Hello, fellow aviation lovers. This is my first message and I just had a question I hope some of yall can answer. So basically I am a 17-year-old high school senior that will graduate in May. I am attending an early college program so I will graduate in May with my high school diploma and an associates degree in general studies. My question is: Should I go to college and get a bachelors degree or go straight to ATP after I graduate?
I personally would go to college and then after join ATP if you so choose.
Go to college for bachelors in my opinion.
Diego,
We ALWAYS recommend continuing your education first, particularly when you’re young.
You say you’re an “aviation lover” but do you have any actual flight experience (and no riding in the back of an Airbus doesn’t count)? If not I strongly recommend you get some and take an intro flight. While many people believe they want to fly until you actually do you won’t know for certain. Now back to the school question.
If you’re 18 and go straight to ATP you’ll complete your training and your hours by 20. Then what are you going to do? You can’t fly for an airline till you’re 21. You just going to keep build Cessna hours? You’re currently in school and obviously doing well, why not just bang out another 2 yrs and get you bachelor’s? You will need it in the future and while everyone else flying for a Regional is scrambling to try and complete their’s online you’ll be done. Further while online degrees are fine and acceptable these days, an actual traditional degree earned the old fashion way still trumps it.
Adam
Diego,
I would absolutely recommend that you continue your studies and finish your degree, then go to an accelerated flight school. We consistently find that students do better when they have finished college first. This provides a level of maturity that is needed for flight training.
Chris