New ATP program... College degree included.

Captain_Bob

Captain_Bob

Well-Known Member
Did a search and didn't find this on here so I thought I'd post it.

A buddy of mine from the Arlington ATP location just told me about this... It seems to be a decent program for those who want to combine college with flight training while opening up some really nice financing options too. (Govt. loans vs. high interest SLM loans).

ATP College Degree Program

ATP website said:
Mountain State University now offers an aviation bachelor's degree program that includes ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program flight training.

  • MSU Online College Coursework
  • ATP Flight Training at ATP Flight Schools Nationwide
  • Approximately 16 Months from Zero Time through Commercial Multi Instrument with CFIs and Advanced Jet Training
  • Affordable Financing, including Federal Student Aid and Many Private Loans
Click to expand...
 
Whatever happened to the, "back-up" plan everyone raved about. A degree in ATP? Seniority is everything, get there FIRST i guess.
Interested to see how many students will be successful. Sounds stressful on the CFI's POV, as there may be more spoon feeding and babysitting, spending $80K people have an attitude of entitlement.
 
nocturnalaviator said:
Whatever happened to the, "back-up" plan everyone raved about. A degree in ATP? Seniority is everything, get there FIRST i guess.
Interested to see how many students will be successful. Sounds stressful on the CFI's POV, as there may be more spoon feeding and babysitting, spending $80K people have an attitude of entitlement.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure how to read your post. Is this a slam against ATP, higher education, or CFIs?

What's wrong with getting a degree in aviation? I instructed at a flight school which also had a degree program through a local college. The students did not require any more spoon feeding or babysitting then any other off-the-street student.
 
Good for the federal loans. Unless the interest saved is more than cost of tuition, I would'n bother with an aviation degree. And if it was, I'd still get a useful degree (Computer Science, Engineering etc). Especially with this economy...
 
I couldn't help but laugh when I read that one the first semester's recommended courses is "Geography of North America." Did everyone not learn geography in elementary, middle, or high school?

I personally wouldn't have done this combined program but to each their own. Some people just want to check the box and to them I say godspeed sir/m'am.
 
GaTechKid said:
I couldn't help but laugh when I read that one the first semester's recommended courses is "Geography of North America." Did everyone not learn geography in elementary, middle, or high school?
Click to expand...

You would be surprised...you would be very surprised, actually.

(this is commentary on primary and secondary education in the US, particularly learning outcomes, and not necessarily about the ATP degree program)
 
GaTechKid said:
I couldn't help but laugh when I read that one the first semester's recommended courses is "Geography of North America." Did everyone not learn geography in elementary, middle, or high school?

I personally wouldn't have done this combined program but to each their own. Some people just want to check the box and to them I say godspeed sir/m'am.
Click to expand...
Have you ever seen "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"??? Seems the average person needs a little more Geography. :laff:

I actually took 2 semesters of Geography in college. Pretty cool stuff.
 
mxflyer said:
Good for the federal loans. Unless the interest saved is more than cost of tuition, I would'n bother with an aviation degree. And if it was, I'd still get a useful degree (Computer Science, Engineering etc). Especially with this economy...
Click to expand...

Is this to say that the federal loan covers the flight training portion? So it's all one big all inclusive (government) loan?
 
They could have been doing this a long time ago. Just like when ATP got in bed with Gulfstream Academy, it's a tool used to get financing (debt) for students. Since it's virtually impossible to get bank loans any longer, they are encouraging people to get much deeper in debt. Ignore the fact that only 28% of people who start an online degree actually finish it. So if you're thinking about takin out a loan of that size, ask yourself, "how am I going to build 1500hrs, get an ATP, and subsequently have any sort of QAL for the next 10-20 years paying back $125,000 on airline salary?"
 
44Driver said:
They could have been doing this a long time ago. Just like when ATP got in bed with Gulfstream Academy, it's a tool used to get financing (debt) for students. Since it's virtually impossible to get bank loans any longer, they are encouraging people to get much deeper in debt. Ignore the fact that only 28% of people who start an online degree actually finish it. So if you're thinking about takin out a loan of that size, ask yourself, "how am I going to build 1500hrs, get an ATP, and subsequently have any sort of QAL for the next 10-20 years paying back $125,000 on airline salary?"
Click to expand...

No offense, and I really don't mean to be rude, but do you ever have anything good to say about ATP?
 
44Driver said:
They could have been doing this a long time ago. Just like when ATP got in bed with Gulfstream Academy, it's a tool used to get financing (debt) for students. Since it's virtually impossible to get bank loans any longer, they are encouraging people to get much deeper in debt. Ignore the fact that only 28% of people who start an online degree actually finish it. So if you're thinking about takin out a loan of that size, ask yourself, "how am I going to build 1500hrs, get an ATP, and subsequently have any sort of QAL for the next 10-20 years paying back $125,000 on airline salary?"
Click to expand...

Don't go to an airline?
 
Sure. My instructors were good, I never busted a single checkride and they all really cared about my progress.

The housing was nice. The management, both at DAB (my location) and in Jax was a nightmare to deal with. CFI school in JAX was so bad that my roomates drove themselves to ATL for CFI school at their own expense. Several of us had our checkrides pushed back just to get sweetheart deals for DPE's that were friends of the owner.
 
Where did you get 28% from? Not doubting it. I just never saw that figure before.

Actually bank loans are loosening up again. In terms of financing, college loans typically offer better interest rates. Unless you are young and can qualify for Parent Plus loans, it usually takes the same type of credit to get the extra college loans needed. Pell and Stafford only pay for so much.

It just seems to be a great way to get flight training AND a Bachelor's degree. 1500 hours is still 3 years away, as discussed before, and the 1500 hour requirement is not finite yet(and probably will get reduced for things like - college) Someone could complete their flight training in 16 months, instruct for, say a year, and then get on with an airline - all while working on the degree they will need to get to a major someday. Seems like a pretty good deal to me. If the fast track is around $60k, and the degree is $91K Including the flight training, it does not seem like alot more to add a 4 year degree.
 
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