College completion options leading to flight school

[Cordespc]

Sounds like your recruiter may or may not be shooting completely straight with you, but I will say that it is not terribly difficult to earn a degree on active duty if you want to. I got my degree in about 3 years going to college (St. Leo) at night, and made a 6 month deployment in the middle. My college had 8 week semesters at satellite campuses on base, and was definitely half-ass, but hey, they gave me a degree.

Like others have hinted at, if you enlist with the sole intention of using it as a stepping stone, you might not be the best at what you do, and people just might be counting on you.

 

[SnipeDude]

Let me tell you my situation:
I am almost 24 years old.
I have already completed 2 years of college.
I am looking for the best possible plan to a Pilot position.
I just started talking to a Marine recruiter about the MECEP program. He says after I get done with all my Marine training I can start getting into college courses with 100% tuition coverage from Uncle Sam, and get my Bachelor's within 2 years. "With-out a doubt," he says. Is this completely true? If so, it sounds like the best plan for me to get a commision before I am 27. Does anyone out there have any knowledge on going to school full time while on active duty? Is there any MOS's that will make it easier or quicker to achieve? Thanks for any input.

Sounds something like my situation...it ended up taking me 8 1/4 years. If you enlist for four years expect to be enlisted for four years!

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

my advice to you..stay out of the enlisted ranks if you wanna fly.. being in a time of war.. you will deploy at some point or another. especially if its youre first four years of service..

That is actually why I got out of the navy at my 5 year mark. I had only been at my shore duty command for a year and they were going to let me extend for a year there (which would have been great to finish my last year of college) but there were so many IA spots being given out at the time, I simply couldn't risk losing a year to IA, so i decided to get out and finish my last year of college as a civilian.

 

[getmeinaf18]

I talked to the OSO again and she recomended that I enlist in the reserves now, which would allow me to go to college full time after I get done with training. She said I don't have to wait to use the GI Bill in the reserves like I would in active duty, except I wouldn't get as much money. Then, after I finish college, I can go to OCS.

Does that all sound right? I think it sounds like a good plan. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

 

[phrogpilot73]

I would say that the OSO gave you better advice than the recruiter. MECEP can be done, but you'll be bumping up against age limits. With a war going on in two countries, there's a possibility that you may end up deployed.

 

[joshmf]

It's entirely possible to be in the Reserves and go through OCS while in college, several Marines from the unit I was in did that. Just know that there is always the possibility that you will be deployed while in the reserves as well. It's a good program, but it's not necessary to be in the reserves to go to OCS, and you'll have to go through training and possibly a deployment, which may put you up against age limits in the future.

 

[getmeinaf18]

Aeronautical Science degree - Would it help?

I'm currently looking into some colleges to apply to. I have several majors that would interest me, ranging from business management to marine biology, so I don't have any particular subject I feel I have to study. My primary reason for college right now is to get me elligible for OCS. What I am wondering is: would going to a school like Embry-Riddle and majoring in Aeronautical Science help get me a pilot slot as oposed to getting a degree in business? Or does it make any difference at all? I know I don't need to study Aeronautical Science, I just want to know if it would help. Also, would someone who went to a respected university have an advantage over someone who went to a community college?

 

[HighDimension]

Any advantage you could gain (there really isn't one) will be far outweighed by your misery at ERAU.

Run away.

 

[llnick2001]

Don't do Aero to get a leg up. The benifit is minimal. I did it because I wanted to, and that's the only reason I'd recommend anyone do it.

 

[BACONATOR]

I went to ERAU Prescott and highly recommend the academics but the quality of life is enough to make you jump off the roof of your dorm room. DON'T DO IT! If anything, my degree in Aerospace Engineering helped me get an SNA slot a LOT more than an aeronautical science degree.

Just my .02

 

[Rg9]

For selection before commissioning (at least for ROTC) they used multipliers based on your degree. Engineering was highest, science was second, and liberal arts were third. It wasn't a whole lot, though, and basically offset the lower GPA one would get in harder degrees.

As has been said here many times, don't choose a college degree thinking it will help you fly better (I know that's not what you said). That's like thinking a mechanical engineering degree will make you a better car driver.

While your question is about getting a pilot slot, I'd still give the same advice: choose something you're interested in, you might want to use out of the military, and something you can do well at. A 3.7 in history looks a lot better than a 2.9 in aerospace engineering (even if those grades require the same amount of work ) on selection day.

You also mentioned OCS. Why not ROTC? It does change year to year, but I don't know anyone from when I was in it that DIDN'T get pilot/nfo unless it was for some physical disqualification. OCS fills in the gaps that ROTC/Academy doesn't cover, and chances are you'll have a better shot through ROTC.

 

[BACONATOR]

For selection before commissioning (at least for ROTC) they used multipliers based on your degree. Engineering was highest, science was second, and liberal arts were third. It wasn't a whole lot, though, and basically offset the lower GPA one would get in harder degrees.

As has been said here many times, don't choose a college degree thinking it will help you fly better (I know that's not what you said). That's like thinking a mechanical engineering degree will make you a better car driver.

While your question is about getting a pilot slot, I'd still give the same advice: choose something you're interested in, you might want to use out of the military, and something you can do well at. A 3.7 in history looks a lot better than a 2.9 in aerospace engineering (even if those grades require the same amount of work ) on selection day.

You also mentioned OCS. Why not ROTC? It does change year to year, but I don't know anyone from when I was in it that DIDN'T get pilot/nfo unless it was for some physical disqualification. OCS fills in the gaps that ROTC/Academy doesn't cover, and chances are you'll have a better shot through ROTC.

Not necessarily, and through BDCP or OCS, he'll have a GUARANTEED shot. Not like ROTC..

 

[skim]

I think most importantly, focus on the ASTB. That carries alot of weight.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Aero Sci degree = Biggest waste of money ever.

Sure it's fun but you can't do anything with it.

Get a business degree in case you poke your eye out or somthing.

 

[FLY_USMC]

Sure it's fun but you can't do anything with it.

Yeah you're right, flying for an airline is nothing.