Need advice
Posted by Sad_Independence_208@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 15 comments
I just turned 20 years old, and I’m currently enrolled in community college studying nursing. I’m planning to transfer to a four-year university after next year.
The problem is, I hate school, and I don’t like what I’m doing with my life right now. I work part-time at a restaurant, and my father, who is pretty old-fashioned, kind of pushed me into the medical field. My sister, who is two years older than me, just got a good job at a hospital, and I feel like I’m following my dad’s dream instead of my own.
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always thought about becoming a pilot. I want to switch paths, drop out, and enroll in flight school, but I have no idea how to tell my dad that. He still has about $40k–45k left in my 529 account, so I would use all of that and hopefully only end up around $20k in debt after flight school.
In high school, I was a B- student, and honestly, I just feel lost right now. I want to know if this do able I see that flight school has a high dropout rate and is this just some unrealistic dream or something I should seriously pursue.
I’ve already done research on flight schools in my area. I just don’t know if I can actually do this or how the hell I would tell my father. Any advice or help would be really appreciated.
JustAGuyWhoLoves2Fly@reddit
Sit down and have an honest conversation with your dad. I’m sure he doesn’t want his child to be feeling as unhappy as you sound and would give you guidance.
As for the school thing, I don’t know if the “I hate school” statement was about nursing school specifically or school in general, but as a heads up, for the hours you spend actually flying the plane, you’ll be spending 3-4 times that studying/reading/etc on the ground. It’s definitely not all fun.
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
Its more so about nursing school, I’m just not a fan of the classes I’m being forced to take and studying for math classes and English classes like I’m back in high school again is just super annoying. I don’t even have fun when doing the labs and dissecting etc. I just don’t think I’m ever gonna be happy with a nursing degree.
EliteEthos@reddit
So, your solution to a short term issue is to simply blow the whole thing up?
Why not take the education that isn’t costing you anything (since you’re going to need a degree anyway to be a professional pilot) and use the income from that job to fund your flying endeavors?
You might find that you hate flying. Or that you suck at it. But if you do, you have another career field to fall back on.
You’re 20 dude. Sometimes, part of life is doing shit you don’t want to do.
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
I definitely know I need a degree I just don’t know if I should stay and then do flight school after like you said or do them both at the same time. But just from my sister’s experience and how much she worked for hers I would switch to a communication or business degree.
EliteEthos@reddit
Can you afford to do both?
I think your underestimating to cost of getting all of your ratings… and the time it’ll take before you actually get a job. Meanwhile you’ll have a loan coming due with no job to pay it. Doesn’t sound like a good idea.
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
I have a very fortunate family but I don’t think they’d pay for both, I think I’ve got till my 529. My only worry is once i graduate college I’d never go back to flight school because of work/life etc. I’d most likely be in my late 20s at that point and wouldn’t be in flight until my mid 30s
hank1224@reddit
I have to break it to you, my son he is currently 21, just finished his Instrument, I have Never seen him study so hard and study so much ever !
So if you do not like school...good luck !
Spirit_of_No_Face@reddit
Lots of free ground school on YouTube.. start watching those and see how you feel! It’s a lot easier than calculus that’s for sure!
StarRanger25@reddit
Just some word of advice,
Flight school does not go as planned financially. 1) Instructor and student bond matters as your results will develop based on it 2) Get familiar with the Private Pilot Airmen Certification Process, as this is what is used to grade you 3) Aviation is the same as school. Lots of studying.
Before making the jump to do flight lessons, consider the ground school. Try it for a month and you’ll get a glimpse of what aviation schooling is like, as there is lots of reading involved.
I have a Bachelors in Physics and even flight school has frustrated me.
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
Appreciate the info 👍🏼
HateJobLoveManU@reddit
If you don’t like school because of what you’re studying, understandable. If you don’t like school because you hate studying in general, aviation is not going to be for you.
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
I have no problem with studying my problem is when I’m a nursing major being forced to take calculus and composition classes that have nothing to do with my major.
Emotional-Essay-5684@reddit
Go on a discovery flight together with your dad, then have an honest conversation with him
Sad_Independence_208@reddit (OP)
Was planning on going on one myself this summer, didn’t even think to include him on that. Thanks 👍🏼
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I just turned 20 years old, and I’m currently enrolled in community college studying nursing. I’m planning to transfer to a four-year university after next year.
The problem is, I hate school, and I don’t like what I’m doing with my life right now. I work part-time at a restaurant, and my father, who is pretty old-fashioned, kind of pushed me into the medical field. My sister, who is two years older than me, just got a good job at a hospital, and I feel like I’m following my dad’s dream instead of my own.
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always thought about becoming a pilot. I want to switch paths, drop out, and enroll in flight school, but I have no idea how to tell my dad that. He still has about $40k–45k left in my 529 account, so I would use all of that and hopefully only end up around $20k in debt after flight school.
In high school, I was a B- student, and honestly, I just feel lost right now. I want to know if this do able I see that flight school has a high dropout rate and is this just some unrealistic dream or something I should seriously pursue.
I’ve already done research on flight schools in my area. I just don’t know if I can actually do this or how the hell I would tell my father. Any advice or help would be really appreciated.
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