If money isn’t an issue and if you think you will need more time, then again, I recommend obtaining your Private Pilot License at a local flight school. You can go at your own pace and it will be more beneficial for you to learn at an actual school rather than trying to learn on your own.
Tory
Hi, Hannah!
Two questions…#1 How is it living in North Carolina? I’m moving there from Michigan next month for a flight instructing job. As you can guess instructing students in Michigan during the winter is rare so I’ll be building time a lot faster down south.
#2 Do you deem the SkyWest cadet program to be worth it? I have about under a year or so before I’m at R-ATP mins and Skywest is looking like my number one option amongst a couple of others. So I was considering their cadet program or Republics, to be honest.
Taylor,
I love living in North Carolina! It is a beautiful state with mountains, lakes and the ocean. It gets all the seasons but most are very mild. It’s a great place to instruct because cost of living is on the cheaper side and the weather is great most of the time. We do get some summer thunderstorms like most of the south but that’s to be expected. During my time build, I averaged 100 hrs a month easily so weather really didn’t get in the way at all.
I have nothing but great things to say about the cadet program. Join all the ones your interested in! It’s an opportunity for you to learn more about the company and get an inside look at the culture. I joined Envoy, Republic and Skywest and it helped me figure out which regional was the right fit. Once you figure that out, then you can commit to a tuition reimbursement program, flight benefits, etc. Just don’t accept any of that from any of them until you’re sure because you’ll end up paying it back if you change your mind!
Your cadet date ends up being your hire date so get an orientation date asap. Where this comes to play, class seniority. I became a cadet at 300 hrs so by the time I Was in Indoc a year and a half later, I was already in the top 3rd (20/60) just because my hire date was ahead of all those who weren’t cadets. Your hire date also gets applied to travel benefits and performance bonuses. So get that date punched on the calendar as soon as you can!
-Hannah
Hannah, that is great to hear, as well as a relief! I look forward to moving. As soon as I am settled in at my new address I’ll make sure to apply to the cadet programs. I had no idea you could join more than one at a time. Thanks so much for your help!
I just want to say how impressed I am with the encouragement and positivity of the mentors here. I’m not an ATP grad (though I will be attending ATP-CTP at ATP Jets in a month, does that count??), but Chris, Adam, Tory, Hannah and Jordan… you all are doing an incredible job representing ATP and helping the next generation of pilots navigate this aviation world. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Thank you Scott, that’s exactly what we were going for!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Adam
Thank you so much. Wish I could meet you in person someday. By the way, will you teach students?
Scott,
I think that totally counts… officially an honorary member of the ATP family 
Thank you for your kind words! It’s a joy to help all of you get on your way.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
-Hannah
Scott,
Thank you for your kind words. It is nice to know that what we do here is appreciated.
Enjoy your time down at ATP Jets. I just got a tour of the facility myself, it is impressive.
Chris
Thank you, Scott!
Ok, so I’ve never had to take a loan out. I will be graduating from a work-study college, where I have worked for my college education, or received scholarships. Approximately how quickly does it take to pay off a loan of the considerable size it would be to cover flight school from zero experience to a full commercial license?
Grace,
That’s literally impossible to say as it completely depends on you, your finances and your lifestyle. Some people hate the idea of debt and pay it off as quickly as possible using all their resources. Others don’t mind it so much, put it on the backburner and make the min payment for decades. Most are somewhere in between.
Adam
Grace,
We are pilots, so our experience is more in that field. I suggest you call ATP’s admissions department and talk about this with them as they are the experts when it comes to financing.
Chris
Welcome, Grace!
The loan itself will be issued with a 15 year term. Some people take the full 15, others manage to pay it off sooner.
Tuition reimbursement and sign on bonuses from regional airlines helps a lot. I know it helped me when I was a CFI.
Tory
Grace,
Welcome to the forum. Kirk in the finance department would be your best resources for terms of the loan. However, generally speaking it’s a long term loan. Like Tory said, typically 15 years or so. While you’re a student you won’t pay a dime on it. Then there’s a 6 month grace period. This is the time you can apply for nearly a dozen tuition reimbursement programs with regionals of your choosing. Once you decide which program is right for you, opt in to tuition reimbursement. That means the regional you committed to pays your loan payment each month until reaching your 1500 hrs. Once at the regionals, you can refinance based on your new financial situation. At this point, it’s just about your priorities. If you’re a pay it off fast person or not…
-Hannah
Hannah -I’d love to learn more about your experience with reviewing the cadet programs etc. is there a way to message you?
Vivian,
Go ahead and check out the other thread you commented on. I added my experience as a Skywest cadet there. If you have more questions, fire away! 
Hannah