Transferring to ERAU

[AA]

Currently I am a freshmen at a major state university. I already have my PPL and am thinking about possibly transferring to s school such as ERAU. Has anybody here done this, or know anything about it? -Thanks

[TallBoy85]

I knew a lot of people that did this and a lot of people that have regretted this. I won't force you to utilize the search function as I'm sure it will pull up plenty of other "animosity" towards ERAU. Here is what i would suggest...since I did it the right wrong way...

Figure out what you would love to do as an aviation fall back and do that for a 4 year degree. The airlines love educated people, but be educated in something BESIDES aviation. I have a hard time talking about much other than flying but I've recently decided to pursue architechture more since it was my fall back career. This part will make you much more rounded.

Second, as far as the aviating is concerned, find yourself a flight school and instructor that is decently oriented towards making you a professional and hold YOURSELF to professional standards. I can recommend a lot of good books to help you down that path. "Flying the Wing", the book that Doug recommends all the time (help me out here), Aerodynamics for Naval Aviatiors, my favorite Stick and Rudder, and any number of CRM related texts that I'm sure you could find at any major aviation university bookstore. Learn lots about weather too because it's cool.

If you want to know how to fly like a professional, ask lots of questions, be curious about everything and remember that a proper ordering of concerns should be safety, legality and profitability. Ask lots of questions around here too...we're a free source of "correct" information. Except anything you get from jonnyb he's a tool. But bottom line...is ERAU the way to go? Probably not, but neither is MAPD, Pan Am, ATP or any other accelerated school. I'd recommend tracking down some instructors who may have come FROM the ERAU program that have the background but who are not flying at ERAU. If you have a summer you'd like to kill, the flight school I'd recommend is in Prescott, AZ. It's called North-Aire...where I used to work and it'll a) immerse you in the pilot environment and b) it'll teach you to be a professional. I learned much more from the top dog there than I ever did at Riddle. There are numerous other schools out there with similar traits as North-Aire and I'm sure they'd all suit you fine.

Bottom line...you want to go to Riddle to become a professional...the best professionals are the ones that made themselves that way. Get involved in leadership, explore all your possibilities and make the best possible choices for you and your family. Ain't nothin better in this business than being happy doing it.

Happy Trails!

[Doug Taylor]

[ QUOTE ]
Currently I am a freshmen at a major state university. I already have my PPL and am thinking about possibly transferring to s school such as ERAU. Has anybody here done this, or know anything about it? -Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a 1993 ERAU-Prescott Aeronautical Science graduate and I think if you're singularly focused on aviation, it could be a good choice. However, realistically, I'd suggest shying away from a bachelors degree in aeronautical science.

I personally thought the education in terms of aeronautical science was almost too "Hey, we'll give you the minimum of what you need to qualify for a bachelors degree, but we'll really emphasize flying". I would have liked to have had a stronger academic program there. I thought it was silly that something as subjective as grading a steep turn was such a large part of my GPA as was "math for pilots 101".

Probably another thing to look at is when I first got out of high school, my only big interests were flying, but as I get older, I see it as more of a "9 to 5"-style job and most of my interests lie in things other than aviation -- and there's a large 'gulf' of things that I missed out academically during my education at ERAU that I really wish I had experienced in an college setting.

Have you considered a non-aviation degree at ERAU and flying, like TallFlyer said, somewhere like NorthAire? Also, I'm not sure, but maybe ERAU has a flight option for non AS students?

And yes, if you're going to do the aeronautical science thing, PRC is the only way to go in my opinion.

[TallBoy85]

Tallboy says...

If you plan on having any girls spend the night in your bed in the next 3-4 years, don't go to Riddle...in fact stay away from Prescott as a whole...

[Doug Taylor]

Oh, it's not THAT bad.

Well, kinda.

But realize that most of your fellow classmates are aerogeeks with no "game" so there's a lot less competition if you have any mojo whatsoever.

[TallBoy85]

If I'd had my Alaskan Amber, I would have been set...but oh no...not even the bare necessities of life could be found in Prescott. But you can buy liquor at Costco...

Don't let the girls deter you, but for example if you wished to go to Arizona State, I can guarantee you from spending like 15 minutes a day for 2 weeks on the ASU East campus during sim, you will do superbly...with or without game.

[Doug Taylor]

Costco? Sheesh, back in my day the biggest store was the Kmart down on Willow Creek Road across from the cemetery!

[TallBoy85]

Yeah...and if not already then soon...

Willow Creek will be FOUR LANES all the way in and out of town...

What has become of this world?!

[Doug Taylor]

I still remember when "Whiskey Row" was actually "Whiskey Row" without all of those stupid trinket shops.

[TallBoy85]

Those shops increased the distances I had to walk from bar to bar substantially...

Dang trinket shops...

[Doug Taylor]

A few years ago I was with Kristie and some of my fraternity brothers and thought, "Hey! Let's hit Whiskey Row!"

Oh... T-shirts.... Kokopelli wall ornaments... Funnel cakes....The Palace serves food? WTF?

[JAM]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, it's not THAT bad.

Well, kinda.

But realize that most of your fellow classmates are aerogeeks with no "game" so there's a lot less competition if you have any mojo whatsoever.

[/ QUOTE ]

You could always head down to Mainland High School and tell 'em all your a pilot. I knew a guy who was dating a girl there. It was sad.

[AA]

Thanks a lot Doug and Tallboy. Right now I am in a pretty good school, and I am going to be majoring in Finance. I am only a freshman but hopefully I will graduate with a Finance degree. Things would work out well the way TallBoy explained them because I am very interested in stocks and the financial world. Thanks again guys.

[FlyWhiteSox]

I am in a nearly identical situation to you: I am at a large state school also majoring in finance. I too find the stock market fascinating. However, I am not very happy with my school so far and I have really been seriously considering a transfer into another school's aviation program. I have family in Prescott so I think that would make my transition from Chicago alot easier. However I have a mere .5 flight hours (intro) so I am somewhat afraid to make a huge commitment to aviation although my intro ride made me decide to at least get my private. I was so excited! So now I am pondering what I should do and how seriosuly I should take a look at Embry-Riddle. I toured the campus a few years back and I was very impressed.

[FutureLeader]

I was looking into tranferring to Embry-Riddle at one point in time. It is a great school, but it is very "pricey". Make sure you have lots of dough to back you up, financial aid, a job, your folks, whatever. You don't even have to take an Aeronautical Science degree. When I wanted to transfer there, I opted to take a degree in business and have a flight minor. This is because I love business. So, if you can find something you are interested in other than aviation and fly with a minor, Riddle is a great choice. I opted to stay where I am because it was just toooo much more expensive than where I am, but that is because education is cheaper in Canada. All the best with your choices.