<p>I'm currently interested in becoming a pilot..
I just finished my junior year of high school and I don't know what to do in order to become a commercial pilot.
I don't know too much about anything really.
I know there is the military option but i've never been in NJROTC or anything like that.
I'm sort of confused in a way so any advice would be very much appreciated
What's my next step in pursuing this dream?</p>
<p>Flight training is extremely expensive, but if you’ve got the money - just call up your local airport and do it (as far as I’m aware, you don’t have to go to college to become a commercial pilot). A common path is to become an aviation technician, work at an airport, take flying lessons when you can, and work your way up. Or go to college at Embry-Riddle where pretty much everyone takes flight lessons. ROTC could be risky because there is no guarantee you will make pilot. (This is all assuming you’ve already looked at the Air Force Academy and West Point and ruled them out.)</p>
<p>Think of becoming a commercial pilot like becoming a commercial bus driver. There’s no set career path to break into the field, but if you really want to do it, you just need to do it. You start out by learning how to fly, then get your commercial pilot’s license, and then hope someone will hire you.</p>
<p>Actually you do need a college degree to be a commercial pilot but they don’t care what it is. They just want to make sure you can successfully navigate a college program to completion.</p>
<p>To clarify - you most certainly don’t need a college degree to get a commercial pilot’s license, but you will more than likely need one to get hired by a commercial airline as boneh3ad pointed out. If you just want to go into crop dusting or air demonstrations, you might be able to get by without one.</p>
<p>oh okay…
this might be a stupid question but how do i become an aviation technition??</p>
<p>The guy that I knew that went that route just went to the airport and asked (sort of like as a summer job). And then one of the mechanics trained him and stepped him through the certification process. The other option is to go to a 2-year trade school that trains people to become an aviation mechanic. I should warn you that this is a tough route to becoming a commercial pilot, but if you’re committed and don’t have the means for the military or flight training, it’s the best option. </p>
<p>I would strongly recommend trying to volunteer for odd jobs at your local regional airport this summer to make sure this is really what you want to do. At least request a test training flight (they usually let you do one for cheap, $60 or so), or even do a few hours of flight training this summer to make sure it’s the career path you want to go on.</p>
<p>[University</a> of North Dakota](<a href=“http://www.aero.und.edu/]University”>http://www.aero.und.edu/)</p>
<p>[Embry-Riddle</a> Aeronautical University Prescott](<a href=“http://prescott.erau.edu/degrees/undergraduate/aeronautical-science-fixed/index.html]Embry-Riddle”>http://prescott.erau.edu/degrees/undergraduate/aeronautical-science-fixed/index.html)</p>
<p>[Embry-Riddle</a> Aeronautical University Daytona Beach](<a href=“http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-aerosci.html]Embry-Riddle”>http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-aerosci.html)</p>
<p>[St</a>. Louis University](<a href=“http://www.slu.edu/x12840.xml]St”>http://www.slu.edu/x12840.xml)</p>
<p>[Arizona</a> State University](<a href=“http://technology.asu.edu/prospective/undergradinfo/&AcadProg=UGTS&AcadPlan=TSAMTFBS]Arizona”>http://technology.asu.edu/prospective/undergradinfo/&AcadProg=UGTS&AcadPlan=TSAMTFBS)</p>
<p>[Louisiana</a> Tech University](<a href=“http://www.latech.edu/aviation/index.shtml]Louisiana”>http://www.latech.edu/aviation/index.shtml)</p>
<p>[Purdue</a> University](<a href=“http://www.tech.purdue.edu/at/academics/undergraduate/flt_info.cfm]Purdue”>Professional Flight Degree | Purdue University)</p>
<p>[Bridgewater</a> State University](<a href=“http://www.bridgew.edu/cde/NC_flight-commercial-pilot.cfm]Bridgewater”>http://www.bridgew.edu/cde/NC_flight-commercial-pilot.cfm)</p>
<p>[Daniel</a> Webster College](<a href=“http://www.pilotcareercenter.com/Pilot-Training-Type-Rating/USA/New+Hampshire/944/Daniel+Webster+College]Daniel”>South New Hampshire University - Pilot Training and Flight School in New Hampshire, USA - PILOT CAREER CENTER)</p>
<p>and many others.</p>
<p>It might be a good idea to pursue a private pilot’s license before college, just to see if flying is everything you thought it would be (and also be ensure that you can pass the medical).</p>