college and flight school

[MSkinsATC]

Everyone has it right, do something that interests you, the Navy will teach you what you need to know. Sports Med Major here....BTW whats a vector????? hahahaha

 

[Lanisem]

I came into college as a pre-med, so my major is Biochemistry/Chemistry... recruiter says it's a technical major so it's fine.. guess whatever exposes one to math/physics and the like are favorable. I want wings, but I also know that I want to become a flight surgeon one day, so hence, my major =D

 

[FLY_USMC]

I think the more you deal with flight surgeons, especially the couple of d-bags I've had the pleasure of working with as of late, you'll probably change your mind on the "glamour" of being a flight surgeon.

All of the above caveated with Doc "what the" formerly in the training command is worth his weight in gold verified by several other people besides me, absolutely priceless, a real pilots flight surgeon if their is such a thing.

 

[KBayDog]

Sports Med Major here....BTW whats a vector????? hahahaha

vector (vek-tur) n. 1. The only logical way to execute a tacan approach. 2. The tool SoCal uses to allow you to fly directly over Disneyland while in the SLI GCA box. 3. The word that comes before "Victor" when quoting the movie Airplane.


p.s. - Exercise Science major here.

 

[invertedflyer]

Political Science my friend (or Criminal Justice) - the path of least resistance. That is, of course, if you have any interest in either one of those (and you can handle the PolSci profs spilling their vile filth). Good luck to you, whichever way to go.

Don't forget History. Only pick it if its something that interests you though... or you'll slowly lose your mind. I don't think I can say anything new here. I started off as an Aerospace Engineering major... lets just say I changed my major very quickly as i knew I was in over my head. History was always my favorite subject, hence my choice of major.

 

[Nose]

Your success (or lack thereof) in flight school will have nothing, repeat NOTHING to do with what you study in college. I was an english lit major and entered AOCS before I had my degree. I was in the NAVCAD program, and as a group we did better in flight school then the "average" SNA. (Not that that had anything to do with the fact that if we failed out, we were chipping paint for 2 years!)

Whether you do well or not has more to do with who your are then where you went to school or what you studied.

Can you think on your feet?
Can you compartmentalize?
Do you get airsick?
Do you handle pressure well?
Are you a dick?
Can you learn a relatively diverse load in information in a relatively short span of time?
Can you manage your time wisely? Can you manage your time wisely when your jet is on fire?
Do you drink beer?


Here is the main thing you need to remember when you pick your school/major - if you don't do well, you won't get into flight school. THAT is the bottom line, and will be a recurring theme throughout your career as a Navy Pilot.

Good luck!
Nose

 

[Nose]

I want to become a flight surgeon one day

Q: What do you call the guy who finishes last in his class at med school?


A: A flight surgeon.:icon_lol:

I kill myself.

 

[Rg9]

ok i kno this question has probably been answered before... i've been readin some of the posts and have gotten some opinions but nothin official...

for those of you who were aerospace engineering majors in college and then went on to flight school, did you find it helpful or harmful?

does it give you a head start at all in flight school?

Got a masters degree in it. It helped for maybe about 2 weeks worth of classroom stuff. I actually learned a lot in flight school about aero that I didn't learn in college/grad school.

 

[llnick2001]

I'd say I understood the material (aero and engines only) better/faster than the average API stud, but it wasn't a big leg up (don't major in it because you want to do better in flight school, it doesn't make that kind of a difference). As long as you are willing to accept that they make certain assumptions that might not be as exact as you are use to (and you don't get an ego about it) it won't hurt you.

 

[rtmcginn]

I decided to major in aerospace engineering just so when people asked, "what do you study?" i could calmly reply "rocket science." Had i known how much damn computer programming i was going to have to do, i would have gone with communications.

 

[Circle K]

Just remember, if you want later on to do something specific, like test pilot school, I believe engineering or science degrees are required. If you're a rock like me, do what you can that will get you the grades required to get in the program. The academics in flight school aren't that difficult at all.

Or if you don't want to do something specific, like a hard fill IA to Iraq/Afganistan for "nation building" you may want to consider the benifits of not having an engineering degree. (Yes, our squadron had that exact scenario happen)

 

[hardhearts]

thanx for the help... i picked aero engineering cuz i've always enjoyed it planes and stuff since i was young.. i was just wondering if it would help out or not in flight school.. i guess not that much but thanx neways....

is there anyway to make flight school alot easier?

 

[a_m]

thanx for the help... i picked aero engineering cuz i've always enjoyed it planes and stuff since i was young.. i was just wondering if it would help out or not in flight school.. i guess not that much but thanx neways....

is there anyway to make flight school alot easier?

After you graduate/commission/check into API, you can choose to study earlier, possibly in groups. Once you get to primary, study and practice. Flight school is pretty much a direct representation of 2 things:How smart you are and how hard you work. Some guys put in an insane amount of practice, some guys are naturals.

 

[bunk22]

thanx for the help... i picked aero engineering cuz i've always enjoyed it planes and stuff since i was young.. i was just wondering if it would help out or not in flight school.. i guess not that much but thanx neways....

is there anyway to make flight school alot easier?

Be a natural, a Chuck Yeager if you will. Flight school isn't that hard regardless. The attrition rate in primary for last year was 9.7% for all causes.

 

[Rg9]

is there anyway to make flight school alot easier?

No. But you can make it easier by being efficient with your time.