Started in 79, went 3 years and managed to accumulate about 50 credits and a GPA that barely kept me in school but I had a great time killing as many brain cells as possible.
Got a real job and left for a few years making a bunch of money in a corporate job. Went back in about 85 and finished in 88 with a BS in Marketing, last three years had a GPA of 3.85 while still working a full time + job so I was just a little more serious about it. Headed up to CSU to do grad school, took an overload of classes and waited for the work to begin, it never did. I had individual classes at Metro that were tougher than my entire course load for the semester in Ft. Collins.
You have to be out of your friggin mind. Er... I suppose it is possible. I had two meteorology classes (that I took with Katy Sabine from 9News) that were seriously hard. Math heavy. I am mathematically retarded. Meteorology was a pretty tough class at metro. Just inherent in the discipline, I suppose.
Then there was Aviation Physics. Again... Math heavy. Kicked my ass. I had friends basically carry my ass through those classes. Not that I was not trying. They would look at my homework and just shake their heads. They had to talk to me like I was five. I was not out to copy. I just could not get it. They would walk me through it. I would get a C- on the final. Just scrape by.
Then I would take classes like American History where half the final grade would be based upon our ability to name States on a map and our Aviation Management professor would give us all of the answers prior to the test and our Aviation Tech professor would allow us to do an open book test.
It was a complete joke. The aviation department is one thing the school hangs it's hat on. It was a complete joke. I got a much better education, more professional training and understanding from FlightSafety (that was on purpose) than I ever did from those burnt out professors at Metro.
The most important thing I learned is that there is absolutely no need for a 4 year degree in aviation. If one is smart. They get a degree in something meaningful, say business for example or architecture. Engineering is another good one.
Then learn to fly on the side. So when the aviation industry takes a **** on you, and it will (unless you are like my brother and just get lucky with a lot of hard work) you have another avenue to fall back on.
When the industry shat on me... I had nothing to offer to the real world. Sure, I would work hard and all that crap but, ask me to read a spread sheet or create one? I still have no idea how to do so. I would be told, "Thank you, please drive through".
My degree has not done **** for me other than to pigeon hole me into this way of life. Don't get me wrong. I'm not bitter about it. It's what I have wanted to do since I was a wee one. I just want to fly airplanes. I have made my own decisions. If I lose my medical.... I have no idea what I would do for a living. Those decisions were my own. I own them for better or worse. Knock on wood, I may have finally found a place where I may be okay for the rest of my career. As long as I can stay somewhat healthy for the next 24 years.
If it does not work out, well then...
Gather together some hookers, donkeys and midgets for a bachelor party and an allbuffs Junta traveling show I suppose.
Carpe Diem!
