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| brand new student center |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- This school’s preoccupation
is with flight. Almost every major
points back in some way to the flight industry and flight science. Whether it is pilot training, aircraft maintenance,
or business, everything relates and ultimately prepares a student for
employment in this industry. Of course,
a student could come to Embry-Riddle and qualify for work outside of the
aviation industry, but make no mistake, this is their forte. A major that I have never heard of before,
Human Factors, incorporates the study of ergonomics and designing systems that
reduce human error. This degree has
applicability to industries like computer operating systems design in addition
to aeronautics.
Students in the pilot program have a wonderful set up.
Student pilots can roll out of bed, walk to
the flight center to prepare for their flight, and go for a training flight
right there on campus. Most colleges
that offer pilot programs require students to leave campus to go to an airport
for this training. It is all included in
the campus at Embry-Riddle.
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| pre-flight prep room |
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| AMT lab with jet engines |
No matter the major, Embry-Riddle takes a very hands-on
approach to instruction. A great example
of this is in the Aviation Maintenance Technician program. Students in this program will disassemble a
jet engine completely, reassemble it and as the final test, fire that bad boy
up! In many other similar programs,
students may have one engine to share with a larger class. As you can see from the picture, students in an
AMT lab at Embry Riddle have enough engines to enable them to tear down an
engine with a fellow peer. This type of
experience makes Embry-Riddle students a hot commodity in the job force; 97% of
graduates either find employment in their field of study or went on to graduate
school. Pilots and aviation mechanics
are in high demand as there is a huge shortage, which is driving up the
salaries. There is a high rate of return
on one of these degrees.
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| Aviation engineering class |
Cost of attendance is in line with many of the schools I
have visited this week. The total cost
of attendance is $47,000 per year, with added expenses related to the pilot
program (extra $15,000 per year. These
are four year programs, which is longer than other programs that will train
students to fly or fix planes/helicopters, but the great thing is that this
type of degree can open up opportunities for later on in a student’s career. The good news is that 90% of students receive
some sort of financial aid, females automatically qualify for a $5000
scholarship that is renewable for up to four years! This is meant to be an enticement to raise
the enrollment of female students (25% to 75%).
Embry-Riddle is a Division 2 NCAA school that offers 22
different sports. This and being located
in Daytona Beach, FL give students hundreds of fun options to studying, but
make no mistake, this is a demanding school.
There is a sister campus in Prescott, Arizona, which offers the same
programs. Both campuses are well
equipped for a meaningful education both in and out of class.
For a student who is interested in aviation, a visit to
Embry-Riddle in Dayton Beach would be a great idea.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Profile
5700 students
Average GPA of incoming freshman- over a 3.0 if you want any
merit-based scholarships
SAT- (test optional) 1150
ACT- (test optional) 26
