Physics degree

[Sul]

Hi

I was wondering how much a degree in physics (say from Imperial College) would help you towards getting on a sponsorship program successfully?

[The Greaser]

Not much! I think there is only one sponsorship scheme available at the moment, that is through CTC. I have an Aeronautical Engineering degree from Imperial College and I dont really think it ever helped me get into aviation. It is all down to other skills, mostly interpersonal ones that any potential employer is going to look for. However, the degree does look good on an application form and may help you get an interview, after that it is of less use.

Good luck.

[Sul]

Thanks fellow imperial buddy! It would help in learning the theory wouldn't it? I thought doing physics would give you good mathematical skills and a right frame of mind to easily absorb the theory.

[BoraBora007]

It would certainly help with some sponsorship schemes, like that recently offered by Britannia, who required Physics at A-Level

[flaps to 60]

Sul

On my old 509 course a few years ago we had people with all sorts of degrees including mechanical engineering and it didn't help them one bit. They strugled just as much as us thickies with no degrees.

It's all about being able to cope with the quantity of work and not then content. As long as you can divide and multiply by 3, 5, and 60 then your laughing.
It is all down to other skills, mostly interpersonal ones that any potential employer is going to look for. However, the degree does look good on an application form and may help you get an interview, after that it is of less use.
The Greaser has it just about right.

Good luck.

[Sul]

I think I can definitely handle the quantity of work since I'm doing well at that at Imperial... Thanks for your advice. :)

[R T Jones]

I have been told countless times A Levels are harder than Uni. Uni jus shows u have an extra thing to learn more :). Personnaly If im gonna have to pay to be a pilot i dont want uni debt as well.

[The Greaser]

I can assure you that if you go to a university like Imperial then A levels are most certainly not as hard as a degree!

[Sul]

Greaser you are spot on.

[R T Jones]

eh well just saying what i been told, and yea it must vary what uni u go to, but that seems a bit dumb though, whats the point of goin to get a degree that is eaiser than ur a levels, dont make much sense to me

[Cabotage Kid]

A levels harder than a degree - ROFLMAO!

Yeah, an applied maths A level is probably harder than a humanities degree.

Seriously, your qualifications will help get you the interview certainly. Once that interview has been secured it is 100% down to you on the day(s).

[Re-Heat]

I have been told countless times A Levels are harder than Uni. Uni jus shows u have an extra thing to learn more . Personnaly If im gonna have to pay to be a pilot i dont want uni debt as well.
Oh dear - what a load of rubbish. A degree is a totally different ball game from A-Levels, not least because you read for a degree, and get spoon-fed A-Levels. A degree is not just harder, but a product of your own brainpower and initiative.

For starters, RT Jones, it teaches one not to type in text-speak, which is incredibly hard to read.

If you read reports of 4hours a week lectures on a social science degree, then you have really missed the point as well, as it will take another 35 hours of private study at any decent uni to get through the course.

The debt factor is misleading - not only because during earning the student loan debt comes out of your paycheck, so you don't have to think about it, but also so long as you have saved a little cash and are prepared to do a little bit of work in the holidays, you are probably not going to end up with anything more than the interest-free overdraft and a bit on the credit card.

With the number of people who want to fly, and have not had the opportunity to be sponsored in the recent past due to the economic situation, your competition for sponsorships is larger than ever - why not enhance your prospects, while gaining the ability to do a better backup career with enhanced earning prospects. A hell of a lot of people have had to do other jobs in the recent past while aviation recruitment has been dry - there is nothing to prevent it happening again.


Physics - I'm sure that if you enjoy the subject, it will help you in the interview by making you an interesting person to talk to! The same goes for anything else you choose and enjoy studying, from Philosophy to Geophysics.

[R T Jones]

Fair point and i appoligse for it, I will try to keep my posts in standard english from now on.

So what Cabotage Kid is saying, is it looks good on paper, but if you nail the interview there is nothing to stop people without degrees from getting sponsored, it just may be a tad harder to get the interview in the first place. If a degree is going to help me, then I definatly want to do it.

[FFP]

I think you'd do well to heed the advice given by Re Heat.

I'll relate it to my story.

Always wanted to fly. Went to RAF at 16 with GCSE's. Told to go away and come back at 18 with A Level's. Went back in my final year of A Levels to get the ball rolling when I was told " Your chances of success at 18 with A Levels are much less than the guy next to you with 3 years at Uni and a degree"

Fair point at the time and looking back on it, no matter how mature you think you are, you always have a bit further to go.

So my dilema is Uni (which I didn't want to do as it meant 3 years less flying) or go for RAF anyway.

I went for Uni. Did Physics "because that'll help you being a pilot"

Hated every minute of Uni. Physics degree does not even compare to A Level (being in a large theatre with rambling lecturer that you don't want to stop mid flow because you can't understand something was a big jump from my A level class with 6 of us sat round a table with a great teacher)

Joined the UAS and was persuaded to apply for a Direct Entry scheme. Got selected but in order to get in, needed to go back for a further medical over the period of my exams. Which meant failing them, but getting a job. Withdrew from uni, worked to pay off a year of debt, then joined RAF.

If I had to give advice to someone in similar shoes, I'd say pick a degree / subject that you like, not one you think you'll need. There are many pilots in the RAF that did degrees such as Music and Art. Always have a fall back option and never underestimate the maturity that living on your own / travelling gives you.

[dreamingA380]

I know a guy with a physics degree and he managed Flybe sponsorship.

Good luck

[flaps to 60]

Greaser/Sul

Dont be fooled into thinking that a degree from Imperial will somehow make the course a breeze.

As said earlier we had people with degrees from all sorts of Uni's on my course and they strugled like the rest of us to keep up.

The lecturer likened it to doing a degree in one year and not three or four.

Please dont go into this thinking that it will somehow be easier than you present course. It is HARD work and what gets you through is determination, guts and attitude.

Enjoy it when you get there.

[Cabotage Kid]

Yes I heard that about the ATPLs before I started. It is of course complete twoddle. The ATPL is not really an academic exercise. However according to the study hours requirement (650hrs), it is equivalent to a year of a degree. I would say it is vocational (and hence less cerebrally demanding) and more like a year of an HNC course.

[flaps to 60]

Cabotage

Perhaps your right when i did the 509 it was 1200hrs of ground school interspersed with flying.

Maybe under JAR thars all changed.

165hrs and 650ground against 200hrs 1200 ground and they call this progress?

[Sul]

flaps to 60 I'm not saying it's going to be a breeze, what I'm trying to say is that it will prepare us for it so we can handle it better. I didn't mean to sound arrogant, I apologise. :)

[Caracul]

Just to add to the conversation, I think that there are a few reasons why interviewers like graduates with the most important reason being that of maturity. No matter how mature you are/think you are after a -levels, having to cope with living away from home and being self sufficient is always going to develop you. University also shows that you have perseverence.

Not that all of these traits aren't shown by people that dont go to university, but especially if pitted against a candidate straight out of school, the impression is more favourable.

And of course you get to have the time of your life ;)

[R T Jones]

Well from being someone that didnt want to go to university, I think i have been converted. The maturity you gain over those 3 years will surely put you in a better position to be sponsored, and if not then banks are more likely to lend a graduate the money. Anyway my mum is very pleased I have changed my mind. Good luck with your persuits Sul.

[flaps to 60]

Sul

I dont think your being arrogant but maybe just a little blinkered.

No matter what way you look at it, it's gonna be hard work but it has a saddistic type of pain attached to it.

Yes your eyes are about to drop out and your barain will topple but you just cant get enough of it because its leading you to the dream. I would do it all again to get to where i am and as a mate told me its will be worth all the ****e when you get there.

Good luck with your degree it certainly wont harm you in the getting an interview process and good luck with finding a job as that's really the hardest part.

[Preppy]

Sul
I also spent 3 years at Imperial College reading Physics. Personally, I found the Physics course hard work and extremely difficult whereas the ATPL exams were just hard work!

Not sure whether any Uni degree helps you with an Airline Career! Seniority rules and the sooner you start then the better off you will be!

Max enjoyment that I had at IC were the many happy evenings at the ULAS which was just around the corner in South Kensington.

Good luck.

[DeltaT]

From someone who has a Degree in Maths AND Physics, it doesn't help with getting a job at all! In fact it might make you overqualified to be a pilot perhaps?! (it got to the point I was sending out CVs without the Degrees on it).
It does help with the understanding of the ATPL subjects etc, but you have paid to sit there during the course, and having the in depth knowledge/background only leads to boredom while there!