Wondering if I should change my major

challenger

challenger

New Member
I currently go to UND and am one semester in and I was planning on Commercial Aviation. As proven by the financial aid department in its mediocracy there is no option for me to secure the funds needed to fly since I have no credit worthy cosigner. Does anyone know of any student loan agencies that a person can get without a cosigner?

I am also seeing a lot of people on here suggesting majoring in a more stable degree. So that thought has gone across my head with the idea of getting my ratings at an FBO if I have to finance it out of my pocket. Does this sound like a better idea anyways? Does anyone know if getting your PPL is cheaper at GF flight support?

I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
 
challenger said:
I currently go to UND and am one semester in and I was planning on Commercial Aviation. As proven by the financial aid department in its mediocracy there is no option for me to secure the funds needed to fly since I have no credit worthy cosigner. Does anyone know of any student loan agencies that a person can get without a cosigner?

I am also seeing a lot of people on here suggesting majoring in a more stable degree. So that thought has gone across my head with the idea of getting my ratings at an FBO if I have to finance it out of my pocket. Does this sound like a better idea anyways? Does anyone know if getting your PPL is cheaper at GF flight support?

I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
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do it. bail the F out.

i was in the same boat, managed to talk my dad into signing for loans because i cant get them on my own, now im unemployed and totally screwed on money and so is he.

youre probably not going to be able to get loans anywhere anyway. salliemae has pretty much closed up shop.

i tried everything, but the hard reality is, youre NOT going to be able to do it. its just not possible. if i could do it all over again id just get my PPL and fly acro for fun. screw aviation as a career. its for rich little boys and girls who it doesnt matter if they work for 10$ an hour pulling the gear handle since mommy and daddy paid for their training anyway.

get out of ND right now. RUN dont walk.
 
challenger said:
I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
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There is a reason they will lend 100% to a med school student on a signature and zero to a pilot school student. They know the med school student will be able to find gainful employment where the pilot will be standing on the corner with a cardboard sign.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stor...work-pilots-fly-for-food-JM.2902f97.html?rss=

In spite of all the crying by doctors about pay working conditions, etc, I have yet to see one standing on the corner with a cardboard sign.
 
i am considering going out near the airport and standing with a cardboard sign, should get some fun media coverage at least

UNEMPLOYED COMMERCIAL PILOT
WILL FLY FOR FOOD
700TT 560PIC
CALL ME!
 
GFK flight support is, if you can believe it, more expensive than UND now...they've gotten rid of their old Piper Cadet and they now just have an Arrow (85/hr DRY) and G1000 C172 (129/hr DRY). The C172 rate is highway robbery imho.
 
pwttogfk said:
GFK flight support is, if you can believe it, more expensive than UND now...they've gotten rid of their old Piper Cadet and they now just have an Arrow (85/hr DRY) and G1000 C172 (129/hr DRY). The C172 rate is highway robbery imho.
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Yeah, I actually looked up their website after I asked and could not believe my eyes. There are FBO's that I know of that cost half of what UND costs for a PPL.
 
I keep telling the people I know to go into a partnership on a cheap IFR plane. When I was a independent flight instructor I would see per hour cost on a Cherokee or 152 in the 30 to 40 dollar range with a partnership. That can make getting all your ratings really cheap. I am surprised that nothing liked this has popped up in GFK before.
 
jon222 said:
I keep telling the people I know to go into a partnership on a cheap IFR plane. When I was a independent flight instructor I would see per hour cost on a Cherokee or 152 in the 30 to 40 dollar range with a partnership. That can make getting all your ratings really cheap. I am surprised that nothing liked this has popped up in GFK before.
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right but buying an aircraft involves laying out all the money at once up front for the purchase, or having substantial credit, etc etc

which many college students do not have.
 
TXaviator said:
screw aviation as a career. its for rich little boys and girls who it doesnt matter if they work for 10$ an hour pulling the gear handle since mommy and daddy paid for their training anyway.
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Yeah OK.........I guess every pilot is still living off of mom and dad. You are so negative about about everything.

Why dont you go get a job at Home Depot and you can start paying off those loans. Who knows maybe you will get promoted to floor manager some day.
 
TXaviator said:
right but buying an aircraft involves laying out all the money at once up front for the purchase, or having substantial credit, etc etc

which many college students do not have.
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Most the students I taught with airplane partnerships owned anywhere from 1/4 of a cherokee to 1/8 of a 152 (which would go for around 7000 to 4000 a share). So most the time it wasn't too difficult to front the cash or find a way to finance that small amount. In any case, if you can find the scratch its a great way to economically get your ratings.
 
challenger said:
I currently go to UND and am one semester in and I was planning on Commercial Aviation. As proven by the financial aid department in its mediocracy there is no option for me to secure the funds needed to fly since I have no credit worthy cosigner. Does anyone know of any student loan agencies that a person can get without a cosigner?

I am also seeing a lot of people on here suggesting majoring in a more stable degree. So that thought has gone across my head with the idea of getting my ratings at an FBO if I have to finance it out of my pocket. Does this sound like a better idea anyways? Does anyone know if getting your PPL is cheaper at GF flight support?

I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
Click to expand...

Quit doing a Collegiate program. Get your degree in something like math, or engineering. Then get your ratings on the side, and still spend the same amount. 2 for the price of one. You can Fafsa your Math/Engineering degree, and pump gas at the local FBO to pay for your ratings. Trust me on this one, I know. I worked a crap job for two years, weaseled a grant, and two small student loans, and guess what? I'm going to finish school in 2 years (yeah it will have taken me 5 years to do, but I took a year off to build time throwing the gear handle) have 2400TT now, a degree in something other than aviation, and be marketable. Don't pay a college thousands upon thousands for a VoTec Career (and that's what flying is). /rant.
 
ppragman said:
Quit doing a Collegiate program. Get your degree in something like math, or engineering. Then get your ratings on the side, and still spend the same amount. 2 for the price of one. You can Fafsa your Math/Engineering degree, and pump gas at the local FBO to pay for your ratings. Trust me on this one, I know. I worked a crap job for two years, weaseled a grant, and two small student loans, and guess what? I'm going to finish school in 2 years (yeah it will have taken me 5 years to do, but I took a year off to build time throwing the gear handle) have 2400TT now, a degree in something other than aviation, and be marketable. Don't pay a college thousands upon thousands for a VoTec Career (and that's what flying is). /rant.
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I agree with this. Get a degree in something other than aviation and get your ratings on the side.
 
challenger said:
I currently go to UND and am one semester in and I was planning on Commercial Aviation. As proven by the financial aid department in its mediocracy there is no option for me to secure the funds needed to fly since I have no credit worthy cosigner. Does anyone know of any student loan agencies that a person can get without a cosigner?

I am also seeing a lot of people on here suggesting majoring in a more stable degree. So that thought has gone across my head with the idea of getting my ratings at an FBO if I have to finance it out of my pocket. Does this sound like a better idea anyways? Does anyone know if getting your PPL is cheaper at GF flight support?

I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
Click to expand...

I had a similar issue. I needed a little more money to obtain private student loans and I could not get approved because they came back denying me due to "lack of credit history" - even though I had a high credit score of 780 and absolutely no debt, a car loan history with payments made always on time, and 3 good credit card histories, I could not secure the funds needed to fly. I begged my father and finally he allowed me to cosign with him and use his good credit.

Others suggesting you major in a more stable degree? ABSOLUTELY. DO NOT major in Commercial Aviation. It is one of the most worthless degrees you can get. Major in something you want to do but that is more marketable if you need a backup in the event that you find an (*cough* *cough*) economic disaster like the one we're in now. You can major in Geography but it'll leave you with little options. You can major in Business, Mathematics, or Engineering, and it'll leave with you more options. If you major in an interest you have other than aviation, you will have a much better time in college as you will diversify your studying and not get bored of only one subject.
 
challenger said:
I currently go to UND and am one semester in and I was planning on Commercial Aviation. As proven by the financial aid department in its mediocracy there is no option for me to secure the funds needed to fly since I have no credit worthy cosigner. Does anyone know of any student loan agencies that a person can get without a cosigner?

I am also seeing a lot of people on here suggesting majoring in a more stable degree. So that thought has gone across my head with the idea of getting my ratings at an FBO if I have to finance it out of my pocket. Does this sound like a better idea anyways? Does anyone know if getting your PPL is cheaper at GF flight support?

I just feel like I am about ready to pull the plug while I still can and maybe even go to a school that has a more desirable atmosphere.
Click to expand...

What are your career goals? Do you want to fly for the airlines? If so, I can tell you that they really don't give a hoot about the type of degree you have. I've interviewed at four airlines, and none of them asked me one single question about my degree. Definitely get a four year degree, and any decent company will/should require at least a Bachelors degree. They don't care about the major, they want to see you committed to something for four years!
 
Engineers are in short supply and you could specialize in aeronautical engineering if it interested you. The US is in a bad way when it comes to finding citizens to do these jobs and we need them more than ever. My son went to UND and it is a good school, but you may have a better option somewhere else considering the degree selection. Whatever you do, stay as far away from high debt as possible. Try to pay as you go by working fast, saving and then buying the flight training and school in clumps of time.
 
poser765 said:
Get a degree in History...that way you will have a better chance of finding employment.
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History major here and unemployed pilot. I've tried to find work in other fields and other than teaching it's been rough going. What are you doing with your degree?
 
Ditto with everyone else.

The economy right now is an eye-opener and is exactly why those of us with aviation degrees should have gone a different route.

For the love of whoever and yourself, do NOT go into high debt. Debt is killing me right now and cannot hold a normal life.

Try to stay in-state where you will not be paying for out-of-state tuition. Even if you pay out-of-state for one year, it is A LOT of money.

Pay-as-you-go is definitely the right type of approach. UND is a nice school but should not be your first choice in these times. Think with your brain and do not get convinced by the nice brochures they send you. Keep in mind the economy can and will go down the drain again in the future and it'll suck to be like me with a big load of debt and a crap job.
 
Another option for you and all pilots young enough to go this route is to angle your career into agricultural flying. It is the only aspect of aviation in demand even in this economy. You have to work hard as any job in agriculture. You would need to get an A & P early on. You could buy into a tail wheel airplane to build time, get your commercial certificate and take a course from a reputable school in ag flying. The ag flying world is having a convention in Reno December 7-10.
http://www.agaviation.org/conventionpage.htm
You could get a lot of information if you are interested. Your cost would be a lot less than the airline route, you would do some awesome flying, and you would end up pushing $100,000/year (2009 dollars :insane:) at some point in your career. Plus you could pay as you go as you work on the planes and doing the mixing and loading. Then you would have the option of doing this in the future:
http://www.firebossllc.com/index.php
What fun would that be...
 
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