What will you do if you eventually can’t fly planes? I personally know a guy who was an airline pilot who was laid off. He had to go back to school to find a reasonable job. How about studying business? Then you can develop the skills to have your own aircraft company.
Just two thoughts here. First of all, if you want to apply to an engineering school, the lack of math could be a problem, especially if you only took pre-calc. You need to check requirements and see if not having a fourth year of math is an issue. Moreover, some schools might require an SAT 2 in Math for admittance, so you need to check on that.
My second comment is financial. You cannot borrow enough to pay for college on your own and your parents’ income would be used in any financial aid calculation, so you need to talk to them in great detail about how much they will pay, whether they have any restrictions on your college applications - you can’t just wing it here. If your SAT or ACT scores are high enough, you might qualify for merit aid at some schools, but I don’t believe you’ve posted them.
Okay.
@Erin’s Dad. Thats a really important question but I have no idea. I mean, I can give you a long list of things I wouldnt want to do:
- Accounting
- Agriculture
- Animal Science
- Ancient history
- Archaeology
- Architecture
- Art, Music, Theater, Dance
- Beauty (make up, nails, hair, etc)
- Biology
- Broadcasting
- Cars
- culinary
- Childcare
- Classical studies
- Construction and landscaping
- Counseling
- Creative writing
- Criminal justice and security
- Digital marketing
- economics
- Education and school admin
- English
- Exercise/ fitness
- Film
- Finances
- Gender studies
- Geology
- Geography (do people actually study this?)
- Healthcare, Optical, Dentistry, Nutrition, Nursing, Paramedic, Physical therapy, etc
- Hospitality/tourism management
- Human development
- Insurance
- Interior design
- International relations
- Floral design
- Journalism
- Law
- Marketing
- Media
- Combat military, etc.
- Mining
- Mortuary science
- Oceanography
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Psychology
- Real estate
- Secretary
- Social media stuff
- Sociology
- Speech
- Social worker
- Sports
- Statistics
- Talking on the phone a lot, so like an office job
Here are some other things that probably sound silly but for the most, part are true. They are not in any order.
Skills I don’t have
- dealing with no structure
- Public speaking
- Working with kids
- Being outdoors
- Concentrating with noise such as a cubicle in a large room of people talking over each other about nothing on phones.
Things I should possibly look for
- quiet probably
-
pays well enough to let me fly planes - a job that is challenging and makes you keep learning as the field evolves. Not like working at Sheetz where you punch in the same codes for a soda every day for 20 years.
People I would work with:
- Adults
- Teens 9th grade and up
Whats holding me back from engineering
-
Perfectionism has left me with little self confidence -
I'm not a "fix it" person. If a pen breaks, I get a new pen. I dont weld it back together. -
I'm not good at drafting/drawing -
I've never seen myself doing engineering. It doesnt feel like "me"; planes feel like "me."
@midatlmom I took AP Calculus AB last year. Youre right though, I havent taken the SAT subject tests but it would be a (very) good idea to sign up for those in November.
Also I am sorry everyone if this is all too much info. I’m just lost.
What about a career in travel or tourism?
Be it far from me to tell you what path your life should take. However, I would like to take exception with the reasons you list that are holding you back from engineering:
- You may feel like you have little self-confidence, and whether that is indeed objectively true or not, it hasn't stopped you from being an excellent student so far, and therefore is not likely to stop you from succeeding at engineering in college and beyond.
- & 3. Not requirements for engineering. It's also about creating, building, not necessarily fixing. You're not the guy who fixes the pen. But maybe your the guy who decides to make a better pen that won't break on you next time.
- We can't honestly know whether something "feel likes me" until we're actually doing it. Maybe you're banking a bit too much on perceived feelings here?
I’m not saying you should be an engineer. But I noticed it wasn’t on your considerably long list of thinsg you won’t do, and it could also fit your criteria 1-3. And engineering in a field related to flight could lead to intersections between your career and your passion. By the way, that doesn’t have to be MechE or even Aerospace E to intersect with flight. It could be material science, chem E, and even neuroscience (if you want to be on the cutting edge of an evolving field).
Whoa, I would suggest to take a step back here for a second, as I’m not sure your guidance counselor or you even truly understand your goals and the time frame/ financial commitments involved.
***First and foremost make sure you don’t have any medical or eyesight factors that could prevent your flight asperations make sure to look up the medical standards required.
- in reading your post
“I talked to my school college adviser and she recommended going to a flight school for A&P and learning through a private instructor and then going to college for something entirely different. Whatever that would be should lead to a well paying career. I will do that for part of the year to pay for volunteer flying during the remainder of the year.”
To get your A&P license and education it will take you about 2 years and a min of about $26K costs plus room and board unless you are going to live at home- You can do this in a specific program on its own or a program that offers an associates degree or even a bachelors degree. Then you will need experience…
To obtain all of your flight ratings through CFII (Certified flight instructor) so as to build the flight time needed to get hired - will probably cost $50K min - and more likely 75$ to 100plusK is not unheard of and you will need at least 18 months Id say for all of this.
And THEN you want to add in another college degree in something else?? That would take 2-4 more years? And you do realize that you need to stay current flying and working in AC maintenance …
I would suggest, like a lot of people here have said, to go to a 4 year school for a degree in aviation (be it aeronautical engineering, A&P aviation maintenance technology, aviation management, aeronautical science degree, cyber security etc) where you can also get your flight ratings while at school… Yes it is expensive but some schools are more so than others and some offer specific programs that you may want more so than others…
because then you can do all of this education and licensing in 4 years, graduate, and go from there to building flight time and aircraft maintenance experience (and get paid) that you will need to fly for a NGO contracted charter company.
If you are sure you want to be in aviation, then why study/look at other schools and careers? Stay in an aviation degree program. You will get a job when you come out, and then you can go from there to build the experience that you will need…
Concentrate your search on schools that offer aviation degrees would be my advice.
I disagree. If you’re totally not interested in engineering then don’t do engineering. Spouse is a commercial airline pilot and didn’t skip a beat with a degree in political science.
There are MANY more aviation degree programs at aviation related universities than just engineering… If OP doesn’t want to “do engineering” he/she can chose from any of the examples below … here are the aviation degrees offered at Embry Riddle - and FYI the Aeronautical Science degree is the one that will encompass all of your flight ratings and pilot licensing
Associate
Aeronautics
Aviation Business Administration
Aviation Maintenance
Aviation Maintenance Science
Bachelor’s
Aeronautical Science
Aeronautics
Aerospace and Occupational Safety
Aerospace Engineering
Air Traffic Management
Aviation Business Administration
Aviation Maintenance
Aviation Maintenance Science
Aviation Security
Global Conflict Studies
Homeland Security
Interdisciplinary Studies
Meteorology/Applied Meteorology
Operational Meteorology
Safety Management
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science
Unmanned Systems Applications
Wildlife Science
The OP indicated they wanted to get their flight ratings, along with a degree, and an A&P … so they can “go into a a flying job”…
I do not see how a political science degree would help achieve that. Yes, you can get a degree in political science and then on the side get an A&P and all of your flight ratings but that would take years extra time …
Even if you don’t fly, there are many aviation fields to go into besides engineering…
Soaring is generally less expensive than powered flight, making it a little more accessible to someone starting out. I prefer it. A lot of powered flight is dealing with flight planning, air traffic control, etc. Soaring flight is very different from that.
If you really want to fly, consider it as an option. It may be that your family might support getting through solo one summer, and a private license (glider) later on. Still not cheap, but an incredible experience. The skills will transfer to powered flight if you decide to go that direction.
Some form of applied math/software combination not only should pay well enough to support the habit, but be a big help in understanding what the air is doing.
FWiW, my first glider instructor had a license signed by Orville Wright.
There are a few ways to go about becoming a commercial pilot. The primary ways are as follows:
- Get a "checkbox" degree from any 4 year school and receive private training through a local FBO or equivalent. Most people following this path usually get their CFI and/or CFII to build flight time.
Pros: Cost will be less than attending a private aeronautical school but more than going the military route.
Cons: This is the most difficult and least reliable path since everything is on you to figure out.
- Get a degree, join the ROTC, and become a commissioned officer in one of the military branches. Have the military pay your way.
Pros: Generally the cheapest path. Can be very inexpensive, if not free. Highly structured. Very attractive to commercial airlines.
Cons: Military commitment after graduation (can be as long as 8 years if memory serves me correct), limited freedom during the training/experience building process.
- Attend a private aeronautical school.
Pros: Highly structured, convenient, immersive experience (attending college with other pilots who have similar goals/aspirations)
Cons: Most expensive option
There is no right or wrong choice here. If cost is a major factor, you will be better off going with options 1 or 2. On the other hand, if you are looking for the absolute best experience possible, and cost is not a factor, option 3 is as good as it gets.
Okay so here is my update:
It seems like if I want aviation to be sustainable, I need to go to college for something which pays well, first.
I am thinking of going into engineering still but people are telling me not to just for the money and engineers dont actually make that much.
Personally, I dont feel the need to be upper class, but I think I need a well paying job (I’m sorry for thinking major = job, I know thats not how it works) because aviation is expensive.
Also, I know that I want math and science.
Changing topics, I have had people recommend a humanitarian focus-- does that sound like I good idea? It doesnt sound like math and science to me…
Humanitarian focus can be on any subject - developing sustainable practices (engineering), analyzing data on hunger (math)
I’m back.
I never went on an official visit. Over Thanksgiving my dad and I went to see a few. To give you a few numbers: 40 hours. just under 20 of driving alone. 9 schools. 12 email addresses from students and staff which is incredible considering it was break. I met some really cool people. We left my town without food, cash, maps, a reservation for a place to stay, and just my half charged phone. Also we made wrong turns and almost got hit by a bus once and sunday night (day 2).
I stopped at
-
Swarthmore which didnt impress me. People just told me to see the rose garden and a handful of people there said they spent Thanksgiving doing homework. Come Saturday afternoon, they were still working. My dad liked it.
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Haverford which seemed awesome. The girl I talked to said they care about your health and wellbeing there and from my background I could use that!
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Lehigh. I didnt get the impression that this would be a good match for me. I was imressed by Engineers without borders but I dont think the school would be a good match for me.
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Villanova. This school wasnt on my list but we passed it and drove around the campus for a bit. Not interested.
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Columbia. Not interested but a friend applied so I wanted to stop. I had never been to NYC and we were half an hour away
- Barnard. Not interested.
- Vassar, which is too liberal for my dad. The girl I talked to loved her school but I dont know if I would love it too.
- Marist. I just saw it was a SAGE School so I wanted to stop. Not interested
- Rensselaer. Two girls walked with us around the campus. I got the best experience here but recently learned that they dont offer languages. This is a problem. I could take an online Spanish class with a nearby community college but I would rather classes on campus which would allow me to minor in it.
Right now I am applying to Swarthmore, Haverford, and Rensselaer but I need additional schools and deadlines are approacting fast!!
I may also look into Bryn Marr, Syracuse, and Lafayette. I would like to apply other places as well I am just unsure of where. Are there other colleges with an atmosphere like Haverford?
Everyone recommends small classes but I never decided for myself that this is something I need. Likewise, I probably should not be in a big city but am not absolutely closed off to the idea of being in a city.
I am likely to apply to schools in the North East or Mid Atlantic area. I am in Pennsyvania if that gives anyone persppective and not interested in going further south than Virginia I think.
I am likely to apply undecided.
I would appreciate advise though. Should I start another not-really-plane-related thread?
Have you considered Purdue https://www.purdue.edu/airport/