Hi everyone! My name is Alexis, I am 19 and am going into my second year of college. I am having doubts and was wanting some advice from fellow pilots with experience! I had considered attending Embry riddle to get an aviation degree and get my ratings but I didn’t know if that was the best option for me. I just started taking lessons at my local airport pursuing my private pilot license. I like the freedom of being able to pay as I go without having to worry about having thousands of dollars in loans and I really like my instructor.
I wanted to ask your opinion on me finishing up my four year degree, working and saving, continuing on with my PPL, and then attending ATP after graduation.
The price tag of ATP is a lot more attractive and I like the many locations that are offered. While I know embry is a good option , there is so much more that goes into it.
Well, since you are already going to college, I’d stay there, get a non-aviation degree, something you can fall back on, and you could work on getting your PPL right now and then go to ATP after graduating.
Welcome back to the forum! If you’re stopped by here and there since 2 years ago, you’d see this “Aviation University discussion,” and simply we are not fans of attending colleges with aviation programs simply to earn your ratings. Coming to the forum asking about attending Embry-Riddle is a question that is often asked. Why did I choose ATP over any other flight training program, because ATP promised me (as a student) and delivered what they promised: “Fastest Track to an Airline Career.” After 2 years from enrollment (credit private) to 1,500 - I was signed and waiting for my class date with an American Airlines wholly-owned.
Some questions to you. Continuing on with your PPL, how many hours do you have? Are you training on a consistent timeframe (ATP and airlines train consistency which not only improves skill, but proficiency and builds on previously learned skills). Have you completed your PAR?
I think continuing your college degree (AS IS) and then attending a program like ATP will be extremely beneficial for you. You don’t need to major in anything aviation specific, as the airlines will simply ask during application: Do you have a degree, if yes - what kind - what’s the major - what’s was your GPA? It’s simply a box to check, PLUS a BACKUP plan if something in aviation fell through… that’s why we recommend getting a degree or studying something you find enjoyable.
Many fear the price tag of ATP because it’s a large chunk, but with that comes large reward. I just had a discussion with a gentleman in the jet bridge in Charlotte who’s attending American Airlines’ Academy, he just got approved and is soon leaving to start his training. I asked him why he chose it and he simply stated, “I work in-network, I can receive a bonus and I have a private gig already established for when I complete to build my hours.” Many airlines currently have tuition reimbursement and sign-on bonuses that EVERYONE is taking an advantage of. Thanks to the amazing staff and team at ATP, they’ve established 38 airline partners where you have such chance at being hired, given you are hardworking and a successful pilot. ATP also has a credit lender partnership with Sallie Mae where many students acquire a loan; however, you may choose any lender if you seek financial assistance in attendance.
Hey Brady, thank you so much for replying, I appreciate it! I have only taken two lessons so far so I know I have less than five hours of time. I am training once a week right now hoping to change that to two or more if possible. I have not completed my PAR, me and my instructor were going to get me started on the material for my written our next lesson.
I agree with everything you said, the benefits are honestly something to take advantage of while they are an option.
So, two lessons and less than 5 hours leaves you with at least two options. I want you to think about the pros/cons, just like myself and many others have done. Since you have decided the aviation career is for you, there’s no questioning whether you want to do it or not - now it’s figuring out which path is best for you. Only you will be able to tell, it’s challenging, trust me, but we’re here to answer any questions and offer guidance. The once-a-week training is NOT going to be beneficial, another forum member, Steven just expressed his recent encounter in his own thread, yesterday.
Written exams expire 24 calendar months after the results. There is a thing as taking them too early. Here is a FAQ I put together on the AKTs:
So I present two options:
Option 1: You continue to work on your PPL during college, with potential risk of not building upon your previously learned skills or improvement you could receive while attending a full-time program like ATP. The benefit of PPL is do at your own pace, but that generally isn’t airline career oriented, recommended for those that are unsure if they want to pursue the career (or just want to casually fly around privately). The downfall to a smaller-scale school can be plane availability, your own schedule availability, weather, instructor availability, the whole ten yards. Sometimes weather is favorable and other times, it’s not so favorable. I’ll leave you with my personal experience of obtaining my PPL outside of ATP:
I trained and received my PPL outside of ATP in 2019, started in 2018. It took me 13 months to finish the license, with 3 months of NO flying because the flight school shut down and before I could figure a gameplan it was 3 months later. The problem I ran into that I NEVER did while attending ATP was consistency of training and building upon my previously learned skills. The other issue I ran into with was my own confidence and struggled through my PPL, I was not as prepared as I was when I went through ATP.
If you proceed with Option 1, ATP requires a minimum of 78 hours flight time of which 8 hours are PIC XC, this is because the program timeline is built around these numbers after the PPL stage.
Option 2: Finish your degree whether it’s Associate’s right now or Bachelor’s and attend ATP from Zero Time. The hours of training that you acquire now will count towards your 1,500 and have given you a foundation of flying for when you’re ready to attend ATP. Many individuals right now are racing to get their hours and apply, some take the Associate’s avenue and finish their degree when time building during the regional flying. I have seen many students take the small hours they received in years past to successfully complete ATP’s program once they got some college courses and/or degree under their belt.
I’m sure there are other options and other mentors will chime in shortly, but this scenario is commonly asked, and you will see similar responses across the forum.
This question (conversation) happens almost daily and my answer never changes.
While Riddle is a fine school, they’re ridiculously expensive, the airlines neither require nor desire an aviation degree and it leaves you no backup should aviation not work out by choice or circumstance.
You should absolutely stay in school and finish your education. Next there’s no point in getting your PPL during school. While you may like paying as you go, training part-time is expensive and inefficient.
Finish your education and do ALL your training with ATP. That is the best route.
With only 5 hours, you could stop right now and start saving right away. I flew 17 hours before I decided I wanted to pursue ATP. Just think of you time as an expanded intro flight.
The deal is, you need to focus on school full time and flight training full time. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Finish your degree, then pursue ATP zero time. By then you will have much more saved and have the most efficient path to an aviation career. Credit private may seem appealing with the drop in price and timeline, but you have to come in with at least 78 hours, typically much more than most people need for a private pilot license.
