Chris_Ford said:
It is. Aviation programs teach you a trade. University is not a trade school, its a place to learn more. Learning a trade does not educate you much. And what have you learned in aviation trade school that you wouldn't learn via the FBO route or once you get to airline training anyway?
Education is always up to the individual and their efforts. It doesn't end outside the classroom. University is only one means for education.
I want to offer the other side perpective on the major in something else vs. majoring in something aviation related.
Getting a fallback or backup plan by majoring in something else like architecture ,accounting or engineering is good for exposure at least. Once you've been in the industry for 10plus years, get furloughed and apply for that drafting or engineering job there's a fat chance you won't get hired if you haven't had any previous experience for the past few years. You've got plenty of fresh engineering grads, some with state licenses and masters along with years of internship experience in the field competing against a former airline pilot who has had zero exposure to the engineering industry in the past decade. If you do get hired by that drafting company they'll stick you on a entry level desk job making 25k for a start. Maybe they'll put you in the dreaded HR department. You will likely not be a staff drafter or staff engineer. It works like that in many industries. To give an example , my older brother is a very senior manager/controller at one of the big 4 accounting firms and he knows of no firm that will hire without prior college internship or previous extensive experience in the auditing field within two years. Priority for new hire accountants are given to recent college grads. It is similarly comparable to buying a type rating with no experience. It's still about who you know rather than having that framed paper diploma.
Majoring in something else is good for education and to broaden your base of knowledge but I don't think it should be viewed exceptionally and assuredly as a foolproof backup plan. There should be some ins and outs of your backup industry. Networking outside aviation is big key. I pretty much know that I can get an office job at my brother's firm even without an accounting degree in case the aviation industry doesn't work out for me in the future.
Sometimes ,given the situation, majoring in aviation allows one to complete their ratings at the university without too much hassle of the commute as opposed to traveling to the local FBO. My best respectable and cost effective local FBO is practically a 2 and a half hour train and bus ride to another state and then another 2 and a half hour ride back home. That's five hours commute, not including the commute to my former school. Car would be faster but there is no way I am shelling out 4,400 a year for insurance which would be under parent's name, 2.85 a gallon gas, and an additional 4,000 for an old beat up car with 90k plus miles. I've calculated and completing my training at my aviation university which I just recently transferred to proves to be quite cheaper than your typical advice of training at the local FBO and going to a separate college. My local FBO isn't local at all. I have also been awarded with transfer scholarships which is paying a third and pell/TAP which is another third. The 9/11 scholarship fund is also paying for the last third for the next two semesters since my mom lost her job that day. My costs are actually significantly reduced since I will not have a commute, no need for car, insurance, gas, time wasted. I've also saved up some to complete commercial up to MEI from jobs back in high school and during first two years at my former city college.
It all really comes down to different situations for different folks. Of course if one were to live down in florida he would get his/her selection of fbos nearby and cheap instate schools with faster commute and significantly less cost of living.
I also feel that if you really want to make your non-aviation related degree as a backup you should go with something more specialized requiring advanced certs and degrees like nursing , PT, pharmacy. Complete four years undergrad and get into pharmacy, nursing, PT school, etc and work in that industry for several years . Salaries are generous starting 60k to 90k within a few years and all while flying on the side and slowly branching out to instructing building time. Once you have a good sum of savings you can head straight into the airlines or 135 cargo. Once you are furloughed or if industry is in a slump you know you can go back to your old job with all that experience you've gethered.
You have to look at your current situation and evaluate which is best for yourself.
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