FIT or DWC

R

rpa170

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,

This fall I will be entering college and I was just wondering all of your opinions.

I am not sure if I want to fly or do ATC but I have a major of Aeronautical Science at both DWC and FIT. In regards to ATC, at DWC I was going to be doing a double major with Air Traffic Management (their ATC program).

The cost for attending both of these schools (with my scholarships) is 14000 (tuition and room and board per year). Do you think if I wanted to do ATC, DWC would be better...

I can't seem to weigh the pro's and con's. Looking for some advice.

Jeffrey Marques
 
I actually just finished classes at DWC last semester and I'll be graduating in May. I was a flight major so if you have any questions just shoot away or IM me at Aviator487.

One of my roommates is an aeronautical engineer graduating this spring and I can definitely say it's not an easy program at all but it seems as though you got the presidential scholarship so it looks like you'd be in good shape. If anything the engineering program is getting better as it's just a few years old now.

There aren't many double major engineers. I know one who is a flight/engineering double major and is just graduating after 6 years. I think ATC would be a simpler double since you don't have the flight time and expense. If you wanted to fly, I would recommend just doing the engineering major and learning how to fly at one of the flight schools on the airport (or hiring this unemployed CFI!). This would definitely make it a lot cheaper and also allow you to fly around your schedule rather than have a 4 hour block of time you cannot take classes MWF or T/Th/Sat.

Can't speak too much for FIT except that I visited it when I was making the college decision and it seemed pretty nice. One benefit to DWC is the airport is literally next to campus.

Sorry it's so long and let me know if you have any questions.
 
Forgot one thing,

As far as ATC majors go, the FAA almost always hires them within a couple months of graduation and then they make bank. Engineering students get some pretty good internships in the summer too.
 
Thanks for the info! I should have been more clear. At DWC, its called Aviation Flight Ops. That is my major (as FIT it is Aeronautic Science—they are the same just different names). I will be entering with my PPL, IR, and MEL ratings. So, I think it would be my best interest to do a double major before I complete everything in a short amount of time...

Yes, you assumed correctly. I did receive the President's Scholarship so the cost is greatly reduced. I like DWC but it seems to be a bit too small. Not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing.

Any other info you can provide me would be greatly appreciated!

Jeffrey Marques
 
DWC is fairly small and there are plenty of positives/negatives that go along with that. I came from a fairly large high school that was much larger than DWC but I've liked it here for the most part.

As far as having your private, instrument, and multi, I would definitely recommend not doing the DWC, and probably any college flight program because you're just going to waste a ton of money you don't need to. While you could probably get through the program very quickly the only course you can skip is AF128, the private pilot course. That being said, you'd have to take the transition course (AF129), and then you'd just be repeating things until probably junior year. Obviously, the flight costs are on top of the basic tuition so you can expect your most expensive year (when you'd earn your instrument and multi, again) to cost you somewhere in the range of $50-60k not counting your scholarship. I'm assuming it's probably fairly similar at FIT.

What I'd recommend is since you'll have the PPL, IR, and MEL, is to start flying at East Coast Aero Club or Air Direct. You could probably have your commercial and CFI by the end of freshman year with no trouble. Then, assuming hiring picks up, you'd have a nice part time job to build hours and earn some money while you're still at school.

PM me if you have any specific questions. It seems like your kind of intent on doing the flight program but the engineering degree is very good and then you'd have all your ratings for a lot less money. The flight ops major certainly isn't a bad one as I have it, but as long as you have a degree and the ratings you're pretty well set.
 
Well then one thing I may consider is changing my major to Air Traffic Management because I do want to become a controller. With that in mind, I can just take flight classes at the local FBO and not do it as a major.

Jeff
 
That would definitely be a good choice. You're going to have quite the workload being an aeronautical engineer/ATC double major while taking flight lessons!
 
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