Re: Some college advice needed for a young flyer

From: <joshuawfinn_at_gmail.com>
Date: 04 Dec 2014 04:20:37 -0800

Evan,
  
  What I'm going to tell you are personal opinions and experiences--you and your family are the final decision makers and know best what to do with information given you. Don't take this as me telling you that it has to be done a particular way.
  
  I went to Clemson University in 2004 and, under the advice of my father, enrolled in mechanical engineering (they actually don't have aero, but I had the option to go elsewhere had I pursued an aero degree). We both agreed that mechanical was broader-based and therefore perhaps more marketable than aero, but I'd still have the option to go into an aero job upon graduation. I was fortunate enough to get into undergrad research my junior year, having put out feelers for opportunities starting my sophomore year. My research advisor extended a research assistantship offer my senior year, so I remained at Clemson after graduation and went into dynamics and controls research within mechanical engineering. Easily 75% of my class work involved aerospace applications, something I hadn't expected, especially in a program oriented toward automotive applications. My impression is that this is the case at many universities. So indeed, it's possible to get trained in aerospace applications while still securing a broader degree that's marketable to other disciplines (I had interviews for work in a variety of different engineering fields).
  
 Also, co-op work during college, or at least getting summer engineering internships, helps a lot in securing a job upon graduation and gives you a much better idea of what real world engineering is really like.
  
 Just to add something on top, if you find the time to get a pilot's license, even just a private certificate, you'll often more marketable to the aerospace firms because it means that you understand how aircraft are operated. Not all companies care one bit about that, but to some it's a really big deal.
  
 After graduation, I landed a job at Mercer University where I'm doing research in military aircraft sustainment. We do just about every aspect of aerospace engineering here--send us your resume when you graduate. Warner Robins is less than 2 hrs from one of the best Cat I indoor sites, the weather isn't bad, land is cheap, and we hear sonic booms about 5 times each week from F-15's hurrying up the valley.

Received on Thu Dec 04 2014 - 04:20:37 CET