Looking For Aviation Colleges

[Guest]

Ok I need some help from the FS and real aviation community. I am 17 years old and next year I am going to be a senior in high school. I would like to get some input from you guys on what colleges the visit in the next couple of weeks. I would like to major in one or more of the following:Aviation ScienceAeronautical/Aerospace EngineeringAviation BusinessElectrical Engineering (designing cockpits and stuff like that)Aviation LawDoes anyone know what schools offer a couple if not all of the following? I am looking for a school between 8,000 to 10,000 students... so Embry-Riddle and schools like it are out of the equation.Thanks,Andrew HeathDetroit, Michigan

[Guest]

I was in your shoes just a year ago. Here's a list of schools i looked at: Purdue University- Bigger than your 8000-10000 students, but an absolutely amazing flight program. One of my flight instructors had just graduated from there a year ago and he absolutely loved it. If you want to go there, get your application in early. The flight program (the one that actually involves flying) is space limited and has an earlier deadline than the rest of the university. There are also aviation related courses (management, technology, engineering etc) that you can take if you're not interested in becoming a pilot. University of North Dakota- Another school with beautiful facilities and a great reputation. Plusses: It's not a terribly difficult school to get into, their aircraft are nearly brand new. Downside: It's in North Dakota. Ohio State: Like Purdue, significantly bigger than your preferred size, but also has a reputable program. The flight program is relatively small and personable. (Imagine flying out of a relatively small FBO where everyone knows each other) Downside: They won't let you fly your first semester. (This is why i decided not to attend) Ohio University: Much smaller school, half the size of OSU or Purdue. The flight program is even smaller, only a few hundred students total. It seems like a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere than the schools at Purdue or North Dakota, where it is apparent that you are going to school or working a job rather than enjoying your hobby. (Not that that is necesarrilly a bad thing or a good thing, just an observation.) They don't have the bells and whistles that some of the bigger schools have, but they get the job done and there is something to be said about training at a small uncontrolled field. If you're not interested in flying or aviation management you may be out of luck as these are the only aviation fields they offer. (This is where i decided to go btw) Indiana State: A nice campus with nice facilities. They don't do their own flight training though-- they contract it out to two local FBOs. I can't vouch for what non-flight programs they have. Florida Institute of Technology: Another large flight school. Very reputable training and it's only a few miles from the beach. I wasn't that impressed with teh campus or student life, but that's something everyone has to decide for themselves. Other schools you might want to consider are Kent State, Bowling Green, Daniel Webster and Arizona State. I suggest talking to your school's guidence counseler and see what they can suggest. Don't stop there though. Look at college guides, view books, web-sites and anything else you can get your hands on. Good luck to you

[Guest Jeff S KDTW]

Andrew -First of all, I wish you the best of luck, no matter what you want to get into.In my case, when I was your age, I also wanted to go into aeronautical engineering. I received a lot of great advice from people in the industry and ended up going for a mechanical engineering degree instead. I later went on to receive my law degree and now practice intellectual property law (patents, copyrights, trademarks, etc.). Many of our clients are aviation related, including a U.S.-based airline manufacturer (I'll let you guess which one ;-)).There are a lot of things to consider when making this choice, and I'd urge you to continue what you are doing here--asking questions and researching your options.Considering our close proximity, and the fact that you already have my email address :-), I'd be more than happy to answer any questions I can for you on the phone. Feel free to email me and I'll give you my number.Regards,http://home.earthlink.net/~snyders2000/name.jpg

[Guest BobL]

Add Auburn University in the state of AL to your list. They have everything you listed there plus more..Several Airport operations and airport management majors as wellBobL

[Guest]

Thanks for your detailed responses guys. I will take all said into consideration. Rob... Purdue sounds really good. How early do you have to get your application in? What are the academic requirements... do you remember? I was also looking at St. Louis, what have you heard about it? Thanks again for your help!Andrew HeathDetroit, MichiganP.S. Jeff... I will email you tomorrow when I get a chance. Would like to get some more info from ya... just a little tired right now ;-)

[Guest jrewing]

Hi Andrew,Two others that come to mind:University of Oklahoma at NormanDaniel Webster College in Nashua, NHYou can probably get a complete listing by visiting www.landings.com or www.aopa.org.Good luck!John

[Guest]

I believe the absolute deadline for aviation applications last year was November 15th. But the program is rolling admissions if i recall correctly, so it can be filled well before then. I don't remember the academic requirements offhand, but i applied with a 2.8 gpa and a 1360 SAT in the middle of october and didn't get accepted to the flight program for whatever reason (I did get accepted into the management program, which after your first year you can apply to transfer from). The specific requirements and details on the school can be found at www.purdue.edu and searching for the aviation department's website. I know St. Louis does have an aviation program, but I'm not that familiar with it as i didn't want to attend school in a large city and therefore didn't look any closer at the school.-Rob

[Guest B1900 Mech]

http://www.slu.edu/colleges/parks/ http://uaa.auburn.edu/weblinks.htm#UAA%20I...ional%20Members