What now after college?

[sabre1]

I really dont want to go to University, i dont want to go in to £10,000 debt when the money could have been used on flying. So what other options have i got? Any advice would be appreciated.

[MikeSamuel]

Well, there's obviously the sponsorships - See my website for some more basic info...

www.stickymicky.co.uk (http://www.stickymicky.co.uk)

Otherwise, you could go self-funded...Or you could join the RAF, the possibilities are endless - Do some research...

Everyone seems to be just walking into some Uni or another these days - A degree is excellent, but the years and money it can cost are also worth a consideration.

Regards

Mike :cool:

[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: MikeSamuel ]

[willbav8r]

Get a job. Earn some readies. Get the PPL. Earn some more. Instrument rating. etc.

Sorry to sound obvious, but this is how most get by.

:rolleyes:

[scroggs]

Mike,
at 17 years old, I really don't think you are in a position to give advice about the pros and cons of going to university. I'm sure your website is very useful, and I don't want to curtail your enthusiasm, but don't set yourself up as an expert just yet. It's only a couple of months ago I was chiding you for overwhelming Wannabes with your own questions!
Let those who have the experience give the advice. Concentrate on getting your own licences and qualifications.

[Flypuppy]

Sabre,

If you have the chance to go to Uni, take it. They will be the best, booziest sex filled days of your life. Along the way you might even pick up a useful qualification that will help you into a career just in case the flying thing doesnt work out. You will also have the chance to apply for the UAS,where you can get a feel for life in the RAF and get some free flying at the same time. If the UAS isnt for you then between hangovers and studies you could get a job at the local flying club working as the ops bod/washing planes/fueling planes etc. etc. this will give you a feel for General Aviation and the possibility of some cheap(ish) flying (maybe).

Dont close down all your options by not going to University, if you are only 17/18 then a 3 year degree will see you graduating at 21 and ready to take on the world with some letters after you name. 10k of debt is NOTHING compared the sums of money it takes to self sponsor yourself through a CPL/IR (frozen ATPL) course of study. Consider that the cheapest possible way of gaining a JAA frozen ATPL will leave you with very little change from 35,000 pounds a mere 10,000 is neither here nor there :eek:

If you are considering a course of professional pilot training, get a Class 1 medical before you do anything else and apply for all the sponsorships that you can find.

[Atlanta]

I am an old bird. When I was young, you could make a perfectly good career for yourself in most fields with professional qualifications alone. Only high flyers needed a degree. In those days, only 2% of the population had degrees and the degree courses were universally of a very high standard.

Nowadays, every b*gg*r has a degree. There are people walking around with degrees now that wouldn't even have got into grammar school in my day. Many of them are semi literate. Certainly degree course standards have been dumbed down.

When you apply for a job now, you are invariably interviewed by someone with a degree. These people often seem to believe that no one without a degree can possibly be much use.

My advice? In this day and age, don't under any circumstances get caught without one. It doesn't matter whether you get one now or in a few years time when you've got some experience. But make sure you get one. Try and get a degree in a useful subject if you can, but if you can't get one in the Humanities. Any degree is better than no degree.

[no sponsor]

Flypuppy - which Uni did you go to - let me know, and I'll go back for another 4 years...

[scroggs]

It's been pointed out to me that City University run a BSc(Hons) course in Air Transport Operations. The second year of this degree course is a frozen ATPL course using OATS, Cabair and SFT.
City advertise on Pprune, so their contact details will be found by clicking on their ad. This might be exactly what you're looking for!

[ 05 September 2001: Message edited by: Scroggs ]

[MikeSamuel]

Yeah, I was looking into that course Scroggs (I'm applying for Uni now). Impressive course, although you not only pay for the ATPL, but the entire degree fees aswell - so the total is over £60k I think. Definitely work a look, it would be nice if the airlines would sponsor such a course!

Regards

Mike

[Lucifer]

There is no way you can get yourself in £10k of debt if you spend sensibly, budget and work in the holidays. The student loan is the best loans you can ever have in your life with low interest rates and no payback until you earn over a reasonable thresehold amount. Tip: Don't bother with a car. You don't need it at uni and trains usually work, and they literally burn money.

Where are you going to get the money to learn to fly without a degree: sure there are well-paid non-graduate jobs, but the monetary advantages of a degree far outweigh the disadvantages of 3-4 years not fully earning. The majority of the competition for flying jobs will by your time have a degree, you will have missed out on the lifestyle which the rest of your schoolmates have had, and you will kick yourself for the rest of your life. You have the easiest opportunity to get a degree while you are young and just out of school. There is not point in making it harder on yourself and closing opportunities by not doing a degree: why the rush to get into flying. You may say economic climate, but this is not as predictable as many may lead you to believe: 5 years may be massive recruiting or none at all, and even then waiting a little longer is not that much of a hinderance. With the prospect that even BA will have to increase retirement age to 60-65, getting a job at 25-28 is not much of a disadvantage in reality.

Get that degree!

[Sagey]

Can I suggest you strongly look at University regardless of which course(s) interest you.

I have just graduated, and decided to put on hold applying to sponsorships whilst obtainning a degree.

For a start if you join the RAF or RN as a pilot you get a lot more money for being a graduate. All the literally they have on websites etc state that the majority have a first degree (ie a BA BSc etc)

The experiences you learn at University really help you with sponsorships IMO. You are a bit fresh when you first leave school, although you really don't notice it at the time. 3 years at University allows you to meet a diverse group of people,you will have a good time, and you will also learn how to study properly. Study I mean by getting books and having to get the information yourself, rather than being spoon fed, which can only help for flying exams etc.

I am not going to tell you what to do. But there is no harm in applying to University and to apply to sponsorships as well. 3 years might seem like a long time now but it flies by. Universities also offer excellent career advice. Ok it is not tailored around flying, but help on tests and interview technique are provided.

Best of luck with whatever you do

Sagey

[ 07 September 2001: Message edited by: Sagey ]