Really need some help, no clue what to do....

[lifesbeachy]

Hey guys, I could really use some suggestions about what to do as far as flight school. I am trying to find the best school to attend for my situation. I will try and outline my situation in short points, if you guys have any ideas for me please let me know.

1. I am 26 years old, and I am a veteran with 60% funding from the post 9/11 GI Bill, therefore I have to cover 40% of my tuition and flight fees out of pocket.

2. I do not really have a strong cosigner to help with obtaining a loan for the 40% I must cover.

3. I have 30 months of benefits available.

So, essentially I need to find a 2 year aviation degree program (because I only have 30 months of benefits it may be hard to finish everything at a 4 year school).
I also need to find a program that will accept federal financial aid in order to help pay for the 40% that I must cover out of pocket.

Right now I am looking into Aviator college simply because it appears to fit that mold, however I have read so many negative reviews on them that it really worries me.

If anyone has some ideas for me that would help so much. I am so ready to get these ratings over with and move on, but financial constraints have kept me out of the game this whole time.
I am open to both helicopter and fixed wing programs as well.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[MercFE]

Need to look at the benefits again... You can do a search here for a lot of info that others have gathered, or even the GI Bill website.

The 60% was under the Montgomery bill. Post 9/11 can and will pay 100% of flight costs with an accredited degree plan.

 

[pilotmec]

University of Oklahoma has a great program but I believe it's a 4 year. Not sure what else they have available.
Southeastern Oklahoma State at Durant Oklahoma is another good one.

 

[lifesbeachy]

@MercFE
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately my VA will only cover 60% because the percentage is based on time on active duty. I was in the national gaurd and was deployed for a year to Iraq, so the rate for one year active is 60% I somewhat do not agree with this scale, especially since I actually did more active time than that for ADSW work but they do not count that.

So my big hurdle is trying to figure out how to cover the other 40%

 

[staledog]

You'll get a lot of advice on this board (mostly good), but if I were in your shoes (I was a long time ago), I'd choose the school you want to attend first, and then talk to them directly about options for financial aid. They may have several different options available to you, and people on this board may not know what those options are.

But for starters, what part of the country do you want to do your training in?

 

[lifesbeachy]

@staledog
I'm pretty flexible in that I am willing to train with whoever can help me finance it. I am located in the southeast so I've been mostly looking in Florida. I am actually located near a 4 year college aviation program, but the trouble is being able to finish my ratings within my time limit. This is why I am interested in attending a 2 year program first so that I can be sure to have all of my ratings before my benefits run out.

Aviator college appears to be less expensive than a lot of other programs, and the fact that they are approved for federal financial aid seems like it may make it easier to attain the financing that I need as well.

 

[staledog]

@staledog
I'm pretty flexible in that I am willing to train with whoever can help me finance it. I am located in the southeast so I've been mostly looking in Florida. I am actually located near a 4 year college aviation program, but the trouble is being able to finish my ratings within my time limit. This is why I am interested in attending a 2 year program first so that I can be sure to have all of my ratings before my benefits run out.

Sounds like a good plan

 

[MercFE]

@MercFE
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately my VA will only cover 60% because the percentage is based on time on active duty. I was in the national gaurd and was deployed for a year to Iraq, so the rate for one year active is 60% I somewhat do not agree with this scale, especially since I actually did more active time than that for ADSW work but they do not count that.

So my big hurdle is trying to figure out how to cover the other 40%

Gotcha! Agree with @staledog, figure out where you want to be first and talk to them about financial aid. I'm sure there are grants and scholorships that will help on top of the GI Bill.

Getting ready to retire and possibly do the same thing as you. The 100% will help me, but there are always other living expenses to deal with...