Should I be a Flight Attendant or Should I go to College?

[Neonred 3,648]

Even with scholarships and aid, going to Parsons you will leave with debt, BUT do not let that keep you from going. It is a great opportunity and can lead to a dream job. Do it now as it gets harder to go back to school the longer you wait.

[Darnell 8,479]

Hi guys.

Good Afternoon.

I am kind of in a sticky situation right now. It's more of a "good problem", however I am having a real hard time deciding.

So here it goes:

I am 23 year old male and I am an artist. Ever since I was a kid, I loved to draw. I studied Fine Arts for short while back in my country and it was one of the best things that happened to me. My dad when he was still alive, would always tell my sibling and I that education is the only treasure he can give us if he passes.

To cut the story short, I got accepted to Parsons the New School for Design in New York City for the Bachelor's program and it will start in the fall. As an artist, it is my dream school. I feel so privileged and honored they selected me among other applicants from all over the world.

On the other hand, just this week, I interviewed for a major US airline for the Flight Attendant position and amazingly, I got offered the position. The recruiters on that day of recruitment, told us ( the 7 of us who got the offer out of probably 60 people who got invited for the face to face interview) that we are among of the selected few out of thousands of applications they received online. I was sooo overwhelmed with joy and disbelief when they gave us the offer letter. I always wanted to be a flight attendant even as a little boy.

So heres my problem.

I already received my financial aid package from Parsons. They gave me a total of $33,000.00 worth of merit and FAFSA award. This is based on my portfolio and FAFSA application. The school is really expensive and I did all that I can to support myself if I decide to go there. I am also waiting for the scholarship competition results the school had going. If I do win the scholarship, they'll award me a full tuition scholarship for all 4 years of my college education. Parsons tuition alone would run 40 to 45 thousand a year.

They will announce the results of the scholarship competition on April 4th and on April 7th, I will start my training with the airline as a Flight Attendant.

If I win the scholarship, between college education and Flight Attendant career, which one do you think should be my priority?

My personal take on this is, If I choose to be a Flight Attendant over going to college, I would feel like I would miss such a great opportunity I was given. If in the future if I decide I no longer want to be a flight attendant, I would not have a Plan B since I never gotten a degree. There will be less options for a career change and it will be much harder to find a high paying job without a college degree. On the other hand, if I choose school over being a Flight Attendant, I will be in school for 4 years and I might take out student loans as my eligibility for scholarship if I do get it, depends on maintaining a certain GPA and grades. I might graduate school with enormous debt and finding a job after graduation may be quite a challenge especially with the state of the economy right now.

So I really need your help on this. Any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

I say do both.

When the calendars match up in the fall semester,

you can ask your workplace for Friday-Saturday-Sunday routings only.

Before then? Work often !!!!

During School Breaks? Work Often !

I have many friends in Houston that did this, the airlines were great about scheduling. Heck, one of my friends did this for bachelors, masters and phD, she was ALWAYS gone for the weekend....

Edited March 16, 2014 by Darnell

[camden 20]

Attend college. Education can never be lost once attained. Jobs come and go. How will u feel if u turn down school and American Airline flight attendants go out on strike?

[Darnell 8,479]

I say do both, at same time.

[dwightcharles 12]

Attend college. Education can never be lost once attained. Jobs come and go. How will u feel if u turn down school and American Airline flight attendants go out on strike?

I know. That is what I was thinking too. That what if in the future, something bad like that happens? I dont have a degree to fall back on.

Flight attendant jobs will be there even after 4 years. Maybe I just gotten so overwhelmed with the fact that I actually got the job.

Before this flight attendant thing, I was soooo determined to go to college. And for some reason, when I got the job I got distracted.

I will wait til April 4th and if I do win the scholarship, I am Parsons all the way.

But since I still have 4 months before classes starts in August, do you think it is a good idea to try going through training and be a flight attendant for a little while and by august just go to school?

[Darnell 8,479]

i say do both and juggle the calendar with work when school is in session.

[dwightcharles 12]

i say do both and juggle the calendar with work when school is in session.

I am not sure how to do this because scheduling is one of the hardest parts about being a new flight attendant. When you're on reserve, you cannot just pick a day off. It's all about seniority.

But yes, I will do try to ask them if theres something I can do in order for me to do both.

Thank you.

[Darnell 8,479]

no, you don't ask now.

instead, you go to work in april, and run till end of july, then ask for scheduling bits.

yer missing a big point here, but i sense it's based on your age and inexperience.

I invite you to reread post #22, then refactor your plan based on what you read in post #22.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Darnell

[blk 87]

I am not sure how to do this because scheduling is one of the hardest parts about being a new flight attendant. When you're on reserve, you cannot just pick a day off. It's all about seniority.

But yes, I will do try to ask them if theres something I can do in order for me to do both.

Thank you.

Hi,

I have just read through the posts on here & I think that at the moment you have got nothing to lose by starting the training with the airline, as collage starts in August you can use this time beforehand to start with the airline & then you can see at first hand if it's really the job you dreamed it was.

I have always tried through out my life to never have many what if's.

[moroccogirlny 100]

College is the way to go. Perhaps take the job for now and wait until school starts to see if you can juggle a part time with them? New York City is full of opportunity.

[dwightcharles 12]

Hi,

I have just read through the posts on here & I think that at the moment you have got nothing to lose by starting the training with the airline, as collage starts in August you can use this time beforehand to start with the airline & then you can see at first hand if it's really the job you dreamed it was.

I have always tried through out my life to never have many what if's.

Yea! Thats what I was thinking too.

Thank you sir.

College is the way to go. Perhaps take the job for now and wait until school starts to see if you can juggle a part time with them? New York City is full of opportunity.

You're right. I always wanted to be in New York. I kind of know what really my priority should be however I got somehow distracted with the job offer. but i will do wait til april 4th. I hope I do get the scholarship then I know, IM PARSONS ALL THE WAY! hehe

[blk 87]

Good luck in what ever you do.

Brian

[Ryan H 3,834]

***One off topic post removed along with posts that either quote or reference it. Two members thread banned.***

Edited March 16, 2014 by Ryan H

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Hi guys.

Good Afternoon.

I am kind of in a sticky situation right now. It's more of a "good problem", however I am having a real hard time deciding.

So here it goes:

I am 23 year old male and I am an artist. Ever since I was a kid, I loved to draw. I studied Fine Arts for short while back in my country and it was one of the best things that happened to me. My dad when he was still alive, would always tell my sibling and I that education is the only treasure he can give us if he passes.

To cut the story short, I got accepted to Parsons the New School for Design in New York City for the Bachelor's program and it will start in the fall. As an artist, it is my dream school. I feel so privileged and honored they selected me among other applicants from all over the world.

On the other hand, just this week, I interviewed for a major US airline for the Flight Attendant position and amazingly, I got offered the position. The recruiters on that day of recruitment, told us ( the 7 of us who got the offer out of probably 60 people who got invited for the face to face interview) that we are among of the selected few out of thousands of applications they received online. I was sooo overwhelmed with joy and disbelief when they gave us the offer letter. I always wanted to be a flight attendant even as a little boy.

So heres my problem.

I already received my financial aid package from Parsons. They gave me a total of $33,000.00 worth of merit and FAFSA award. This is based on my portfolio and FAFSA application. The school is really expensive and I did all that I can to support myself if I decide to go there. I am also waiting for the scholarship competition results the school had going. If I do win the scholarship, they'll award me a full tuition scholarship for all 4 years of my college education. Parsons tuition alone would run 40 to 45 thousand a year.

They will announce the results of the scholarship competition on April 4th and on April 7th, I will start my training with the airline as a Flight Attendant.

If I win the scholarship, between college education and Flight Attendant career, which one do you think should be my priority?

My personal take on this is, If I choose to be a Flight Attendant over going to college, I would feel like I would miss such a great opportunity I was given. If in the future if I decide I no longer want to be a flight attendant, I would not have a Plan B since I never gotten a degree. There will be less options for a career change and it will be much harder to find a high paying job without a college degree. On the other hand, if I choose school over being a Flight Attendant, I will be in school for 4 years and I might take out student loans as my eligibility for scholarship if I do get it, depends on maintaining a certain GPA and grades. I might graduate school with enormous debt and finding a job after graduation may be quite a challenge especially with the state of the economy right now.

So I really need your help on this. Any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

I think you might have the idealized flight attendant life in your mind. Don't know about you, but I would certainly would not want to spend a lot of hours atending to people that will be in various degrees of crankiness and bad hair days, worst on a bad weather day, specially in a US based airline that is all about cutting costs.

I travel quite a bit, see more of my share of rude passengers that I'd like to, and and frankly I don't know how these people (the flight attendants) do it (without strangling people that is)

As a flight attendant, your career ladder prospects are limited and not much to fall back into. The first merger or bankrupt filing will find yourself out of a job faster than the tiem it might take to pack your bags for the next assignment.

Your education will be something no one can take away. Yes, you might have a debt to start with, but you have a level of control over that. You seem to have the ambition and already have thought of your own design house, which is also something you control, as in you make your own destiny. I'd say got for it.

Am I the only one who think this is a no brainer?

Edited March 16, 2014 by Gosia & Tito

[Darnell 8,479]

post #17 seems to have some merit.