Get masters or start flying.....

meyers9163

meyers9163

Well-Known Member
I've posted here for a while now and I am now starting my fourth year of college. I will be finishing my B.S. in Psychology with a business Administration minor. After completion of this year I have wondered would it be better to attend a University for a Masters in School Counseling or start knocking out the rest of the ratings and instruct? I will have my PPL done with any luck by October. After that I was thinking I could go to an FBO and get the remainder done through the course of the senior/fourth year of college. I know there is no clear cut decision but I am hoping for some insight on what would you do, consider, etc. Any thoughts would be great. Thank you in advance!
 
meyers9163 said:
I know there is no clear cut decision but I am hoping for some insight on what would you do, consider, etc. Any thoughts would be great. Thank you in advance!
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i must've missed something, why are you getting a masters if you are planning to fly?

While I agree having a good education background will help for a 'backup' career plan, once you've been out of school for a bit you degree is just a box that is checked.
 
You'll have to evaulate your current situation to answer that. But I'm sort of in the same position as you. If time is on your side and you feel comfortable with your current living situation ie work, family, social life, then i would say go ahead and complete your masters. Flying as been around a very long time and will continue to do so. However your motivation to continue with you secondary education will begin to wane as you grow older both physically and mentally. Use the opprotunity at hand to complete the masters which for most programs vary between 36-45 credits. That should'nt take long at all. Set your self up nice because the only things guaranteed in the aviation industry are pay cuts, layoffs and the joy you get from being around airplanes.
 
I was faced with the same dilemna coming out of school. I chose to begin my grad. courses and begin my flight training at the same time. Since then I have completed my flight training requirements but have only taken a semester of classes. As of right now I do not feel that I am mssing out on anything in graduate school so I am going to stick with flying and see how it pans out. I really think that it is a matter of personal preference though and what your career goals are!
 
Thank you for the replies so far and keep them comming. I do and will have my degree in Psychology. However if something happen with the airlines there's not much you can do with a BS in Psychology. That's why I was debating about going into grad school before flying or right into it. Like many I would like to fly for the airlines. But I would just enjoy a career where I can do somthing I enjoy like many and that is flying planes. Ultimately I know there is not a safe route but there are many experience posters out there that have views and I enjoy reading them and having them shared. Please continue with replies. I greatly do appreciate it....
 
I faced the same dilema and chose to finish my Master's Degree while flight training. Ended up with a better job which meant more money for flying and less loans down the road. Granted at times it was hard to fly as much as I wanted but it was something I wanted to do for myself.

As we hear so often everyone's path in aviation is unique.. find what works best for you and go for it !!
 
I'm gonna *try* to do a 5 year masters program versus just settling for the bachelor's degree.

A thesis and nonthesis option is offered? What's the point of doing a thesis?
 
had the same dilema when i graduated in 2001. go to grad school for architecture/urban planning or become a pilot. here i am flying Kingairs, but not much. i love flying, but financially i put myself in a bad situation...could've done things differently, and much more responsiblly, looking back on it all. probably should have gotten my masters, got a good job and done my ratings without taking out big loans.
 
BCTAv8r said:
I'm gonna *try* to do a 5 year masters program versus just settling for the bachelor's degree.

A thesis and nonthesis option is offered? What's the point of doing a thesis?
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There are two types of masters degrees, professional masters degrees which are terminal, and masters degrees. The professional programs, like an MBA are designed so that you go right to work, and these programs traditionally had an internship or final project rather than a thesis. Normal masters degrees, on the other hand, were a stepping stone to the Doctorate, and the thesis acted as basically your demonstration of your research capabilities, and your writing capabilities. Kind of like a separate CV.

The point of the thesis would be to try your hand at doing substantial research in a graduate setting. If you do the thesis you should ask one of the profs in the grad program to 'mentor' you and act as your defacto thesis advisor. For the thesis to be useful you will want to work closely with him/her, if you just write it as a longer undergrad paper it will be worthless to you.
 
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