Post Secondary Education

greenboxed · Post by **greenboxed** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:09 pm

Hello, I am a student in grade 11, going into grade 12 in September, and the time to apply for post secondary is fast approaching. I am looking for some different views or opinions on what is the best way to get into piloting, from the perspective of a high school student with no flight training. I know that I want to go to university or college, but should I take an aviation program or do a different program and flight training on the side? There seems to be so many options out there, and I am trying to find out which one is going to work best for me.

Thanks for the help & advice!

Golden Flyer · Post by **Golden Flyer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:18 pm

Personally, I think you should pursue an undergraduate degree that does not relate to aviation. Complete your flight training on the side. An aviation degree serves no purpose. If you ever decide to change career paths, you won't regret it. Since a kid, I always thought that I would fly for a living. Now, I'm grown and understand the industry and decide that it is not a path for me. The passion hasn't changed, but I do it has become more recreational.

Questions I Have For You:

1. Do you want to fly for a living?
2. Is money an issue? (Considering the fact that you'd have to pay a private institution + Having to cover your tuition)
3. What do you see yourself doing if aviation was not in the picture?

Jercules · Post by **Jercules** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:32 pm

It may be worth your while to look into the military.

greenboxed · Post by **greenboxed** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:42 pm

1)Yes, as of now, I do want to fly for a living, and I think I am prepared to work my way through the low end of the career path.

2)Money..heh...I know that whatever I decide to do, I will have to get more money from a loan or other source. I do have a large chunk of money in an RESP & the bank, but not an excess amount floating around.

3)If I couldnt get into aviation, I would do business. I think that I would probably look into aviation related business first, but any other type of business would be my second choice.

As for the military, a lot of people have suggested that route, but I am not sure that it is the right path for me to take. In my opininon, it has (just like all the other options), a lot of +s and -s , and for me, personally, the -s outweigh the +s.

Jeppesen · Post by **Jeppesen** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:54 pm

Sault College offers now a degree through Algoma University, so you can get both you commercial license as well as a degree. (i believe it's a business degree)
Seneca College also offers a Degree. However, some people argue whether or not it is a "real" degree given that it is offered at a College. I did my own research about it and find out that a university in Australia allows you to get a masters with them,and also Ryerson University here in Toronto. Note that I only worried about these 2 universities in particular because they offer the program I wanted to get a masters in.

I am sure you can also do a research on your own.

The masters at Ryerson will be Aerospace Engineering and that I know because I went there and ask by myself.

financially speaking the degree at Seneca will be cheaper than the degree at Algoma University, because it is integrated into the program.

40K for the full 4 years in Seneca

all the best

greenboxed · Post by **greenboxed** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:01 pm

I am interested in the program at Senca, that is, if you do actually get a "real" degree from it. Thanks a lot for your help. Does anyone know anthing further about the Seneca or other college/university programs?

dt1019 · Post by **dt1019** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:04 pm

You can also consider going to the University of Western Ontario. They have a commercial aviation management program and you can choose the flight training option. You get your pilot qualifications and you also get a Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies degree in commercial aviation management. You can be a pilot or find a business job in the aviation industry after you graduate! I think this would be a good option for you since your second choice is to do something business related.

If you're interesting in Earth Science, Physics or Geography, you can go to University of Waterloo. They have two new programs starting this September. Science-Aviation and Geography-Aviation. But you're probably not interested in this one since your backup plan is to go into business.

Jeppesen, you got any more info about the aerospace engineering masters at Ryerson? I never knew they accept Seneca grads. I will be in Gr12 next year too and I am considering Seneca as well!

canpilot · Post by **canpilot** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:13 pm

hey!!!

I wish I saw this thread before I started on my career path.

Going to University and flying can be a tough one. When I was doing the degree/ flying routine and working completing my license was ..well.. a gong show.

What you need is a joint univeristy/ flying program. It'll push you along and prevent procrastination and all the good stuff. I find that going through an unstructured program at my local FTU just caused me to fall into the cracks so to speak, and my license ended up taking way way way longer than it should have. If you are one of those people who needs structure I'd do the university/ joint flying thingy. I wish I knew about that program at Waterloo..man..oh well i'm here now ..LOL

Did I get to do some really cool stuff on the side...yes.. but was it the most efficient way of getting my CPL etc..HELL NO!!!

Personally, I wanted to do something outside of business and aviation..I went for geography/ environmental sciense and loved the majority of my classes.

..PM me if you wish..I will warn ya tho..i'm pretty busy with my Cpl at the moment..FINALLY GOING FOR IT!! WOOOTT!

Golden Flyer · Post by **Golden Flyer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:25 pm

Greenboxed, based on what you've described, Western Ontario's Commerical Aviation Management is for you. At the end you'll finish with a CPL & a business degree. That will open some doors for you.

http://www.ssc.uwo.ca/deansoffice/acs/aviation/

Cheers...

jamesinator · Post by **jamesinator** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:08 am

I'm in grade 12 now, and have been accepted into confederation. Apparently it's a pretty good place. From what I hear, it's a good flying program.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:20 am

Just about any training organization can produce an entry level commercial pilot. The trimmings are often of dubious value. A degree is not terribly dubious, and has application for later in life, for instance as training department manager, SMS manager, ops manager, CP.

v6g · Post by **v6g** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:27 am

Get an engineering degree in any field other than aviation / aeronautics - then you'll have a pretty safe yet well-paid career as backup and the cost of pilot training won't be a problem.

canpilot · Post by **canpilot** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:38 am

What about Geography? Or Environmental Science?

I was under the impression that if you had a Geog. degree you can work at a FSS or something along those lines. You are still involved in Aviation...just another facet of it

greenboxed · Post by **greenboxed** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:55 am

Ok, I am going to look into the university programs suggested above. Thanks everyone for the advice!!!

Vancouver Pilot · Post by **Vancouver Pilot** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:36 pm

Hey,

I'm going into 3rd year at UBC, doing a BA in film studies. I've started my PPL this summer and should be done by the fall (I'm trying to do it at a brisk pace). My degree won't be related to flying, but I've heard that this is not the most important thing. This allows me to have a backup plan should my flying not work out or if I choose its not for me.

I took some Geog courses in second year and it has really helped me with the Meteorology portion of ground school. I would major in Atmospheric Science if I had the right kind of math brain (aparently its pretty tough and involves lots of physics), but film is my second passion.

Whatever you choose to do will work, just make sure you don't burn yourself out.

Peace.

Elessar_44 · Post by **Elessar_44** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:22 am

I did my flight training and post-secondary seperate from each other. It took longer in the end, yah, but I liked being to do things at my own pace.

Outta h/s, I took my first 3 terms of Geography @ UW and ended up being upgraded to the co-op program, but was unable to find a job through it. At this point I decided to start my flight training, which was always my plan but was going to be later. I enrolled in the Integrated CPL Program at WWFC in Kitchener and did the first 12 months of PPL, beginning of CPL and all the various ground schools. After that, I enrolled back in UW part-time while finishing off my CPL time and ME stuff. Then went back to finish off my degree full time for the remaining 2 semesters. I then did my MIFR after finishing my Bachelor's, and now here I am job hunting

So in the end, I started at University in September 01, and I ended up finishing all my training in March 07 and my degree in December 06. There was also a couple summers in there I did only light flying as I had a full time summer job. Sure, not the fastest route and maybe I could have saved a little bit of money in the end, but I liked the flexibility and freedom I had.

Shinjin MC · Post by **Shinjin MC** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:45 am

hey vancouver pilot
It sounds like I'm in a pretty similar situation as you are in. Im going into my 3rd year at UBC as well, although Ill probably be taking a few 2nd year geog. courses to better my meteorology knowledge. Reading through the stuff from FTGU and the weather manual are helping a bit, but my knowledge is pretty slim.

I havent been able to get up as much as I want due to a mix of weather and work, but I am planning on finishing my ppl by the time the new semester starts.
=/
right now Im working at a starbucks for some stopgap flight funding and Im looking at doing some ramp work somewhere.

Im guessing you are flying out of CZBB?

greenboxed · Post by **greenboxed** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:30 pm

Thanks everyone for the advice!!!

Does anyone know anything about the University of New Brunswick's Aviation/Business program?

Thanks

dt1019 · Post by **dt1019** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:11 pm

check your PM green!

C-GGGQ · Post by **C-GGGQ** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:16 am

I live in NB went to UNB (not the aviation diploma but PM me if you want any info, know the profs and the flight instructors)

navguy · Post by **navguy** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 12:49 pm

It's pretty hard to have a life plan at 17 it's good that you're weighing all the options. I think a degree is a fantastic thing and a great fall back to if the aviation thing doesn't work out. After having spent many years at university I am skeptical of getting a degree from a college like Senaca. Maybe it's an associates degree like they have in the U.S. I think Western has a good program and the Moncton fligh College and Mt. Allison university are teaming up to give a Bachelor of Aviation Degree or B.AV. someone told me that its going to be the first one available in Canada. Don't know when its supposed to start maybe 2008. The one thing I will say is that I have been reading this forum for a long time and many people on here think you should go to a mom and pop flying school and become a commercial pilot and start flying as soon as possible. They seem to have a dislike for any college type programs. That is great and there is absolutely no problem with a quick commercial license and starting your career as soon as possible. But if you are only 17 or 18 and have the time and desire to get a diploma or degree I say do it. You never know where life might take you and if you lose the desire to fly or lose your medical in the future some post-secondary education won't hurt.

C-GGGQ · Post by **C-GGGQ** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 2:05 pm

Aviation diploma at unb is a 3 year course that runs year round gives you a BBA, CPL, Multi (on a navajo) and Group 1 IFR.

husky · Post by **husky** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:24 pm

Within the past year I've graduated from UBC with a BSc in Atmospheric Science and completed my commercial +MIFR. The degree has oppened doors and I'm getting a ton of job offers with pay that would take a decade to reach in the aviation industry.

That said, the degree hasn't helped a lick in trying to land my first flying job. The way I see it, it's there as a VERY solid backup, and an aviation diploma or degree is not going to do that for you.

flystraightin · Post by **flystraightin** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:45 pm

Get a degree non-aviation related, fly at a local FBO on the side (will save you money compared to a flight program at college) and try to land a job on the ramp at your airport for flying and fun.

I was in the same situation a year ago. I finished high school a few weeks ago. I'm starting my PPL this summer and going to Victoria starting September for a 4yr B.Comm degree, flying in the summers only with the exception of some currency flights throughout the fall.

C-GGGQ · Post by **C-GGGQ** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:21 am

I agree 100% with flystraitin. I did the same thing, now i found out that university wasn't for me and didn't finish that but i went to an FBO and worked ramp for air canada to pay my way through

Post Secondary Education

Post Secondary Education

University degree and flying