College Degree and School

[dag27]

Hi all,

I am in need of some advice. I am currently a freshmen at Embry Riddle in Az doing AF ROTC. After one semester, I figured the AF may not be for me and I was looking into becoming a Navy/MC officer. I submitted an app for the PLC, NROTC, and the Academy just to keep my options open.

I'm studying aero engineering and the program here at riddle is a top engineering education. If I were to switch out to do NROTC or PLC I'd have to transfer to the University of Az or a cheaper school since I could not afford the tuition here without the af scholarship kicking in the beginning of my sophomore year. Yes I would be giving up a good chunk of change but I'm figuring that if it helps me get into a career field that I'm preferring it'd be worth it. Especially because I'm looking to make the military a career. If I switched out of riddle I'd still be a an engineer (mechanical or stay aero) in hopes of eventually becoming a test pilot or going back for a masters.

This has been a really difficult decision for me for the past couple months. Any advice on what I should do? Is it worth it to give up a top 3 engineering school for the U of A or similar school that still has a solid program if it would let me switch services. Also, how much do they look at your undergrad education later in your career? Any info/similar experiences would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Daniel

 

[squorch2]

Not to burst your bubble, but ERAU isn't really that great of a school, especially considering the price. I'd say do what you have to do to achieve what you want. No one really cares what you majored in or where you got your degree after you get your commission. (Note I said AFTER - getting selected for said commission is another story.)

 

[BusyBee604]

Not to burst your bubble, but ERAU isn't really that great of a school, especially considering the price...

Only your opinion, of course...Harvard is expensive too! ERAU is pricey; however, their degrees are highly regarded by the USN/USAF.
BzB, MAS ERAU '89

 

[revan1013]

Or you could go to a school that no one has heard of, like some of us... >_>

Something that really matters is how well you do in your field of study. It's good that you are doing something you love, makes it easier to succeed. A 3.5 in History can trump a 2.0 in Physics.

If you really want to go military, and you don't want to do the Air Force, your decision is obvious. Yes, you might not have the same resources you had at ERAU for engineering, but you will be on the road to building the career you want. Prioritize, then execute.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Hi all,

I am in need of some advice. I am currently a freshmen at Embry Riddle in Az doing AF ROTC. After one semester, I figured the AF may not be for me and I was looking into becoming a Navy/MC officer. I submitted an app for the PLC, NROTC, and the Academy just to keep my options open.

I'm studying aero engineering and the program here at riddle is a top engineering education. If I were to switch out to do NROTC or PLC I'd have to transfer to the University of Az or a cheaper school since I could not afford the tuition here without the af scholarship kicking in the beginning of my sophomore year. Yes I would be giving up a good chunk of change but I'm figuring that if it helps me get into a career field that I'm preferring it'd be worth it. Especially because I'm looking to make the military a career. If I switched out of riddle I'd still be a an engineer (mechanical or stay aero) in hopes of eventually becoming a test pilot or going back for a masters.

This has been a really difficult decision for me for the past couple months. Any advice on what I should do? Is it worth it to give up a top 3 engineering school for the U of A or similar school that still has a solid program if it would let me switch services. Also, how much do they look at your undergrad education later in your career? Any info/similar experiences would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Daniel

Here is another pin in your bubble, ERAU is #3 of schools that don't offer doctorate degrees, and there are a few different rankings, the USN uses the US News and World Report rankings, they have overall college rankings and then they rank the engineering colleges of those schools, in the engineering rankings it is considered Tier 3 out of a 4 Tier system.

I am working (still) with a person that quit AFROTC after his first year because he felt the AF was not the right service for him, he is at his 3rd board PFAR 7 OAR mid 60's, GPA 3.4 because he quit he has a big negative on his package.

 

[mid1510]

Hi all,

I am in need of some advice. I am currently a freshmen at Embry Riddle in Az doing AF ROTC. After one semester, I figured the AF may not be for me and I was looking into becoming a Navy/MC officer. I submitted an app for the PLC, NROTC, and the Academy just to keep my options open.

I'm studying aero engineering and the program here at riddle is a top engineering education. If I were to switch out to do NROTC or PLC I'd have to transfer to the University of Az or a cheaper school since I could not afford the tuition here without the af scholarship kicking in the beginning of my sophomore year. Yes I would be giving up a good chunk of change but I'm figuring that if it helps me get into a career field that I'm preferring it'd be worth it. Especially because I'm looking to make the military a career. If I switched out of riddle I'd still be a an engineer (mechanical or stay aero) in hopes of eventually becoming a test pilot or going back for a masters.

This has been a really difficult decision for me for the past couple months. Any advice on what I should do? Is it worth it to give up a top 3 engineering school for the U of A or similar school that still has a solid program if it would let me switch services. Also, how much do they look at your undergrad education later in your career? Any info/similar experiences would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Daniel

To echo NavyOffRec, ERAU is DEFINITELY not a "top 3" engineering school. The top 3 are MIT, Stanford, and UC-Berkeley.

If you really want to be a naval officer, switch to NROTC at ERAU or go to University of Arizona. The problem is that in-college scholarships are very tough to get, even as an engineering major. The flip-side of that is if you have good grades as an engineering major you will most likely get selected for "advanced standing" which allows you to commission.

Take out loans like virtually all college students do nowadays. It sucks but that's just the way it is.

 

[vharrisga]

I know a Film and Video Major from a State Univ Training Jets. Do your best and you will achieve.....

 

[dag27]

Here is another pin in your bubble, ERAU is #3 of schools that don't offer doctorate degrees, and there are a few different rankings, the USN uses the US News and World Report rankings, they have overall college rankings and then they rank the engineering colleges of those schools, in the engineering rankings it is considered Tier 3 out of a 4 Tier system.

I am working (still) with a person that quit AFROTC after his first year because he felt the AF was not the right service for him, he is at his 3rd board PFAR 7 OAR mid 60's, GPA 3.4 because he quit he has a big negative on his package.

What's a PFAR 7 OAR? Is he switching to Navy or going back to AF?
Also, do they look at just the general list, not even the top engineering schools in the country? Would they regard a top liberal arts school over an engineering school just cause of the overall rankings?

Thanks for the replies. I was going by the US news rankings and just word of mouth from other Navy folks.

 

[squorch2]

Dude, put on your critical thinking skills hat. ERAU isn't 3rd tier because it's a mostly technical school, it's such because it is a 3rd tier school

 

[Deere1450]

Take out loans like virtually all college students do nowadays. It sucks but that's just the way it is.

Be careful of the advice you offer...

 

[BackOrdered]

Be careful of the advice you offer...

"Don't finish/obtain a commissioning source because you will have a student loan" is about the worst advise you can tell a student seriously aspiring to commission. The career earnings and job satisfaction more than covers a student loan and there are more than enough Universities with reasonable tuitions.

The flip-side of that is if you have good grades as an engineering major you will most likely get selected for "advanced standing" which allows you to commission.

Now I think counting on NROTC advance standing is a gamble. If you go that route as the "first option" I would have a strong OCS/BDCP package as a backup plan.

 

[Deere1450]

"Don't finish/obtain a commissioning source because you will have a student loan" is about the worst advise you can tell a student seriously aspiring to commission. The career earnings and job satisfaction more than covers a student loan and there are more than enough Universities with reasonable tuitions.

I wasn't implying that. I said "Be careful". I'm certainly not going to give financial advice to someone I don't know, but I'll agree that a student loan is a great resource/tool for aspiring officers (I think everyone would agree with that). But again, "Be careful". Sometimes its hard to recognize, young men and women like myself, the long term obligations of a student loan, especailly if you have/are going to have other financial obligations. For some, its worth it. For others, it may require a couple of years of working somewhere before going back to school. Don't make paying off a student loan sound so easy. For some, it ain't.

 

[Flash]

.......If I switched out of riddle I'd still be a an engineer (mechanical or stay aero) in hopes of eventually becoming a test pilot or going back for a masters.

This has been a really difficult decision for me for the past couple months. Any advice on what I should do? Is it worth it to give up a top 3 engineering school for the U of A or similar school that still has a solid program if it would let me switch services. Also, how much do they look at your undergrad education later in your career? Any info/similar experiences would be much appreciated.......

I merely a History major from 'liberal arts' school so I can't speak too much on some of the specifics but can give you some general advice. The Navy doesn't care too much where you graduated from as long as it is an accredited school and you did well in your field of study and while the Navy prefers 'technical/science' degrees I have flown with guys who studied Art History, Physical Education and even a double major in Women's Studies and French Literature from Berkeley (a dude in fact), at least one member of the board here flew with only a GED. Some of the best officers I have met got their degree studying part-time from Random State U and some of the worst came from MIT or the Naval Academy and vice versa. So to be frank, the Navy and your fellow officers ain't going care where you graduated as long as you did well and continue to do so in your squadron.

You do need a technical degree to attend test pilot school but that is just one part of it, you usually have to be a solid performer in you first squadron that you can to be selected as well. A TPS board will look at where you graduated but as long as you demonstrated that you can learn, got decent grades, from an accredited program your school of study really isn't going to matter that much. I have known several guys to go to TPS and many did not graduate from a 'well known' engineering school, they got their degrees and did well enough in their squadrons to be selected for TPS.

One thing to note, I have also known several guys who were excellent candidates but did not get selected for TPS due to luck and timing which play a big part of anyone's military career. In my first squadron the stronger candidate of two was not selected because of a peculiarity of the slot for our community that year.

One more thing, I don't know a whole lot about ERAU but I would take some of their propoganda with a note of caution. While I understand it is a decent school/s it also has a rep for overselling itself a bit, talking up it's reputation more than it really is, and costing a bit more than it should. Grads from ERAU also have a bit of a rep in the Navy for sometimes thinking more of themselves and their aviation knowledges than they should. My own view of the school was colored by my only flight school classmate who went to ERAU and was extremely arrogant and looked out only for himself at the cost of others, and repeatedly let everyone know that he was a better aviator becasue he graduated from Riddle. I know all Riddle kids aren't all arrogant assholes but when the most outspoken ERAU guy on this forum is Joboy/OttoWrote8 then you might get my drift as to why some people's views of the place are a bit wary .

 

[MasterBates]

I'm still paying off my student loans, and I've been out of school for over 10 years.
I know Ensign pay is a little higher than it used to be, but i was paying half my take home pay to Sallie Mae when I was in flight school.

The payoff has been AFTER I got out.

The jobs I saw that were open to the average liberal arts degree with 10 years and a TS/SCI pay about half what I am making.

$120k+ vs $65-75k goes a long way towards funding my retirement.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk

 

[Jim123]

^^^ What they said.

Got commissioned with two ERAU grads. One was a prior enlisted aircrewman, had got his degree through distance learning, and kept failing tests in API (got retained though because of dumb luck, timing, or whatever). He didn't exactly bring up his school's reputation or much else for that matter... The other guy was very squared away, straight from civilian life, got his degree at the Daytona campus, and smoked flight school. I'm not sure what the first guy's deal was but I stopped scratching my head over that long ago.