I have been asked this question many, many times, and I don’t think there’s one “right” answer. I will say this, major in an area that you LOVE! If you are interested in what you do you will excel. You could spend four years struggling through an engineering degree (just as an example), or you could kick butt in English, earning a 4.0, being active at your university and enjoying life. It all depends on your intersts and where you think you will thrive.

Whatever you decide to do, commit 100%, and you’ll succeed. Four years of busting your butt is well worth getting into flight school.

Good luck, and keep us posted!!

being selected for pilot training is very competative, to say the least … engineering degree used to be desireable … computers and simulation seem to be the technology of the era now

Find out what the Air Force or Navy is seeking these days by calling and asking.

So the moral of the story is give it a go and give it 100% and see were it takes you. If you don’t make it at least you were able to say that you gave it your best shot!

Thomas Jefferson was approached by an aspiring law student and he gave him a reading list YEARS ahead of his anticipated schooling. It was a rigorous undertaking–Latin, Cicero, Aurelius.
The point was, the passion is one thing, the process, another.

Many of us hit 20 or 25–or later with decades of self-defeating beliefs deeply ingrained in us. Neuroplacity–the capacity of the brain to rewire itself, however makes change possible. To accomplish what we might feel “too good to be true”, that which is highly improbable, or seemingly impossible we our desire must be so strong that we will either attain our dream ordie.

I might suggest a few things.

1. Go to this link and download “An Iron Will”. Read it asmany times until you feel you are developing one.

2. Start a journal and each day be radically honest about yourself and whatever things you felmay stand between you and “putting your foot on the ladder. Don’t merely focus on the obstacles; consider your strengths and make them even greater assets.

3. Start collecting quotes from those men and women who have achieved their goals over what seemed like insurmountable odds. Write these words down atleast 100 times every day: “I can. I must. I will. I refuse to take “no” for an answer.

Here are a few more quotes to get youstarted:

A strong, defiant purpose is many-handed, and lays hold of whatever near that can serve it. It has magnetic power that drawers to itself whatever is kindred.

Once a resolution has been taken, go straight in its direction, overthrow and cut down everything that would stand against it.

The unstoppable men are not those who have waited for chances, but who have taken them, besieged the chance, conquered the chance, and make chance the servitor.

The man who succeeds must always in mind and imagination live, move, think and act as if he gained the success or he never will gain it.

The great man asks but one question: “Can the thing be done?”. If it is grand and fires desire, if it is possible, all hindrances must be pushed aside.

Difficulties flee before all fearlessness.

There are no two words in the english language which standout bolder than “I will.”

To the man with a warrior’s heart, there is no such thing as an impossibility. He does not allow himself be discouraged. He realizes obstacles are those fearful things you see when you take your mind off the goal.

Confidence is captivating. It is powerful and endlessly more interesting than beauty.

The great difference between the feeble and the powerful is “invincible determination”–a purpose once fixed, where one is willing to die be victorious. That quality will achieve anything in the world.

A human being with a settled will and purpose must accomplish it. Nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment.

If a man’s desire for a thing is a hunger as powerful as that of a prisoner’s want for freedom, or as the tenaciousness with which a dying man wants to live, then that man will be able to sweep away all obstacles and impediments which seem immovable and impossible to overcome.

No thing is too good for you, no matter how great the thing may be or how undeserving you feel yourself to be. Many splendid things have been lost to you because you feel yourself be unworthy. But most good things are lost to men and women simply because they fear to ask.

Passion laughs at impossibility.

All limits are self imposed. – Icarus

The impossible is often the untried. – Jim Goodwin

I have learned to use the word impossible with the greatest caution. (Quote by – Werner von Braun)

In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd. (Quote by – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra)

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. (Quote by – St. Francis of Assisi)

By asking for the impossible we obtain the possible (Quote by Italian Proverb)

Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done. (Quote by – Charles Wesley)

For the believer, nothing is impossible. We put limitations on ourselves. (Quote by – Sasha Azevedo)

All things are possible until they are proved impossible – and even the impossible may only be so, as of now. (Quote by – Pearl S. Buck)

Don’t be told something is impossible. There’s always a way. (Quote by – Robert Rodriguez)

Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools. (Quote by – Napoleon Bonaparte)

Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail. (Quote by – Charles F. Kettering)

Self confidence is the first requisite of great undertakings. (Samuel Johnson)

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. (Abraham Lincoln)

A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.
(Ghandi)

Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them, they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight.”

“The Creator has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do”

Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers; powers that would astonish him, that he never dreamed of possessing; forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action.

There is Nothing impossible to him who will try.
Alexander the Great

Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.
Jean de la Fontaine

(A powerful affirmation):

“I Iove this reality.
I must, must, must have it.
Not having it is not an option.
I will not accept “no”.
I love this reality so much.
I will not accept “no”.

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

And, finally, check out these three vids from you tube when you think you’ve given your dream to fly all you’ve got and there’s nothing left in the tank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaFRZUIdfFI&feature=channel_video_title

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl1-pf3eqHA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9CD7uj2TL0&feature=related

I went to Air Force pilot training at age 26, after spending three years as an enlisted crew chief. Had 40+ hours of private pilot time when I headed to UPT.

I KNEW I LOVED flying. I believe it was my passion which helped me succeed in pilot training.

If you really want to fly, then don’t let those negative thoughts beat you from at least trying, with all you got!