Embry-Riddle

[brn2fly]

	Quote: Originally Posted by jack01
	Not to be knocking Riddle or anything, but how dead set are you on going there? There are far less expensive ways to get a degree/flight training.

There is nothing wrong with going there; it is one of the premiere aviation schools. It's like going to Yale or Harvard for law school.

[3DFreak576]

	Quote: Originally Posted by brn2fly
	There is nothing wrong with going there; it is one of the premiere aviation schools. It's like going to Yale or Harvard for law school.

Thats a great way of putting it. Yeah there are a lot cheaper ways of doing it but there are also a lot cheaper ways to get a law degree....doesn't seem to stop people form going to Harvard or Yale, and it sure doesn't stop people from coming to Riddle.

Lets just say, you get what you pay for.

[Craven]

ER is a good school for aviation if that's really all you want. If you want an education plus a great social life, which includes women, I would strongly suggest you look elsewhere. College can be some of the best years of your life for learning, meeting new friends, women, partying, and making lifelong friends/acquaintences, which will all influence your future endeavors. Many big schools offer ROTC and other aviation programs. Look at college like the biggest life learning lesson in not just education but, a fantastic social life and women experiences as well. There is a whole lot more to college then meets the young eye!! I promise, you won't regret it!

[jack01]

I probably shouldn't be saying this, since it might start a flame war.

First off, I'm not saying that Riddle is a bad school, I'm just stating my own viewpoints.

I wouldn't jump on the "Embry Riddle is going to guarantee me a good job because it's the best" bandwagon. I was actually seriously considering going there after high school, until I found out more. Here's my gripes about the place:

1. Tuitition each semester at the Prescott campus costs $12,700. That's straight off the website. I pay just under $3,000 a semester for the University of Memphis.

2. My senior year of high school I got alot of mail from them trying to claim that if my degree said Embry Riddle on it, I would nearly be guaranteed to get a job at an airline. That's complete and total BS. Unless you are looking for an upper-level management position, a 4 year degree is a 4 year degree, regardless of where you got it, as far as the airlines are concerned. If you do want that management desk job, they typically prefer some kind of business degree. By the way, that's not me talking. That's advice I recieved from several friends in the training department of a major airline. I'm not saying which, because I don't want to sound like I'm repeating their company policy when I'm not affiliated with them.

3. My Private instructor was just a guy who loved aviation. He wasn't an instructor for the money, he just did it because he loved teaching people how to fly. Having said that, I've had 2 instrument instructors that went to Riddle. One went to Prescott, and the other went to Daytona Beach. Although both were decent individuals, it was extremely obvious that all of their training had been airline oriented. All they knew was procedures, and many questions were answered with, "Well that's how the airlines do it and that's how we were taught at Riddle". When it came to actually flying the airplane, they weren't that good. They could rattle off facts and figures, recite checklists, and such like nobody I've ever seen. Checklists and flows are extremely important in complicated airplanes, but all of that's meaningless if you don't have your basic stick and rudder skills down. I even had one argue with me that an airplane can't knife edge because flight at a 90 degree bank angle is impossible. They had never had any outside of the box training or viewpoints expressed. EVERY other Embry Riddle instructor/graduate I've ever met has been the same way, except for one. I'll spare you his comments, because they aren't my own experiences. Let's just say he makes me look like a cheerleader for them.

4. Many Embry Riddle people I've met have walked around acting like they are some kind of aviation legend just because they graduated from there. When I was still recieving those flyers and stuff from them, they all struck me with that same attitude: "You'll automatically be better than anyone else because you went to Embry Riddle." I absolutely despise arrogance. Confidence is one thing, arrogance is another. Confidence is knowing what you can do, and being comfortable with that. Arrogance is making sure other people know what you think you can do.

6. You can get flight training that is every bit as good, maybe better, at a private flight school. That way you can go to a normal college, and have a social life like Craven said. Why be in such a hurry to get old? That degree from XYZ State and flight time from 123 Flight School is just as valid as your time from Riddle. Hell, ASA only wants 500 total and 50 multi. That's not hard to get if you're an instructor. My best friend has been at ASA since he was 20. No Bridge Programs, just a lowly CFII/MEI. I think the minimums for Mesaba and Pinnacle are even lower.

Another thing to consider if how much dating you'd like to do in college. Not to sound like a dumbass, but what do you think some girl will say at Riddle when she finds out you're a pilot? She probably won't care too much. Now, what do you think will happen if a girl at a "normal" University finds your your a pilot? Instant conversation starter/brownie points/she's calling you right there.


Sorry for the rant, but I just wanted to state my points. Once again, I'm not saying Riddle is a bad school, I'm just saying don't jump on the bandwagon.

[Craven]

Well said Jack.

[Sukhoikid]

I do see your points and yes some can be very true. The private flight training school I am going to now to get my private most of them came from Embry-Riddle and I have no problems with them. They have said the same thing about girls and partying. I am not that big of a party type person. I am still waiting to hear back from JU. Should be next week I hear from them. I know it is also tons of money also. I am very lucky enough to have parents who will support me at this. Of course I have to open up a student loan and try to get some scholarships but they will support me as long as I keep good grades and dont get lazy in college.

Just to let you know I am still looking at very small type colleges. Thanks for your input though.

[Jim Woodward]

ERAU, Prescott, 1996, Aerospace Engineering, Army ROTC and subsequent service, 34 years old now. I offer this opinion. I have many good friends who graduated with the Aeronautical Science (AirSci) degree and all their ratings, only do so carrying up to $80,000 in dept, with an immediate future in flight instruction awaiting them. 12 years after grduation many are still at the commuters, although in a Captains now. A tiny sliver of those pilots went from college to a major ailine, and some of those "paid" for training. MANY have not made the jump to a major airline as of yet.

Now, the airline industry may be changing with pilot retirement and such for it to be a good outlook for you 4 or 5 years from now. Following your dream is great, but the weight of student loans of up to $80-100k or more for the degree will take years for you to fully understand (unless you are mature beyond your years). If the outlook for pilots is good 4-5 years from now, then it won't really matter what college you went to because the pilot demand would be high.

Again - follow your dream, and carefully consider strategies that allow you to get the same ratings and hours without such a tremendous dept and burden to carry for the next two decades. If you have other financial means, that is great of course. But the guys who went through on financial aid are have tremendous depts to repay. Just one perspective.
Thanks,
Jim

[ChrisHays]

well said jack!.. ive been thinking about getting my PPL lately... reading everything on the net gets confusing...where did you go here in town to get you PPL?

[KingAirGuy]

Embry is a good school but you have to look at the cost. If you have help (parents ect) or you think a 1000 dollar a month loan afterwards is ok then getting a degree along with flying is great. I was going to go but the cost was to much and ended up doing it through all atps. I am now 23 and going to get my type in a kingair and citation mustang(I hope). That is after a lot of work instructing and begging. Either way you go you will still have to instruct probably to build time. As for the quality I think everyway you go will have its ups and downs. From what i have seen getting a degree from embry vs a regular college the embry degree is not looked at any differently. You just have to look at what is best for you.

[Rebel]

As an embry riddle student myself, jack said it perfectly. Expecially the flying part. If you do you instrument here, 80% of it will be in the sim, including the checkride. I would not choose embry riddle again.

[jack01]

Chris,

I got my Private at Douglas Aviation at Olive Branch Airport, but Douglas closed. They had been struggling with EXTREMELY high building rent and fuel charges, and it finally got the best of them. When they closed, Downtown Aviation got most of their CFI's and airplanes, along with the entire maintenance department. They are at the Dewitt Spain airport just north of downtown. They've got a good fleet, bunch of good CFI's, a nice sim, on-site testing for your written, and they handle their own maintenance. Their chief CFI offers aerobatic and tailwheel training in his Decathalon, but he's known for leaving it in the hangar and taking the T6 or '43 Stearman instead. My only gripe about the airport is that it is fairly close to Memphis International, so you have to fly west a little ways to get away from their airspace. That can get annoying, but at least you get really used to handling complex airspace. PM me and I could put you in touch with a few of the better CFI's if you're interested.

[JeremyHolt]

I only payed for my first year there at Riddle and picked up an AFROTC scholarship from then on. I now fly B-52's and never payed a dime for flight instruction. That my friend is the way to go