Should I or Shouldn't I?

Syrinx2112 Newcomer

First of all, I have been lurking around this community for a while. Lots of great posters and information - and hopefully, you guys will have some good advice for me.

Here's the scenario: Circumstances made me absolutely have to wait to go back to school after the military. While i was in, I gained an infatuation for air traffic control, but was never able to act on it. I applied to some OTS panels, to no avail, and at the time knew NOTHING about CTI.

Circumstances have changed, and I can go back to school. I have a CTI school right here where I am, and I can finish in 2 years or a little less. Here's the kicker - I'm 27. I will be 28 when I start. I know you have to have your TOL by your 31st birthday.

I'm VERY hesitant to give this a shot, because I'm unsure of the chances of getting a TOL by 31, considering I'll graduate at 30.

Here's what I feel my options are:

1) Give it a shot, go for a BA in something else in the meantime (after graduation)

2) Discover some aviation fields that I would enjoy that don't require me to be under 31 and just go to school for that instead.

What do you guys think? And if you think option 2 is the way to go - what are some fields (non-pilot) that you might recommend?

Thanks in advance!

JayEee Rookie Midwest

How much school would you have to do? I entered when I was 29, graduated when I was 30 and got picked up just in time for my 31st. I only had to do one year of a two year ATC degree due to all the credits I already earned.

Whatever school is near you I'd try for a two year school depending on how many credits you need/have. The result is the same in the end. I also would do a little networking, but both military people in my class (one an air force reservist, another a 4 year marine) got picked before everyone else, so that's a give advantage to you. Currently, I'm just waiting for a class date.

Syrinx2112 Newcomer

I'm almost certain I can finish in 1.5 years, since the circumstances allow me to take as many credits as humanly possible. Plus, I'll have SOME transfer credit, just not much.

liondave Senior Member Seattle

What month would you expect to graduate in? You have to plan for the hiring panels in addition to turning 31.

Syrinx2112 Newcomer

I would graduate, by my calculations, just shy of my 30th birthday. Birthday's in August, I'd graduate in May.

liondave Senior Member Seattle

That should leave you with a shot at 2 panels, one in Oct/Nov, one in March, so your timeline is not too bad considering your age. Of course when they have panels does change sometimes.

ChrisDTC Senior Member Texas on my mind

This is very true. Over the last several years panels have been roughly around April and October.

So if you graduate in May the first panel that can pick you up isn't until October/November.

ChrisDTC Senior Member Texas on my mind

The one other thing to consider (and people will come and say that it is not confirmed that it will be this way yet, but its a risk nonetheless) is the ranking of candidates based on the type of CTI school, GPA, ATSAT etc.

So if you do a 2 yr CTI school you won't get as many points toward your ranking as those from 4 yr schools, so you will need to make sure your GPA, ATSAT score and all of the other factors are as good as possible.

If you haven't already check the CTI forum for more info on the PROPOSED changes to the CTI selection process.

Diverpilot Senior Member

It's one of those things that if you don't try it, you'll be kicking yourself in the ass for not. I've heard that they really try to help the people out when theyre getting close to 31 too.

Syrinx2112 Newcomer

This is what I'm leaning towards. I'm kind of looking at it in terms of the worst case scenario if I try, which is I don't get picked up by 31, I move on and get a BA in Civil Engineering (which is the only other thing that ever interested me) and move on knowing I tried.

or...

Go get that BA, knowing it was my plan B and wonder constantly if I gave up too easily.


I just want to make sure there is at least SOME possibility before I go do it.

Thanks for the responses thus far, folks. Much appreciated.