Xcred,
Without getting into the yearly cadet vs DE showdown, every c&t guy I've met in the big Q seems to think that after a year or so in the company, it's virtually impossible to tell the difference in flying, multi-crew procedures and airmanship between the average straight-out-of-GA DE entrant, and the average cadet. I've sure it'd be different, however, comparing an ex-AN driver with 1000s of hours to the above groups... That's not to say there aren't some ordinary cadets around, but if you were to try to say that there aren't some ordinary DE guys there either then you'd be sadly mistaken.
Granted - those in GA have done the hard yards, and deserve every success they get in the airline. Every cadet I've met, however, would have done exactly the same thing (gone to GA) had they not made the course. They were lucky enough to get in, and find a way to fund it (just, in most cases), and have worked hard ever since. As a result of getting in with fewer hours than their DE colleagues, they spend a couple more years with two stripes on their epaulettes - DE guys might get a promotion after 6 months, whereas most of the cadet S/Os are there for 3-4 years.
As 'softon's mum' once put it:
"Some GA pilots are good some are bad.
Some Cadets are good some are bad.
Some air force pilots are good some are bad.
Some people with heaps of experience are good, some are bad....."
The awful truth, I'm afraid.
Good luck to all those applying this year.
Cheers, ED