Colleges with cheap cheap aviation programs

aviatoralex

aviatoralex

Smartass
So there is this new program at MSU and ATP and you end up paying 80,000 for a bachelors degree and your ratings..
What other universities or small colleges have aviation programs where you get a bachelor's degree and study aviation that are not complete scams? (Riddle,UND,Purdue just a few of them)
Preferably in the Pennsylvania area.

If I don't find one then I'll just do College FBO route.
 
St. Louis University has one, University of Illinois has one, Southern Illinois has one University of Dubuque has one, University of Alaska Anchorage has one last time I checked.. back home our local community college had a partnership with the local FBO that was part 141. Lots and lots and lots. Those are just off the top of my head, but unless you can get instate at them, it doesn't make much sense IMO.

Also, you're 14, you need to quit worrying about this.
 
If you want cost-competitive, state college w/non-aviation degree program and a local FBO.
 
hey alex

i joined this site when i was a freshman in high school (which im guessing you are too). to be honest with you your interests and direction in life are going to change so drastically over the next few years. i know what you're thinking while you read this: "no trust me i know i want to fly for a living" because thats what i said to myself when i read the advice that someone gave me. i was convinced that i would go to a small school and get my ratings done on the side. i let my gpa slide because this school wasnt competitive and now that my interests have changed its really a setback. focus on getting excellent grades and becoming involved outside of school so that, lets say you want to do Air Force ROTC at Cornell, you are able to apply for that
 
aviatoralex said:
Preferably in the Pennsylvania area.
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There aren't a whole lot in the PA area, or I wouldn't have ended up at UND. If you want a college aviation program, Marywood University in Scranton has one coupled with a four year management degree (private school = uber expensive). Luzerne County Community College, and Community College of Beaver County both have two year aviation degrees. There are some decent FBOs from what I understand, but I do not have much experience with them. I applied to Marywood back in 2005. They offered me an academic scholarship, but it was still cheaper to go to UND with out-of-state tuition than Marywood with a scholarship and in-state tuition.
 
z987k said:
Also, you're 14, you need to quit worrying about this.
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Although I appreciate that you comment on every thread I post, I am a sophomore and next year I am going to be a junior and I have to start looking at colleges next summer so I want to make a list of possible universities I would like to attend.. I'm not doing anything abnormal.. I am not an 8 year old worrying about becoming a pilot.. I need this information because I need to start looking at universities on the summer of 2011 and I want the list out of the way.
I have plenty of time every day and after I come back from school, study and hang out with friends, I like to spend the last few hours of my day researching for my future.
That's not too much to ask.. is it? :D
 
http://www.bestaviation.net/college/

Typically you will find that colleges that don't own their own planes but farm out the flying to FBOs will be the cheapest.

For real cheap, go the juco aviation school route then transfer to a University with all your ratings. Big name doesn't come close to equating to big quality.
 
The answer for extremely cheap aviation programs is in fact community colleges, you just have to be careful when you transfer to a four year program.
 
Some of the state schools might be a little cheaper, but you have to get in state tuition to make it viable. I know Delta State University in Mississippi has really low in state tuition. They also have a flight program as well.
 
Aviation universities are scams really. The airlines dont care what degree you have. All the written tests that pilots take before going to an airline are complete jokes. I am getting ready for the ADX written and taking ATP practice tests. I pass the practice tests and I havent even looked at half of the book!!! Any idiot can pass the knowledge stuff. Why pay money for a university degree when you can do it on your own or pay your instructor/FBO ground school a lot less to teach stuff in a lesser amount of money. Save the money on a useful degree such as economics or engineering.

The practical stuff is a little more difficult and that is where having a good CFI comes into place. Go to an FBO and shop around a bit. Take as many discovery flights as you can to find an instructor you fly well with.

You are still very young. Dont rush into a decision and keep an open mind. When I was your age, I had no clue about where I wanted to go to college and no clue what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Even now, I am not entirely sure. I didnt even start thinking about where I wanted to go until after my junior year. It took me nearly two years in college to find a major I wanted to do. College is something you should enjoy. I think too many colleges offer these specific degree programs for careers and students fall for the bait and switch with a degree that has little flexibility. If you have a basic liberal arts or science degree you position yourself well for graduate school and even for a number of entry level jobs as well.
 
ahmed said:
hey alex

i joined this site when i was a freshman in high school (which im guessing you are too). to be honest with you your interests and direction in life are going to change so drastically over the next few years. i know what you're thinking while you read this: "no trust me i know i want to fly for a living" because thats what i said to myself when i read the advice that someone gave me. i was convinced that i would go to a small school and get my ratings done on the side. i let my gpa slide because this school wasnt competitive and now that my interests have changed its really a setback. focus on getting excellent grades and becoming involved outside of school so that, lets say you want to do Air Force ROTC at Cornell, you are able to apply for that
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This. When I was in HS, all I wanted to do was fly. I started flight training during the summer before my senior year. I went to an aviation college, majored in flight science and joined the university flight team (yes, I'm a huge dork). Well, a lot of life happened during my university years. I graduated from college in 2009 already knowing I was done with aviation. I'm now living in a small prairie town in Minnesota working as a writer --- and loving it! I wouldn't go back to flying if you paid me a million dollars. If you told me what I'd be doing now five years ago, I would have said "you're nuts." However, that's just how life works out.

My advice to you (take it with a grain of salt) is to focus on school, getting good grades and meeting some great friends. You don't have to have life all figured out at 14. Heck, I'm 24 and I still don't have anything figured out. Just wait and see what happens -- you may not care about flying in a few years.

If by your senior year you still want to fly, then start looking into college options. I'd suggest going to a state school and doing your ratings at an FBO. That's the most economical way to get your ratings and an education. No college flight program is cheap. Also consider Air Force or Navy ROTC.

However, don't worry about aviation right now. Just enjoy being a kid, stay out of trouble and things will work themselves out.
 
I was going to mention LCCC, too. I don't know if you live anywhere near Allentown, but you could do your flight training at "L-tri-C," then transfer to a state college to complete your B.A. Kutztown University is probably closest to Allentown. Many of the CFIs at Queen City airport (KXLL) are LCCC graduates.

From listening to the folks on this forum, and reading the main site (www.jetcareers.com), I think there is a lot of wisdom in getting a non-aviation degree. Keep reading and researching about your future. You're on the right track.
 
DC10FlyBy said:
University of Central Missouri. Very cheap.
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In what way? Tuition, sure, but remember, often times you get what you pay for. Not saying that UCM is bad (heck, I went there for a year), but don't make cheap the only thing you evaluate a college on. I did that and ended up some where I really didn't want to be. Actual flight costs, its basically a wash to most places.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
In what way? Tuition, sure, but remember, often times you get what you pay for. Not saying that UCM is bad (heck, I went there for a year), but don't make cheap the only thing you evaluate a college on. I did that and ended up some where I really didn't want to be. Actual flight costs, its basically a wash to most places.
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I was just answering the kids question. I don't think cheap and college/flight really go together.
 
I've always had a pipe dream about WMU if my wife and I move back to MI. My brother and sister in law are right off of 94 by AZO, so we'd have family nearby at least...GI Bill helps too...
 
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