If you have a child that is considering a career in aviation, and they think they want to be a pilot, it's important to prepare them for the path they have ahead of them. This is a very rewarding career, but it's also competitive and you want to help your child get into a great flight training program, and do well while they are enrolled. If you aren't sure where to start looking for information or what to look for, make sure that you talk with your teen about these things.
Staying Out of Trouble
It's very important that your teen stay out of trouble, and that they don't get criminal charges. To be trusted in the air, you don't want your teen to show these concerns on their criminal record:
- Speeding or reckless driving charges
- Charges involving drugs or alcohol
- Mental health related trouble or charges
All of these different concerns can determine if a person is able to get into a program and if they can be trusted with the lives of others in the air. This is why your teen can't face any of these issues if they want to be a pilot.
Excelling Academically
Excelling academically is a must, because your teen has to exceed the other applicants with their grades and test scores. They have to get the most competitive grades to get into the program, and they have to take a variety of entrance exams to show that they could handle the vigorous work that is required to be in the program.
Physical Assessments
There are physical requirements that have to be met in order for your teen to be eligible for the program. They will need to have their vision tested, and the program they are trying to get into may have endurance and strength tests as well. All programs that are military related will have many physical requirements.
You should get the entrance requirements from any school your teen is seriously considering to see what ones are possible and to see where you can apply. You should also have your teen start working on getting their recommendations for the programs, since many of these different applications will want your teen to have recommendations from others, maybe even from elected officials in your area. The more you find out about the school before you apply, the more you can prepare to improve your teen's chances of getting in.
