Aviation Colleges/Universities?

[brynnb]

Hey guys,

I know this is mostly an UK forum, but hopefully I can get some help here in the North American section. I'm looking at colleges to get a degree in Aviation Sciences (or something similar) as well as getting flight training through instructor. I've looked around and I really have no idea which schools are the better ones. I live in Texas and I would like to stay decently close to home, but I'm open to anything.

Embry-Riddle seems to kind of be the top of the ladder in aviation schools. They're really expensive, however. Does the quality of training a person gets here offset the high expenses?

The other school I've looked at that seems to be rather highly regarded is the University of North Dakota. They offer a summer school program for highschoolers which I'm also looking into.

If anyone has any resources, websites, or other forums I can ask at and get some good replies I'd love to hear them. There really is not a whole lot of information that I can find on the internet.

Thanks,

Brynn

[flyboyike]

Purdue University

www.purdue.edu


University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign


http://www.aviation.uiuc.edu/main/


Southern Illinois Carbondale


http://www.aviation.siu.edu/


Spartan School of Aeronautics


http://www.spartan.edu/spartanprogra...eeStudies.html

And many many others.

[brynnb]

I appreciate the quick reply but I'm really looking more for the more highly recognized schools. It seems like 4 year degrees are needed these days and places like Spartan offer them, but they aren't really a traditional 4 year degree. They're more like community colleges from what I've read.

[flyboyike]

I wonder if you're aware that Neil Armstrong graduated from (and teaches at) Purdue. But, OK, here are some more schools.


Ohio State University

http://aviation.osu.edu/


Louisiana Tech University


http://www.latech.edu/aviation/


Texas A & M

http://aero.tamu.edu/ (this is an engineering program, you'd have to do your flight separately)


University of Texas Austin

http://www.ae.utexas.edu/ (ditto)


Spartan, BTW, is hardly a community college.

[Disco-Sean]

MAPD

Mesa Airlines Pilot Development (MAPD) is based in Phoenix, Arizona and Farmington, New Mexico. I have experience with the Farmington system.

Its a great program, with many options for training depending on your current flying experience. You CAN go from zero flight time to the right hand seat of a CRJ-900 in 250 hrs. !!There are no catches!! Mesa Airlines almost guarantees employment in one of their many aircraft types upon completing the course. I have many friends that have done the course and are currently flying for Mesa.

http://www.flightcareers.com/

This is the fastest way into the airline business - just beware of Mesa Airlines and their managements treatment of pilots. .

Good luck

[DHC8-FO]

....

I dont know what your financial situation is, but going to a school like riddle, purdue, mesa pilot program, etc, will put you in terrible debt when you get out in the real world and onto the intro pilot salaries ( if you are footing the bill yourself).

Best bet is to either join the military, or get your ratings on the side, and get a degree in something other than aviation science. I realize some careers outside of aviation don't care what your degree is in, just as long as you have one. But it is probably in your best interest to get a non-aviation degree. Go check out flightinfo.com in the regional's section, that'll give you a realistic (sad to say) and sobering view of whats going on.

[imr]

Don't do it..

Do yourself a huge favor and do not get a degree anywhere remotely related to aviation. There's tons of other stuff out there to study.

Just get your ratings/time on the side.

I did it this way and have no regrets about it. Tons of guys I fly with wish they did it this way.

[DoingTime]

Do not, I repeat, do not go through an aviation program at a University. It is a complete waste of your time. An aviation degree isn't worth anything out in the real world, maybe good for a manager position at a local FBO but that is it. And certainly not necessary to be a pilot. I'm a regional guy as you can see by my user i.d and I only have an associates, looking to complete a BS degree currently. Go through you local State University and get a valuable diploma for the cheapes amount possible and get your training done independently of you school at a local FBO. Take it from me, airlines do not care where you went to college, all they need to know is that you have some sort of education meaning you aren't an idiot and are able to be trained.