Is an online degree bad for the ANG

[robspenc]

I am one year away from high school graduation and I am dead set on going to my local college which has an associates degree program in aviation. Reason being, if I don't get picked up by an ANG unit then I would already have my civilian ratings done and there to fall back on. Plus finances aren't an issue because my parents are completely willing to pay for it all, so I felt it was my best option. Though, it is only an associates degree program, so I would transfer to Utah Valley University to finish my degree online as many others from the program have. My question is, would getting an online degree hold me back from getting selected for an ANG pilot slot?

[motox3005]

No, but when you go to the airlines, you’ll be hammered when your app gets scored... I’d just go traditional, your future self will thank you. 

[robspenc]

4 hours ago, motox3005 said:

No, but when you go to the airlines, you’ll be hammered when your app gets scored... I’d just go traditional, your future self will thank you. 

This is surprising since so many regional pilots get their degrees online specifically for the majors.

[jazzdude]

Couple schools of thought:

1) Get a degree not related to aviation, so you have a back up if you can't fly. You're always one doctor visit away from hanging up your wings. You can still get your ratings on the side while doing this, especially if money is not a concern.

2) If you're going to go into aviation no matter what and are getting the ratings anyways, might as well get the college credits. Might not be the cheapest way though. Also probably worth getting a class 1 medical done now to make sure there aren't any medical surprises that would preclude an airline job after you've sunk 6 figures into your aviation degree.

[Hopefulflyer389]

I did the UVU online program due to balancing out work, raising a family, and school. The program was good and suited my needs. In regards to getting a ANG slot, it didn’t hinder me getting interviews. Don’t know about the airline aspect as I’m not there yet. 

One thing to keep in mind is that not all credits from schools transfer over to others, so you may end up wasting time and money taking unecessary classes to get your associates in the beginning. 

 

[Seadogs]

Personally, I would never go for an online degree. It has no prestige behind it. Ever heard of Phoenix University? 

[Guest]

Personally, I would never go for an online degree. It has no prestige behind it. Ever heard of Phoenix University? 

Ever hear of Stanford? The value of an online degree correlates directly to the prestige of the university.

[M2]

19 hours ago, Petty Pilot 69 said:

Personally, I would never go for an online degree. It has no prestige behind it. Ever heard of Phoenix University? 

Ever heard of American Military University?

And I can attest from firsthand experience that an online grad degree has been beneficial. 

In fact, my company actually paid for mine, despite already having one when I was hired.

[Stoker]

The value of a degree is like 80% signalling. It's letting prospective employers know that you were smart enough to get in, and dedicated enough to show up for (enough of the) classes for four years. The more selective / better brand name schools are obviously going to be better at that. 

In other words, Utah Valley U has a 100% acceptance rate. Maybe that should give you an indication of how others will perceive your attendance there. 

[pawnman]

On 7/3/2018 at 3:18 PM, Petty Pilot 69 said:

Personally, I would never go for an online degree. It has no prestige behind it. Ever heard of Phoenix University? 

I just wanted to be the first to welcome you to the year 2018. Almost every Ivy League school has an online program now.