I think there's a correlation between a college major and the number of times the "I Believe" button is pressed. For understanding aircraft systems better, an engineering background (especially systems eng) would help. For stick and rudder, that's up for grabs. It never seems to get a student anywhere if he knows more about a system than the instructor. Therefore, in answering the original question, a person's work-habit, learning apptitude, and personality go much further than a college major would in determining odds of success.