<p>so i had an interview with a guy from the air force to discuss about this program, and he said the salary is about 35k a year, free housing and food, and they will pay for your graduate school. However, its a 4 year committment!!! and i think he said you dont get to choose where you have to work. So if i work for them as a Developmental engineer, i may have to work in the midwest, like Alabama. But i would much rather stay in california, my home state. While i really would like to work in the defense industry, i do not like the 4 year committment and not being able to work close to home at all. anyone familiar with this program? is this a good offer?</p>
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<p>Do you seriously consider Alabama as part of the Midwest? I definitely laughed at this statement.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if you are a strong student you should be able to get your graduate degree paid for by doing research. By doing this, you will have no obligations upon graduation and you can work wherever you want.</p>
<p>And to reiterate what boneh3ad said, Alabama is in the south and I would definitely not consider it to be the midwest.</p>
<p>Are you doing the grad program full time or is it part time combined with part time service to the Air Force?</p>
<p>I am doing a masters program part time while working full time at my employer. So I get a full paycheck (much more than 35k) as well as 100% tuition payment. However, I have to work 40 hours a week for my company and then do the schooling in evenings and weekends.</p>
<p>If the Air Force is paying you 35k a year to go to school, and provides free food and housing, that doesn’t sound like a bad option. However, if you have to work 40 hours a week for them outside school, you can do better.</p>
<p>'Keep in mind that if you are a strong student you should be able to get your graduate degree paid for by doing research. By doing this, you will have no obligations upon graduation and you can work wherever you want.</p>
<p>And to reiterate what boneh3ad said, Alabama is in the south and I would definitely not consider it to be the midwest. '</p>
<p>well i just finished with a 3.77gpa in physics, avg/below avg letters of rec, 2 undergrad research projects, so i dont think that counts as ‘strong’</p>
<p>as for that Alabama statement, I know its in the South. the point I was making was that i would have to relocate far from home (California), whether it be in the midwest or the south or wherever. you guys dont need to make a big deal out of a typo</p>
<p>'Are you doing the grad program full time or is it part time combined with part time service to the Air Force?</p>
<p>I am doing a masters program part time while working full time at my employer. So I get a full paycheck (much more than 35k) as well as 100% tuition payment. However, I have to work 40 hours a week for my company and then do the schooling in evenings and weekends.</p>
<p>If the Air Force is paying you 35k a year to go to school, and provides free food and housing, that doesn’t sound like a bad option. However, if you have to work 40 hours a week for them outside school, you can do better.'</p>
<p>i think i have to work full-time for them, regardless if i go to grad school or not. I’m mostly worried about the 4 year committment. I don’t want to stay there for 4 years if I hate the work</p>
<p>But are you working full time while going to grad school? Or do you go to grad school, then work 4 years for them to fullfil your committment?</p>
<p>Congratulations on manageing to simultaneously offend both Southerners and Midwesterners. If the engineering thing doesn’t work out, you have a bright future as a radio “shock jock”.</p>
<p>If you do not have a strong upfront interest in living a military lifestyle my advice is don’t do it. Being in the military is a 24/7 job that many people love and just as many hate. If you don’t feel any excitement now, don’t do it.</p>
<p>thanks for the replies toblin and bigtrees (NOT bigG)</p>
<p>'But are you working full time while going to grad school? Or do you go to grad school, then work 4 years for them to fullfil your committment? '</p>
<p>I think I have to work full time while going to grad school</p>
<p>‘If you do not have a strong upfront interest in living a military lifestyle my advice is don’t do it. Being in the military is a 24/7 job that many people love and just as many hate. If you don’t feel any excitement now, don’t do it’</p>
<p>i would like to make weapons for the military, but I dont really want to live the military lifestyle, if you mean i have to follow all their rules or whatever</p>
<p>Creepypasta,</p>
<p>I think you can do better, especially if you don’t want to live the military lifestyle.</p>
<p>At my company, every employee has the opportunity to take up to $15,000 in education each year. So if you got hired as a janitor (or mechanic or paperwork pusher or whatever) and worked night shift, you could go to engineering school during the day.</p>
<p>You have to stay at my company for 2 years after you graduate. Since we make military hardware, you might get a design job working on military hardware and stay here for a career.</p>