Food for thought
Hey Chrisy08!
Just to help you make your decision I'll let you know my position - it's quite similar to yours...
Im 19 and in my 3rd year of a BSC (Computing Science so nothing related to the avaition industry). I never planned on going to uni but got the grades and wanted to leave school, so I went without thinking about it. It is a great experience I must say, and you will have experiences you will never forget. It is hard work, but you will not look back and regret it.
Just like you, I always wanted to be a pilot. My friends are all now working as builders, electricians, plumbers – all good jobs that are always needed, but none of them enjoy their work. I don’t want to work in an office, waking up every day thinking damn I’ve got to go work – and that’s one of the reasons why I want to fly.
So I applied to the Royal Navy to be a pilot 2 years ago (because it was actually what I wanted to do for a long time, buzzing the ground at 300mph, with the added bonus of getting paid through training) and failed the aptitude tests! I really should have studied more before I arrived. Disappointed but determined I gave it another shot and passed in June this year. Then I had the long awaited AIB and messed it all up. I felt a lot of pressure down at Gosport as all the other candidates had X amount of hours and had dads and uncles who were Lieutenant Commander's etc. In the end it was down to me and I blew it, so all I could do is continue with my degree. I don’t exactly enjoy it but it's something I’m always going to have and will help me later in life - you should seriously think about that.
Shortly after failing AIB I met a guy who trained at FTE Jerez, Spain. Great guy, down to earth and yes he did loan the cash. So I thought yeah I can do that too - I went over, passed the Pilapt tests, passed interview with instructor then interview with owner and got offered a place.
But we aren't talking about a few hundred quid here or there - we're talking 82K debt! Do I want this hanging over my shoulders for the next ten years, worrying about getting a job at the end of the course(because if I don’t then my parents house is gone), and the answer is obviously no.
So I had a look at modular (I’m not starting a debate here guys so please be sensible and don’t quote this). I worked out roughly:
7K for PPL
10K hour building
6K for CPL
10K for IR
3K for MCC
And say you go over budget - 5K
That’s a rough total of 41K - saving 40K from going integrated!
Plus I plan on doing this in the summer break, then going back to study for my 4th year. You should think about this - a part time job should be enough to keep you ticking if you do enough hours and you could use the student loan to pay the PPL - it's the cheapest loan you'll ever get.
I’ve got my mind set on doing the PPL this coming summer and leaving the CPL till a year later I think (time to save some pennies).
I noticed how similar positions we are in and thought I should share what little knowledge I have. Honestly, think long and hard about taking out loans, even student loans for that matter, but do what is right for you.
In the current climate it’s a no brainer! Just have a look around some of the threads on here.
Hope this is of some help,
Monkey