Schools & Military
Junior Colleges
Junior Colleges (or Community Colleges), if available in your area, offer a very cost effective means of going through ground school, whereas you would pay a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor, or a ground instructor) their hourly rate, at a junior college you simple pay the tuition which in the long run is much cheaper.
Mt. San Antonio College Aeronautics & Transportation
Cypress College Aviation & Travel Careers
Orange Coast College Aviation Science Aviation Maintenance Tech
Four Year Colleges & Universities
ERAU | Scholarly Commons (Scholarly Commons is an open access digital repository of the intellectual output produced by the faculty, students and staff of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.)
My school... Go Salukis!
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Aviation Management
SIUC off campus at Mt. San Antonio College
SIUC Aviation Management Society
California Aeronautical University
University of North Dakota Aerospace
Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology
If service is your thing, then there is no nobler way earn your wings than by flying in our Armed Forces in defense of this great nation. It should be noted that there of course many other aviation career fields in the military (just like in the civilian sector) that support aviation, or are aviation but just not pilot billets. To look into the variety of aviation jobs in the military, click ::here::
Service Academies
United States Military Academy - West Point
United States Naval Academy - Annapolis
How to Get Into a Military Academy
To be accepted into any service academy except for the Coast Guard Academy, you must first be nominated to the school by either:
A U.S. Senator
A U.S. Representative
The Vice President of the U.S., who can nominate applicants to any academy except the Merchant Marine Academy.
For more information, contact your Senator, Representative, or the Vice President.
How to Get Into the Coast Guard Academy
Submit an application directly. You don't need to be nominated.
Other Routes to Earning a Commission:
Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School (OCS), known as Officer Training School (OTS) in the Air Force, is essentially the equivalent of Basic Training for enlisted recruits interested in becoming officers.
There are three types of people who attend OCS/OTS:
Graduates from a traditional four-year college or university
Enlisted service members transitioning into officer roles
Direct Commission Officers (DCOs) with specialized skills or professional degrees
While duration and type of training varies among the Services, all teach military subjects, leadership skills and physical training. The goal is to prepare recruits for the challenges of officer life, from managing others to understanding military culture and law. You can learn more about specific programs and classes by visiting the Service-specific websites listed in the table below. (courtesy of Today's Military)
ROTC Programs
Founded in 1916, ROTC stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It’s a college program offered at over 1,700 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, cadets commit to serve in the Military after graduation. As detailed below, each Service branch has its own take on ROTC.