profession and if he had of listened to advice he was given over pprune, he wouldn’t be flying for a living).
I’m not saying that The Beaks advice is in anyway malicious as I am aware the guy has experience I can only dream of having one day and he has previousaly gave me valuable advice on a previous thread, but it’s just a thought.
If your intention is to go Integrated, my advice would be to book an assessment for CTC or FTE and decide from there. On the other hand I am hearing good things about Cabair’s USA option. Just don’t make any rash decisions as if this is a career you are set upon and will happily serve for the rest of your time, I don’t believe I’m wrong in saying that it deserves a bit of thought.
P.S. The course leader assured me many of the graduates secured jobs soon after graduation and airlines were impressed with their degrees also.