How did you guys do it?

DanC

DanC

New Member
First, I'd like to say I'm new to this forum. I've been looking into switching gears in my life and go into a pilot career. I'm currently a junior at a big 10 university and I'm prepared to go anywhere to fulfill this dream. I've been looking at schools such as ATP flight school, Spartan, Aerosim academy. I would really appreciate hearing first hand from people that have trained in any of these schools, or hearing from those of you currently living the dream. ATP sounds really nice, but $70k in debt... is it better to pay as you go? How were you guys able to afford this? Don't get me wrong I'm prepared to live paycheck to paycheck in roach motels working as waiter, I just want to know how other people achieved it. Should I leave my university and pursue flying as soon as possible and then finish my degree online in some fashion? Any input helps. Thank so much.
 
The term, living the dream, is best used as a quote. haha

I didn't attend ATP, but I can provide perspective as someone who wanted to avoid debt. I spent my first two years at college attending a private school and then a state school as an aviation major. I didn't like the amount of student debt I was accruing. I moved home, commuted to a state school, and finished my degree in Parks & Recreation. I worked for various Park services and used that money to finance my flight training at a local FBO. I have no debt associated with flight training and my student loans are on track to be paid off in two years. The downside is that I began 121 flying at age 28 rather than 22. Overall, I'm very pleased with how my decision has played out thus far. Plenty of pilots have pursued the other avenues you've mentioned, and I imagine you'll hear from them soon.
 
DanC said:
Should I leave my university and pursue flying as soon as possible and then finish my degree online in some fashion? Any input helps. Thank so much.
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DO NOT LEAVE SCHOOL!! I cannot stress that enough. Get your degree, (hopefully one with no conecction to aviation,) and then pursue the flying full time. There is nothing wrong with learning to fly while in school, part 61, but concentrate on the degree first. It is a key that opens many more doors for you than without.
 
Seggy said:
You are compensating with a doctorate because you didn't go to a Big 10 school.......
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Hey @DanC, don't listen to anything here @Seggy says. First, he's embarrassed that he's not only from New Jersey, but went to undergraduate there. Worse, he tries to compensate for going to a Big East school by trying to claim that he went to a Big 10 program.

If you're going to Michigan State or Michigan, shoot me a PM and we'll grab lunch and talk about this.
 
jtrain609 said:
Hey @DanC, don't listen to anything here @Seggy says. First, he's embarrassed that he's not only from New Jersey, but went to undergraduate there. Worse, he tries to compensate for going to a Big East school by trying to claim that he went to a Big 10 program.
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I don't live in the past. I live in the now. The now is I graduated from a Big 10 school.

If I lived in the past, I would say that I went to a Colonial College.

Finally, you are from Michigan.
 
Seggy said:
I don't live in the past. I live in the now. The now is I graduated from a Big 10 school.

If I lived in the past, I would say that I went to a Colonial College.

Finally, you are from Michigan.
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You're damned right I'm from Michigan. Speaking of, as you still mad about your Giants getting shut down by my Lions?
 
DanC said:
First, I'd like to say I'm new to this forum. I've been looking into switching gears in my life and go into a pilot career. I'm currently a junior at a big 10 university and I'm prepared to go anywhere to fulfill this dream. I've been looking at schools such as ATP flight school, Spartan, Aerosim academy. I would really appreciate hearing first hand from people that have trained in any of these schools, or hearing from those of you currently living the dream. ATP sounds really nice, but $70k in debt... is it better to pay as you go? How were you guys able to afford this? Don't get me wrong I'm prepared to live paycheck to paycheck in roach motels working as waiter, I just want to know how other people achieved it. Should I leave my university and pursue flying as soon as possible and then finish my degree online in some fashion? Any input helps. Thank so much.
Click to expand...

@DanC finish your degree!! Since you are a junior, consider getting your private pilots license (ppl) over the summer. Find out if you really love flying or not first. You can then fly on weekends etc during you senior year building time/working on your instrument. With a ppl you can split time thus splitting the costs of flying. Welcome to JC.
 
Markf64 said:
@DanC finish your degree!! Since you are a junior, consider getting your private pilots license (ppl) over the summer. Find out if you really love flying or not first. You can then fly on weekends etc during you senior year building time/working on your instrument. With a ppl you can split time thus splitting the costs of flying. Welcome to JC.
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That's what I was thinking, but one of the ATP admissions guys called me and started talking to me about their fast track program and was being really pushy towards getting me to apply asap. He's actually the one that suggested that I should drop into online school... which I know they are in the business of signing students, but he had me convinced that starting sooner was the best way to go.
 
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