Any career pilots here in college or still enrolled?

Mark815

Mark815

Well-Known Member
I'm curious how many, I'll call it career guys (bills being paid by flying an airplane) are currently in college still, or finished college while flying for an operator (be it 91, 121, 135)? The reason I ask is because I'm still not done with college at 23, I have nearly enough credits for my AS degree, but I hate the subject matter and want to major in something new. The problem is that I can't just sign up for regular full time on campus classes anymore. I want to get my 4yr degree online and I'm curious, how did you guys that didn't have a degree do it while still holding\looking for a job?

I've spent all morning looking at different online schools, they're all very foreign to me since I'm used to just going to a class, but self teaching doesn't scare me and I'm motivated and willing to do it, even if I only start with a couple classes per semester.

edit: Just want to add, I'm NOT looking for any major with 'Aviation' in the title haha
 
Mark815 said:
I'm curious how many, I'll call it career guys (bills being paid by flying an airplane) are currently in college still, or finished college while flying for an operator (be it 91, 121, 135)? The reason I ask is because I'm still not done with college at 23, I have nearly enough credits for my AS degree, but I hate the subject matter and want to major in something new. The problem is that I can't just sign up for regular full time on campus classes anymore. I want to get my 4yr degree online and I'm curious, how did you guys that didn't have a degree do it while still holding\looking for a job?

I've spent all morning looking at different online schools, they're all very foreign to me since I'm used to just going to a class, but self teaching doesn't scare me and I'm motivated and willing to do it, even if I only start with a couple classes per semester.

edit: Just want to add, I'm NOT looking for any major with 'Aviation' in the title haha
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I fly part 135 for an operator in JNU that let's me go to college three days per week in the winter. I'm a math major. I've done this sort of schedule for the last 3 years now, and its fairly tough, but worth it. In another year or so, I'll be graduated and then I can start on some other new project.

There are online math degrees (bachelors) through University of Illinois, and some university in New York state. Don't remember much about the second one. The UIL program is spendy, but gets you a BA in Math by the time all is said and done.
 
My first two years of college I had a boss that worked around my schedule, so I was able to go to school Tues-Thurs and we'd plan all the trips between Friday and my first class Tues. I did take a few online classes and loved them. I am currently doing my masters online through Wilmington Univeristy (www.wilmu.edu) and am very happy with it. The courses only last 7 weeks are are relatively easy. They have a lot of online undergrad degrees to choose from.

Alex.
 
Awesome! Exactly the type of stuff I'm looking for. When I was looking at schools the only thing that really popped up was stuff like University of Phoneix and similar schools. I'm def going to look into Wilmington and grab some info. Glad to hear I'm not the only one trying to complete a degree while flying.
 
I am just now finishing up after calling it quits in 05. The internet classes that I take are fairly easy to work around. They say per class be willing to spend at least 10 hours per week, I believe this is a little excessive. I usually take anywhere from 3-4 classes a semester and may spend 10-12 hours a week on all of them combined. I believe eventually I will have a few classes that I will have to be present on campus for but we will deal with that when the time comes!
 
I'm currently a full time student and if for some reason hell freezes over and I get a job before I'm done, I will continue online.
 
I just started working on an Associate Degree in Information Technology at a local community college. I fly for a living full time as a part 135 pilot. I've been flying for almost 10 years now. I'm tired of living in poverty, eating dinner at midnight, and wondering when the company that I work for is going to go belly up. It is not a question of if, but when. Once I get my IT degree, I hope to land a decent entry level job, do my 4 year degree online, and just fly for fun on the weekends. It will be nice to actually make enough money to fly for fun and actually enjoy being in the cockpit for a change. No more flying through tropical storms, sever thunderstorms, thundersnow, icing, and all the other god awful weather we have to deal with.

How wonderful it will be to have a normal 9-5 M-F job, eat dinner at a normal hour, and not be one paycheck away from a complete financial disaster. How nice it will be to not to cringe everytime I see thunderstorms in the forecast and wonder how the hell I'm going to get around them with no on board.

I love working with computers and anything that has to do with technology. I also don't see computers going out of style anytime soon, so I think that I picked a good career field to go into. I guess you could say that I am in the process of doing a reverse career change.

I don't mean to sound bitter. I really do love to fly for fun and I always will. Flying for a living? That is something entirely different.
 
I got my Diploma in Business Admin (part time) while getting my CPL-Airplane and doing some CPL-Heli contract work, Now I am full time flying and doing a degree in commerce part time online. Happy with it so far.
 
Great! Like I said I didn't think there were many guys flying while still going to college. I'm looking into majoring in Criminal Justice, and like computers, I'm sure crime won't go out of style. I was just totally freaking out though because if I have a job that takes me away or a job with an unpredictable schedule, how will I ever finish school. I already got one return phone call from a college I looked into today, I'll be making more calls tomorrow. I never thought I'd be excited to go back to school but I want that 4yr degree.
 
Before I was furloughed two years ago, I attended Ashford University online. It was fine, and I was able to do most of my homework on overnights and long airport appreciation sits so when I went home, it was my time. I was furloughed before I finished but I stayed with Ashford and completed my B.A. in Human Resources Management.
 
Mark815 said:
I want that 4yr degree.
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Does it count if it takes 12 years to get it? I graduated highschool in 2001, and still working on the degree off and on. My latest endeavor is ERAU online, and I love it. It's a little pricey, but the best school experience I have ever had.
 
FL900 said:
Does it count if it takes 12 years to get it? I graduated highschool in 2001, and still working on the degree off and on. My latest endeavor is ERAU online, and I love it. It's a little pricey, but the best school experience I have ever had.
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IMO, as long as you're not going broke and are still motivated, no it's not too long. Like I said, I'm 23 and keep saying i wish I could go back even just 4yrs and do things over (major in something entirely outside aviation out of highschool). Because the program was brand new at the school I went to, it was a mess, then the program went belly up and I was tired of the school so I didn't finish. Now I just want the 4yr degree for a backup, and I know I might need it one day.

It's frustrating at times knowing people I went to high school have already had their 4yr degrees for a couple years now already, but at the same time I still see many of them working at department stores or bars while I'm already in my chosen career field getting paid to fly, and I'm not anywhere in the amount of debt they are thankfully!
 
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