Hello everyone im 16 years old and would like to be a commercial pilot one day and was wondering what the pros and cons of say a flight school like Embry Riddle or North Dakota State VS A local in state collage or university other then just the price of it which I know is a big factor. I also understand that you should have a 4 year degree in something does not matter in what to get hired at a major airline like American airlines. Is there anything else that I should be doing to prepare to become a pilot other then school and pilot training.
Great questions. Listen, Embry Riddle is a great school there’s no question about that. There’s 2 problems. One as you mention is the price. Aviation universities are EXPENSIVE, REALLY EXPENSIVE. Second you’re basically putting ALL your eggs in the aviation basket. Now I’m quite certain at 16 that you’re quite certain you want to be a pilot (And there’s no reason you shouldn’t be). BUT, things change, people change, the industry changes. I often say you can be a pilot with an accounting degree BUT you can’t be an accountant with an aviation degree. Save your money and have a back up plan and keep asking good questions
There are pros and cons to each type of school, but I tend to not be a fan of the aviation colleges. I would recommend that you get a degree from an instate school in any subject that interests you and has practical applications, then go to an accelerated flight training program after completing college.
As for preparing now, get good grades, do well in college, stay away from drugs, alcohol, problems with the law and traffic violations and you should be fine.
