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I am stuck and would like input.

 

I am currently enrolled at devry and have a little over a year left at the rate im going due to financial aid. I am worried about its true validity and accreditation in the helicopter world and even the I.T. world if for some reason I cant fly anymore due to medical reasons.(helo crashes and i loose my legs or something) How much does a college degree really help in finding new jobs in the helo world?

 

The thing I am stuck on right now is should I keep going, wait to fly, or bail out now save my self the cost of devry which will be about double of what i owe now, and start flying? I have inheritance that will pay for flight school so im not worried about that.

 

From what I have been reading, a college degree is really only needed for govt jobs, which would be nice to do, so it limits jobs in that regard. But do many VIP jobs and corporate jobs etc look for college degrees? If so, does where you graduate from matter and does it really help?

 

What would you do if you were in my shoes? You are 25 and you have ~13 classes left at a college that is barely a college, work full time, have the money to fly just sitting and waiting that can only be used to fly....

Edited by DragonCooler
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I am stuck and would like input.

 

I am currently enrolled at devry and have a little over a year left at the rate im going due to financial aid. I am worried about its true validity and accreditation in the helicopter world and even the I.T. world if for some reason I cant fly anymore due to medical reasons.(helo crashes and i loose my legs or something) How much does a college degree really help in finding new jobs in the helo world?

 

The thing I am stuck on right now is should I keep going, wait to fly, or bail out now save my self the cost of devry which will be about double of what i owe now, and start flying? I have inheritance that will pay for flight school so im not worried about that.

 

From what I have been reading, a college degree is really only needed for govt jobs, which would be nice to do, so it limits jobs in that regard. But do many VIP jobs and corporate jobs etc look for college degrees? If so, does where you graduate from matter and does it really help?

 

What would you do if you were in my shoes? You are 25 and you have ~13 classes left at a college that is barely a college, work full time, have the money to fly just sitting and waiting that can only be used to fly....

 

I completed college and have absolutely no regrets. Because I worked my way through college and did flight training at the same time, it took me 5 years to finish. The fact that I changed majors and schools also effected that. In the 38 years I have been in this industry, I have gotten several jobs and promotions due to the fact I had a college degree. Plus having something to fall back on doesn't hurt either. As helicopters become more and more complicated, I believe that we will see more and more of 'college degree preferred' in job requirements. It shows the employer that you are trainable and you know how to study. While there are some out there that say 'I know how to study' and so on, with the cost of hiring and training new employees ever increasing, making a mistake on hiring gets more and more costly.

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Well, here we go again. :lol:

 

Considering the unemployment rate for entry-level pilots, there's no hurry to go "all the way" at this point.

 

Get your Private, and fly recreationally, WHILE YOU FINISH COLLEGE!

 

The question you have to ask yourself is, "How will I make money while I'm looking for (and even after I get, since entry-level only pays about $800/mo.) a flying job?". :huh:

 

You need a "fall back" in this industry. If Devry isn't working for you, find another college, but FINISH COLLEGE!

 

If you think its hard to find a "real" job after college, try looking for one without a degree! :(

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I can only recommend to finish the degree. It already becomes more common the operaters prefer applicants with a college degree. And I'm sure that is the future. And who knows what happens in 20 years, maybe you don't like your job anymore or you lose your medical.

Having a backup plan is very good.

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I am stuck and would like input.

 

I am currently enrolled at devry and have a little over a year left at the rate im going due to financial aid. I am worried about its true validity and accreditation in the helicopter world and even the I.T. world if for some reason I cant fly anymore due to medical reasons.(helo crashes and i loose my legs or something) How much does a college degree really help in finding new jobs in the helo world?

 

The thing I am stuck on right now is should I keep going, wait to fly, or bail out now save my self the cost of devry which will be about double of what i owe now, and start flying? I have inheritance that will pay for flight school so im not worried about that.

 

From what I have been reading, a college degree is really only needed for govt jobs, which would be nice to do, so it limits jobs in that regard. But do many VIP jobs and corporate jobs etc look for college degrees? If so, does where you graduate from matter and does it really help?

 

What would you do if you were in my shoes? You are 25 and you have ~13 classes left at a college that is barely a college, work full time, have the money to fly just sitting and waiting that can only be used to fly....

 

I'd finish the degree, maybe not at Devry. If that's what's bothering you, do something about that in particular, change schools, before you think about a complete change in your life direction. The degree will give you options.

After that, fly as you're able. If you have the cash, do the flying in discrete, efficient blocks inside of a normal working life. You might well find that this is not what you want to do, or you'll find that it's not worth the YEARS of hard work to become employable- but you'll have the degree and options.

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I was in a similar situation, With axactly 13 classes myself when I took a break, I put college on hold only because I kind of fell into a good job. 4 years later I'm just resuming college. I say Finish it. Youll need some income to get thou through the year of flight training and the year or 2 of underemployment that follows.

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I really appreciate everyone's response. I apologize if I gave the wrong impression. This isnt the typical "I want to drop college to fly" thread. I am happy to continue with it, but biggest concern is having the "graduated from Devry" on a pilots resume if it would be worth anything.

 

I guess I just need to wait it out, keep going irregardless of the schools status. With that being said, what opportunities does a college degree open up in the helo world? Will it help land a job quicker? Obviously that isn't the "key" as there are many other factors.

 

I just cant as I have everything sitting waiting for me to start flying, just have to finish school first.

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The best person to answer this question would be helojunky since he is or was a major player in the IT industry and was very successful doing it... My suggestion would be to send him a pm asking about the value of a devry degree...

 

"helojunky"

aka ~

Richard J. Sears

ATP ASMEL/CFI/CFII/Pvt-Rotor

1986 MD500e

2008 R44 Raven II

2007 Piper Meridian

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My two cents is that "graduated from Devry" would hold the same weight as "graduated from MIT" in the beginning.

 

Later it might matter but for getting that CFI job or the first job in the gulf/tours I do not think it matters a whole lot.

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I would suggest get the degree while working on your ppl.

You run the risk of losing some of your DeVry credits if you don't put the graduation stamp on them. If you decide later to finish a degree you may have to take the same classes over.

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Look at it this way... One of the large international operators just might need an IT person right now and your degree could offer you the chance to get your foot in the door, then while building time on the side and once the opportunity presents it self, you'll have a proven track record with the company if you decide you still want to fly for a living. Plus if something happens and you lose your medical, you'll most likely still have a job in their IT department.

 

I would say a degree offers you the most career options and opportunity, as most systems become more complex and operators start using degrees as a way to sort through a pile of resumes.

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Been lurking here for a while but will jump in now. Howdy.

 

In this economy I would be very leery of incurring a lot of debt without a way to pay it off. Remember all student loans must be paid off and can't be discharged through a bankruptcy. So even when you land your dream flying job ( starting at min wage) , you will have DeVry to pay off and still try to make rent/food. Will you have a family by then?? Your future wifes clock will start ticking louder for kids in the 25-30 yr range. :)

 

What is the placement rate for Devry grads? Can you get an IT job with your current skill set? Have you had some business classes? Devry has had the rep as a technical 'repair skills' college. Has that changed now? How does it rate against a AA degree from community college? How many of your credits will transfer to a University?

 

My point is since you don't want to make a career in IT, why spend the $. But do get a least a 2 year degree.

 

Get some business experience/education. I you have some business/sales/finance type classes it would help you understand what it takes to keep the heli business going.

 

Another thing. You are 25! What have you done since high school? Put your head down and bomb out a 2 year degree. Better yet, see if you current credits will transfer to a State University and pickup a 4 year degree. You can concurrent ground school which will be fun.

 

Going back to school at 35+ would be very difficult so get it done now. Plus, it will be easier to tell your kids to stay in school if you have a degree.

 

The fact you are asking questions tells me you are setting goals which is important to success.

Good Luck.

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Been lurking here for a while but will jump in now. Howdy.

 

In this economy I would be very leery of incurring a lot of debt without a way to pay it off. Remember all student loans must be paid off and can't be discharged through a bankruptcy. So even when you land your dream flying job ( starting at min wage) , you will have DeVry to pay off and still try to make rent/food. Will you have a family by then?? Your future wifes clock will start ticking louder for kids in the 25-30 yr range. :)

 

What is the placement rate for Devry grads? Can you get an IT job with your current skill set? Have you had some business classes? Devry has had the rep as a technical 'repair skills' college. Has that changed now? How does it rate against a AA degree from community college? How many of your credits will transfer to a University?

 

My point is since you don't want to make a career in IT, why spend the $. But do get a least a 2 year degree.

 

Get some business experience/education. I you have some business/sales/finance type classes it would help you understand what it takes to keep the heli business going.

 

Another thing. You are 25! What have you done since high school? Put your head down and bomb out a 2 year degree. Better yet, see if you current credits will transfer to a State University and pickup a 4 year degree. You can concurrent ground school which will be fun.

 

Going back to school at 35+ would be very difficult so get it done now. Plus, it will be easier to tell your kids to stay in school if you have a degree.

 

The fact you are asking questions tells me you are setting goals which is important to success.

Good Luck.

 

I have been working in the IT industry and currently have a pretty good background in it and make good money now. The college degree is simply a plus for future work. My schooling and flying career will be paid for due to the inheritance. I have double checked after making this thread that the school, whether or not its actually a good school, is accredited long with the course I am in. Even without college I could fall back into IT based on my work history, but it would probably be harder without the degree(given I would have been out of it for a while flying). No matter how I look at it the degree is a must.

 

My biggest fear at the time of the original post was the devry name on the resume in the helo industry. By the sound of it it seems as though the simply fact that you have a degree helps. I would agree, and in hindsight it was stupid of me to ask. I sincerely appreciate everyones responses. I am more at ease now. I just need to get through quickly so I can start flying!! Thank you again everyone for your input!

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I really appreciate everyone's response. I apologize if I gave the wrong impression. This isnt the typical "I want to drop college to fly" thread. I am happy to continue with it, but biggest concern is having the "graduated from Devry" on a pilots resume if it would be worth anything.

 

I guess I just need to wait it out, keep going irregardless of the schools status. With that being said, what opportunities does a college degree open up in the helo world? Will it help land a job quicker? Obviously that isn't the "key" as there are many other factors.

 

I just cant as I have everything sitting waiting for me to start flying, just have to finish school first.

 

About the only thing any degree shows a employer looking to hire a pilot is that the person is not a quitter, and is interested in learning.

 

As someone said Devery works as well as MIT for that.

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I don't know anything about Devry, but I do think finishing your degree will help, if not directly for a flying job, then in your future in general. I started college at the age of 25, after attending a 1-yr. long trade school right out of high school and then owning my own business for a couple of years. When self-employment didn't work out, I ended up going back to get a Bachelor's degree. None of my trade school time counted so I was starting from ground zero.

 

With a lot of hard work and summer school classes, I was able to knock out a 4-yr. degree (plus an Army commision through ROTC) in 3 years and a month (the university also converted from quarters to semesters in the middle of that time). I went off on active duty, got married and returned to college to do my Master's degree 4 1/2 years later. This time, I had a wife, a brand new baby, and had just left a good paying job to be a full-time student. Let me tell you, school was a heck of a lot harder the second time around!! I had a family depending on me to keep them fed, plus classes to attend and part-time job.

 

My advice is to knock out a Bachelor's degree. As others have mentioned, business classes are always useful. Remember, it is about your future and what you can do with what you have already done. Flying is difficult and expensive to get into and many things can derail your plans. A degree alwsys gives you a leg up on people you are competing against who don't have one. You should always have a back-up plan in case you can't fly (lost your medical, got sick of it, couldn't find work, etc.). I'm not saying don't pursue a career in aviation - I'm only saying have a good plan.

 

Just in case you're wondering, no I don't fly for a living. Currently I have a Commercial Single and Multi-engine Airplane with Instrument priviledges. Helicopters and CFI/CFII/MEI are still on my to-do list. However, I have a Master's degree, a family, a house and a reasonably stable career at age 44, so I have no complaints. Best of luck!

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I am stuck and would like input.

 

 

What would you do if you were in my shoes? You are 25 and you have ~13 classes left at a college that is barely a college, work full time, have the money to fly just sitting and waiting that can only be used to fly....

 

 

Education is Freedom.....finish school at all costs!

 

Rotorrodent :)

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I really cant thank you guys enough for your input.

 

@Parafiddle

I am in the same boat. Married, own a house, currently work in a good job making decent money. However, my wife is pushing for kids. While I would like to im not sure how that would truly effect the situation. I have heard it from both extremes. "you have kids its all over, you wont fly etc.." to " I had kids I still did it and are having a blast etc.."

 

@500F

I couldnt agree more and I wish I thought of that before posting. Excellent words! Thank you for that.

 

@Wally

You are even more right. I bow to thee :)

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  • 6 months later...

I was having a similar dilemma....well, I guess you could say I am still having it.

 

I completed my two year associates degree in Business Admin. a few months ago and am waiting to hear back from the University of Washington regarding my admission right now. I find out in the next few weeks if I got accepted. I'm also taking my first intro flights this weekend. (weather permitting)

 

The point is....I'm so eager to fly that I have this anxiety over not being able to balance both my undergrad studies and flight training at the same time. As it stands I'm hoping to fly three times a week with two of those days including night time ground school classes. If I take three classes they will all be in the morning, and I should be able to manage the time pretty efficiently - but the study load is going to be intense, and social life will be put on hold for a couple more years. The good news is that I am young, have no debt, and I'm single - none of these qualities will likely change until I'm closer to 30, so I guess I do have the time and energy.

 

I've been debating on whether or not I would attend school if I got accepted, or just fly full time - it's becoming pretty clear that I would regret passing up on my education, and outside of being a little stressed out from time to time, I know I'm capable if I put the effort in.

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I was having a similar dilemma....well, I guess you could say I am still having it.

 

"it's becoming pretty clear that I would regret passing up on my education, and outside of being a little stressed out from time to time, I know I'm capable if I put the effort in."

 

Finish your education and securing a degree, you never know when it will be the deciding factor on securing that dream job... Besides if you ever lose your medical, you'll wish you had it to fall back on...

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Finish your education and securing a degree, you never know when it will be the deciding factor on securing that dream job... Besides if you ever lose your medical, you'll wish you had it to fall back on...

 

I'm majoring in sociology....it's not exactly a career magnet but I guess it's better than nothing. It was mentioned earlier in the thread, and I believe it, that some companies like that you can simply prove you have enough good study habits to obtain a degree in the first place - what you major in isn't always as important as showing that you can.

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I was having a similar dilemma....well, I guess you could say I am still having it.

 

I completed my two year associates degree in Business Admin. a few months ago and am waiting to hear back from the University of Washington regarding my admission right now. I find out in the next few weeks if I got accepted. I'm also taking my first intro flights this weekend. (weather permitting)

 

The point is....I'm so eager to fly that I have this anxiety over not being able to balance both my undergrad studies and flight training at the same time. As it stands I'm hoping to fly three times a week with two of those days including night time ground school classes. If I take three classes they will all be in the morning, and I should be able to manage the time pretty efficiently - but the study load is going to be intense, and social life will be put on hold for a couple more years. The good news is that I am young, have no debt, and I'm single - none of these qualities will likely change until I'm closer to 30, so I guess I do have the time and energy.

 

I've been debating on whether or not I would attend school if I got accepted, or just fly full time - it's becoming pretty clear that I would regret passing up on my education, and outside of being a little stressed out from time to time, I know I'm capable if I put the effort in.

 

 

Hopefully you get in.

 

Finish your degree and keep packing money away for the flight training. A degree will last a lifetime, pilot jobs don’t.…

 

While doing both is doable, it's not recommended. The best most cost effective way to flight train is full emersion. Full emersion cannot take place if you are distracted by pursuing a degree. Again, finish the degree, and attend a flight training program after you graduate. And don’t worry; this will all be here when you decide to fly….

Edited by Spike
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