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Old 4th Oct 2011, 19:00
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Rotorwashed
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tacoma, WA
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If you want to be an army pilot do not join ROTC, especially if you dont have a scholarship. After your second year of ROTC, you will be contracted in the army, no turning back. It is true that you can request aviation, but it is extremely unlikely that you will get it. Only the cadets that have perfect grades on top of a near perfect "accessions" score, which is basically a grade that you get after your four years of ROTC, will get aviation. There are very few aviation slots for cadets because the army does not require a four year degree, and it has civilians and other prior service soldiers lining up for the Warrant Officer Flight Training program. Why would they send a cadet that can be forced to do anything the army needs, to go do the one thing that everyone wants to do?


Your best bet is to get at least an associates, and if you have the money, getting your commercial certificate in helicopters would be a great idea. Then apply for Warrant Officer Flight Training. Study for the ASVAB and AFAST tests and knock them out of the park, and you will be very likely to get accepted. If you dont, the National Guard desperately needs pilots, but they won't accept you into flight school right away like the army will. You will have to enlist, then request flight school, and you a nearly guaranteed a slot as long as you work with your recruiter and pass the tests and physicals. DO NOT DO THIS WITH THE ARMY!!! only the National Guard. the very first thing an army recruiter will tell you will be "WOFT is a great program, but it would be much better for you to enlist and then request flight school". this is a load of crap, and they are only saying it because enlisting someone takes about an hours worth of paperwork while the WOFT application can take longer than a year in some cases, and might not even get them anything if you dont get accepted. The national guard is actually very good about moving you along if you enlist, because they need pilots. you will probably be enlisted in the NG for less then a year before going to flight school if you do it that way.

As for the schools, I attended Embry-Riddle Prescott for a year. It would be a great school to go to if you enjoy 90% male students. of that 90%, most if not all are your typical dungeons and dragons/WOW players that hardly see sunlight. Plus its in the middle of a retirement community so its not exactly a fun place to live. Also if you can stomach the 17,000 per semester tuition (dont forget all the hidden fees like required dorms and meal plans on top of that) then go for it. it looks great on a resume, mostly because the person hiring you is likely to have come from there or at least know someone who did.

I dont know much about the others, but i do know that UND has an ROTC scholarship program where they will guarantee you a slot in aviation, and pay for your flight training while you are in school. I forget what its called now, but give their ROTC office a call and im sure they will fill you in.
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