Researching

Okay, So I'm doing a little research on where to go to college and I need your help. Here is a little backround info.

-I'm 16, Junior in highschool-Boston area.
-Grades suck (C's, occasional appearence of a B).
-Not really active in school organizations; ran track for a year.
-Been working parttime all through highschool.
-Been flying for over a year, soloed in November.
-TT: 24
-Should have my private (17 in July), and my instrument before heading off to college.

BUT, where do I go? Purdue seems like my number one choice, but I wouldn't want to major in aviation..

I'm generally just looking for some advice on those who attend Purdue and fly there as a minor, or even major.
What are my chances of getting in? (Slim!?)

Flying as a minor is damn near impossible.... The flight program is very selective (in theory) and so the only way you'd get any flight training as a non-flight major (beyond just a PPL) would be the 5 year AOT/FLT combination..... If you wanted to major in something else, say ..... Engineering (Here? at Purdue? You're kidding!) it *might* be possible, but doubtful.

However, I'm not trying to rain on your parade. It's a great school, and Division 1 athletics make it a pretty nice place (especially in the fall)...

Additionally, if you come in with your instrument rating, you have to sort of mess around with your flight courses (if you decide to major in flight) because the 4th semester course (3rd if you come in with your private) is combined Instrument/commercial training ... Anyway, that's all I've got, by the way, where in the Boston area are you from? I used to live in Walpole...

It's not even near impossible - it's way past impossible to minor in flight. Their flight courses are at capacity every semester - they 'designed' that way - and they won't allow a non PFT major to use training resources they need to allocate to the PFT people. Once in a while they will allow non PFT folks to take flight courses in the summer as the demand for the aircraft isn't that high and they usually have instructors sitting around doing nothing but basically you're limited to one course a year so it would take you forever to finish. (PS - one 'course' does not necessarily equal one rating)

You can always major in something else at PU and then fly on the side - many people do it. I'm not that crazy about Lafayette Aviation (the only FBO in Lafayette since the other airport shutdown) for a variety of reasons but they have a pretty decent fleet and most of the instructors are pretty decent.

Jason

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Walpole

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Wow, small world.

I'm from Foxborough, next town over

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I'm from Foxborough

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Glad to see you spell it the correct way as well. I hate people calling it Foxboro.

Another thing you could do here, if you decide to attend Purdue, would be to double major. The AT classes aren't particularly challenging (if you actually enjoy flying, which it looks like you do) and picking up a second major is a good way to 1) Have a backup plan, 2) Have friends that talk about things other than airplanes and 3) Meet girls who don't have a 10:1 guy:girl ratio in their major...