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What is so fu**in wrong with ERAU? I'll be an AS Major (maybe Business- we'll see) starting in the Fall. When people ask why ERAU keeps on being bashed , the answer is : "because they make themselves out to be the harvard of the skies".
That was actually a quote from some newspaper (dont recall which one).
Which school wouldn't be proud of that?

A university is a stepping stone to a career, and when people go to a university (ERAU) to beable to say they're hot [censored] and better than anyone else, then yes that is pethetic. But if you stay down to earth, and try hard and do the best you can, then there is nothing wrong with having a degree from Embry Riddle.


This is from another forum:

"Regarding airlines "backing up" or "sponsoring" flight programs, if you're an ERAU grad, you don't even need it. Just the name alone says enough to the airlines without us even saying a word. Job interviews around the aviation industry become simpler and quicker, because interviewers already know that their education is top-notch, and that there's no need to really test the candidate's knowledge in detail. If you don't believe me, you can ask any of my classmates who have already experienced this special treatment first-hand. I know many people have posted on A.net in the past that the name "ERAU" gets you nothing more than anyone else, but those posts were from non-ERAU students who either didn't want to believe it was going on, or who did and didn't want to admit it. Expensive? You get what you pay for. Yes, I paid extra for special treatment. If that makes you mad, well you had the same opportunity."


Thats a pile of [censored]. And these people are the reason ERAU Grads get a bad reputation I suppose. I'm attending school because I want to do the best I can. I'm looking foreward to being in an enviroment focused around aviation. That's my thing. I want to be a pilot more than anything else in life, and that's why this is the school for me.

Embry Riddle is a top school, there simply isn't a doubt about that, just like UND or Perdue or what [censored] ever I dont know but i do know that its trying hard, and what you make of it that'll get you a job. You have to land the actual job.
Erau might be expensive and crowded and whatever but the fact is, I never come across real reasons why not to go to ERAU, maybe the price, but that's about it.

So ERAU people: stop thinking you're something better.
Anti ERAU people: stop thinking that ERAU (only) produces stuck up • that are rich and dumb.
 
I don't mean to "bash" ERAU. What I would like to do is convey my opinion that it's not the best option for those seeking a career as an airline pilot. Is there some way I can do that without YOU thinking I'm bashing? Let me know....

You want someone to give you some good reasons, besides price, to consider other options? Here's a few:

When you get out into the real world, nobody cares where you went to school.

A non-aviation degree gives you a second area of expertise that can be interesting and helpful during those times in a persons life when the love of aviation doesn't pay the bills or, as in my case, doesn't rule my life anymore.

Flight training at one of the largest aviation schools is bureaucratic experience. They think they are teaching you how to be a good airline pilot by this, but in reality, they are taking some of the fun out of flying little planes.

Being at an all aviation school isn't the best enviornment for personal growth is some ways. I don't think you get the full spectrum of what the college experience should be. Plus, there aren't as many good looking chicks as at most schools.

Plus, it's really expensive and you'll be in debt up to your eyeballs when you're done with nothing but low paying CFI and regional airline jobs for years as you work your way up the ladder.

Now, after you consider all the options and the opinion of a wise old man, who is where you want to be and once did what you are about to do, if you still feel that Riddle is where you need to be, then more power to you. What worries me is those who buy into the ads and marketing hype without getting the other side of the story.
 
The reason I am choosing ERAU PRC is because I too want to be surrounded by aviation. My choices are UND and Embry-Riddle, and after looking into it more...you would be with a lot more stupid people at UND (their website states that any high school grad with a 2.5 GPA who received a 990 on the SAT is still considered for automatic acception...pretty lousy i think). The reason for these school is they have better connections and internships. I have talked to a Continental 764 Captain who praised it, a female 2001 grad who flies Hawkers, and currently work at an FBO with an instructor from ERAU. They all have nothing bad to say. I realise there are negatives. What about the "actual" college life? Well that's not for me...I'm not a real party-goer and druggy (which according to the Princeton review...almost everyone at UND does drugs and parties...I guess it's the only thing to do in ND
wink.gif
) What about a backup in case flying fails? For one, I dont believe flying will fail. There will almost always be a job doing some sort of flying. And 2, i can get a minor in another area, which can be a backup, and upon graduation I am planning on taking a few night classes or online classes (possibly even a community college class) for business or management. I will just reiterate. I am not choosing ERAU for the "big phallus (to be polite) theory" (that's what the Military academy graduates are for...and i hear a lot of that here in Colorado Springs).This is why I'm choosing ERAU.

Taylor
 
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you would be with a lot more stupid people at UND (their website states that any high school grad with a 2.5 GPA who received a 990 on the SAT is still considered for automatic acception...pretty lousy i think).

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ERAU's acceptance rate is now at 95 percent. "Pretty lousy" is an understatement.

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I'm not a real party-goer and druggy (which according to the Princeton review...almost everyone at UND does drugs and parties...I guess it's the only thing to do in ND
wink.gif
)

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You think you will find alot of students at any university that dont go to parties? And you think you will find more to do in the thriving retirement community known as Prescott, Arizona? haha hilarious

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What about a backup in case flying fails? For one, I dont believe flying will fail. There will almost always be a job doing some sort of flying.

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Yes, flying will never fail, but you or your body may. The hiring can stop. Get type 2 diabetes and try to get a job then get back to me. Run into a few pilots who have gotten furloughed. Its an entirely different story for them.

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And 2, i can get a minor in another area, which can be a backup, and upon graduation I am planning on taking a few night classes or online classes (possibly even a community college class) for business or management.

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Personally, Im not a big fan of supporting a family on simply a minor. 15 credit hours alone hardly qualifies anyone for any job. Good luck trying to support yourself let alone any dependants on that kind of job. ATC may be the only acception. Its very rare to be successful on a minor.

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This is why I'm choosing ERAU.

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Looks like you really thought things through and didnt just listen to the admissions department at riddle. It's ok thou, I made the same mistake, and im fixing it. You sound exactly like I did one year ago, all gung ho about riddle. Dont get me wrong, riddle is a good flight school, but i just feel that it is ridiculously overpriced and poorly run, and not better than alot of other university flight schools. The new 142 program they did last year was horrible. For the amount of money that i spent there i would expect the program to be perfect. I was just extremely disappointed and feel that i got screwed out of 45 thousand dollars. I feel that smaller flight schools can just be run much more efficiently after observing so many of my classmates get screwed by the system. Granted, I was at the daytona campus, but I hear even worse things about prescot. Riddle used to be a completely different place. It has changed ALOT, so older pilots had a very different experience there then students are receiving now. I heard there was a bit of "restructuring" in the flight department last week at daytona because they realized that things had gotten very messed up there. Anyways, best of luck to ya. Got questions about riddle, you can ask me, because i wll give you honest answers because you cant get em from anyone at the university.
 
"You sound exactly like I did one year ago, all gung ho about riddle."

He sounds like me 25 years ago....
 
hey FL350, I'd like to ask you some questions, don't want to spam this thread full of my stuff. Got an email address or Yahoo / AIm / ICQ?

Phil
 
Flightlevel350,
I am aware that things have changed and always will. That is why in my ealier posts i mentioned that i hope to get accepted and see where things go from there. I dont know if ERAU is right for me, how would i? I wont know what path to take until i actually experience a path, and i havent at this point in my life as i am only 17. If i decide to transfer, then i can join the rest of the flock here and tell would-be students what i thought of ERAU. And if things work out, then i'll contribute my positive ideas on why they should attend. Who nows? I will stay a regular here at Jetcareers and let you guys know what i feel when the time comes. In the meantime, i will just contribute like i am now.

Taylor
 
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The reason I am choosing ERAU PRC is because I too want to be surrounded by aviation. My choices are UND and Embry-Riddle, and after looking into it more...you would be with a lot more stupid people at UND (their website states that any high school grad with a 2.5 GPA who received a 990 on the SAT is still considered for automatic acception...pretty lousy i think). The reason for these school is they have better connections and internships. I have talked to a Continental 764 Captain who praised it, a female 2001 grad who flies Hawkers, and currently work at an FBO with an instructor from ERAU. They all have nothing bad to say. I realise there are negatives. What about the "actual" college life? Well that's not for me...I'm not a real party-goer and druggy (which according to the Princeton review...almost everyone at UND does drugs and parties...I guess it's the only thing to do in ND
wink.gif
) What about a backup in case flying fails? For one, I dont believe flying will fail. There will almost always be a job doing some sort of flying. And 2, i can get a minor in another area, which can be a backup, and upon graduation I am planning on taking a few night classes or online classes (possibly even a community college class) for business or management. I will just reiterate. I am not choosing ERAU for the "big phallus (to be polite) theory" (that's what the Military academy graduates are for...and i hear a lot of that here in Colorado Springs).This is why I'm choosing ERAU.

Taylor

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I think you just defined the word idiot.

What you just wrote was the biggest bunch of bs I've read in a while. I honestly don't know that many students here that do drugs. If the princetown review views alcohol as a drug, then half the people in America are druggies. Don't believe everything you read in a magazine written by people who don't even attend the school. You can find parties/drinking anywhere you go bud, trust me. We actually have many ERAU transfer students here who think ERAU is the biggest sh*thole in the world.

And now for the facts

You will fly more here in an actual airplane and actually spend less doing that. If you want to take a break from the whole flying thing, do it. That is what is best about a liberal arts school. You meet every kind of person, not just the propheads. We have sports and plenty of girls.
 
Again, that's great that there are people at UND that believe ERAU is a sh*thole, but I am quite aware of that just from this forum. Now, idiot is defined as a person affected with idiocy (extreme mental retardation), or a foolish or stupid person. I did not know that forming my own opinions based on readings from a nationally acclaimed college preparation company made me a stupid person. I thought that would make me a smarter person for digging in and researching what the possibilities of my future are. I know i don't suffer from extreme mental retardation. I know i don't suffer from extreme mental retardation, so therefore i do not fit within the confines of an idiot. The bs i gave you was, again, based on what i think and what i've read and heard. Now, if that was bs, then you must have had some bs excuse to go to UND, because you obviously chose the school based on what you've heard and other reasons. So, in essence, we're all BSers, correct? No. Sorry i havent talked to many UND students, but i have talked to a few, and i havent toured it (only ERAU...and like what i saw), but will this summer. Maybe then my "bs" will change, but until then, it wont.

And UND's webstie shows the prices for flying, and they're just as expensive as ERAU's. The only cost difference is tuition.

I don't know what was said that offended you so badly. But I'm sorry, just stating my thoughts.

Taylor
 
Okay, I'll say it again since it didn't take the first time. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "HARVARD OF THE SKIES." Airlines look to see if you checked the "bachelor degree" box, they don't look to see where you got it. ERAU charges an INSANE amount for flight training and offeres roughly the same training you'll find elsewhere, depending on which instructor you get. You might get lucky and get an instructor that is there b/c they enjoy teaching. Then again you could wind up with someone that would rather be flying a 737 than teaching and acts bitter about it. Flying at a local FBO keeps the control of who you fly with in your hands instead of the mercy of the ERAU flight line.

Now, as far as the "college experience," dude you SERIOUSLY need to talk to more people that are in college and read less magazine reports. I went to the largest college in my state, and we didn't have near the drug problem you think there is. No one puts a gun to your head and says "go to this party, or I'll shoot you." There are groups in college that party, and there are groups that just hang out at the house. College is a lot like reality, just in smaller square miles. Look at the reports of how many students stay at Riddle after the first year. I think you'll be surprised.

I can understand going to Riddle to be surrounded by aviation, but guess what. That gets old REAL FAST. Seems like a good idea in HS, when put in practice, you're begging to talk about something other than V speeds and aerodynamics after about three months. How many "Boeing vs Airbus" arguements do you think they can possibly have in the dorms?
 
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Look at the reports of how many students stay at Riddle after the first year. I think you'll be surprised.

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I believe the average is about 30 percent transfer out after freshman year, and only about 47 percent end up remaining in the school to graduate. Thats right, 53 percent end up leaving! If you ask someone from the administration about it, they will call it a "failout" rate. I got a 3.9 GPA there, and Im transfering out. Dont think i failed at anything there.
 
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How many "Boeing vs Airbus" arguements do you think they can possibly have in the dorms?

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Or in an online forum?
 
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How many "Boeing vs Airbus" arguements do you think they can possibly have in the dorms?

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We made a rule that you had to leave the apartment to talk about airplanes.

For those who do decide to go to riddle, the only possible way to attract any girl's attention out there is to talk about anything other than airplanes.
 
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Then again you could wind up with someone that would rather be flying a 737 than teaching and acts bitter about it. Flying at a local FBO keeps the control of who you fly with in your hands instead of the mercy of the ERAU flight line.

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Who's to say you wont get an instructor like that at any of the other universities? And who's to say that you wont get an instructor like that at an FBO? I work at an FBO and there is an instructor there who wants to fly coporate jets out of Denver and if he gets the job, he's gone.

I'm not trying to argue who's right and who's wrong, because for all I know, you all are right and I could be miserable my first year then I'll transfer. Or, better yet, I could just change my mind upon my visit to UND this summer. Actually, initially I was leaning towards UND (I love hockey and wanted to try out for the team) and my PPL training was done in Pipers (like them more than cessna's). I'm just trying to understand everyone's point of view as to why they hate ERAU so much.

Can anybody, HONESTLY, tell me how many flying days and such you get at each school? I have emailed both and both have replied that you usually can fly 300 days a year.

Ok, I'll let go of my ego for the moment. I need everyones help. Out of all the schools in the nation, which would be the one where you can receive your ratings (Instrument, ME, Commercial, CFI,CFII, CFME) the fastest so I can start building hours?

Taylor
 
"Out of all the schools in the nation, which would be the one where you can receive your ratings (Instrument, ME, Commercial, CFI,CFII, CFME)"

I'd have to guess ATP as being the fastest of the bigger schools. At the same time, any decent FBO should be able to work with you at a pace that's fast enough. It's not like it's a race or anything. Get your private and IFR while in high school (I did). If your 17 and not a private pilot, you're behind already. Get the rest of your ratings part-time during your first two years of college. Then buy a 150 off of ebay and free-lance instruct the last two years of college. I swear you could just about get a 150 for the price of your private license at ERAU.

Not interested in any other major than aviation? You could still go to a larger school that has an aviation related degree but do all your flying off-campus. I still think your best bet, though, is a non-aviation degree from a local, in state, university.

Where are you from?
 
Colorado Springs, CO. The only "flight program" in Colorado is Metro State in Denver (and it is all simulator). I just finished my junior year and already have my PPL and just try to build hours (will be flying my friends dad around CO in a 172 to different airports so he can pick up his King Air (which he instructs in).

Taylor
 
Here's the deal: yeah you could wind up with a d*ck for an instructor anywhere. Go back and read where I said you have more control over who your instructor is at an FBO. Read some of Flyin_ace_99 (I think) posts about her instructor at Riddle. They pretty much put her through the ringer, and finally told her she couldn't fly b/c she was a girl (no lie, this was Prescott). Long story short, she finished up, went to ATP and got her ratings there without a problem. She TRIED changing CFIs at ERAU, but it was a real pain. At an FBO, you can say, I don't want to fly with that guy, and that's that. They tell you differently, you take your money elsewhere.

As far as flying, you might be able to get 300 days in, but don't think you'll be able to fly that. There's not one plane per person, and after noon in FL, the odds of flying VFR get real slim. The odds of flying at all between about 10 am and 5 pm without getting your head slammed into the roof are pretty slim, too. So, I'd say 300 days a year is good, if you consider 100 of those HALF days. Unless you really like flying through embedded thunderstorms in the afternoon.....

As far as AZ goes, I couldn't tell ya.

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Out of all the schools in the nation, which would be the one where you can receive your ratings (Instrument, ME, Commercial, CFI,CFII, CFME) the fastest so I can start building hours?

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I would strongly recommend going to Ari-Ben, ATP or Skymates to get everything done quickly. At Riddle, you're looking at two-three years before you work on your CFI. You can get it done quickly at those schools, then get your degree from a state school while instructing on the side. Not only will you save a lot of time, you'll save a lot of money. It's important to remember that the airlines really, really don't care where you went to school. They're more interested in your personality and your aeronautical experience than what seal is on your diploma. Don't be blinded by all the marketing from the aviation colleges, and good luck on whatever you decide.
 
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Who's to say you wont get an instructor like that at any of the other universities? And who's to say that you wont get an instructor like that at an FBO? I work at an FBO and there is an instructor there who wants to fly coporate jets out of Denver and if he gets the job, he's gone.


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The difference is that at ERAU, you are assigned an instructor. If you don't like your instructor for some reason, you can request a different one. However, I tried that once and it took almost 2 months to get a new instructor. From then on, I learned to just put up with whoever they gave me.

At an FBO, if you don't like your instructor you can get a different one in about 2 minutes. Also, if you don't like your FBO, you can leave anytime you want with no hassle BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER AND YOU CALL THE SHOTS.

Everyone goes into programs like ERAU's thinking "I'm going to work hard and everything will be fine". Then your instructor's best friend sees you mackin' on his girl at a party and suddenly everything you do in the cockpit is wrong, or you fail a stage check because the standards pilot just got turned down for the airline job he wanted.

The point is that there is a ton of unnecessary stuff that happens in these programs which can be easily avoided by simply doing the more traditional, FBO-style, training. And just to reinerate, no one cares where you did your training or your degree.

Good luck man, in whatever you decide. Keep asking questions here too, it's the only way to learn. I wish I was in your shoes and had found Jetcareers in high school before I signed up for the riddle-runaround.
 
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